nucleoside
/ˈn(j)u(ː)kliəˌsaɪd/ · noun
Meaning
- an organic molecule in which a nitrogenous heterocyclic base (or nucleobase), which can be either a double-ringed purine or a single-ringed pyrimidine, is covalently attached to a five-carbon pentose sugar (deoxyribose in DNA or ribose in RNA). When the phosphate group is covalently attached to the pentose sugar, it forms a nucleotide.
Etymology / origin
Probably from nucleo- + (glyc)oside.
Related words
Descendant words
- nukleosidi(Finnish) (cog)
Sources
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