What sugar is found in the nucleotides of DNA?

The sugar found in the nucleotides of DNA is deoxyribose. This five-carbon sugar is a crucial component of the DNA structure, as it forms part of the backbone of the DNA molecule, which also includes phosphate groups. The presence of deoxyribose distinguishes DNA from RNA, which contains ribose. In DNA, deoxyribose lacks one oxygen atom compared to ribose, which is why it is called "deoxy." This subtle difference is significant, as it contributes to the stability and structure of DNA, making it more suited for long-term genetic information storage compared to RNA. Understanding the role of deoxyribose is essential in the context of molecular biology, genetics, and the overall structure of nucleic acids.