Nucleotides are always added to the 3’ end of DNA.Group of answer choicesFalseTrueNext

Answer

The statement "Nucleotides are always added to the 3’ end of DNA" is True.

Explanation

In the process of DNA replication and transcription, nucleotides are always added to the growing strand at the 3’ hydroxyl (−OH) end. This characteristic is due to the enzymatic mechanisms involved in DNA polymerization. DNA polymerases, the enzymes that synthesize DNA, can only add new nucleotides to an existing strand in the 5’ to 3’ direction. Therefore, they require a 3’ hydroxyl group on the last nucleotide of the existing strand to catalyze the formation of a phosphodiester bond with the new nucleotide.

The addition of nucleotides in this way ensures that the DNA structure remains intact and follows the antiparallel orientation of the double helix. The 5’ end of the DNA strand has a phosphate group, typically at the terminal end of the sequence, while the 3’ end has a hydroxyl group. This directional growth is crucial for the accurate replication and functioning of the DNA molecule.

Thus, the answer to the question is indeed True.