| Aspect | Nucleotide | Nucleoside |
| Components | · Nitrogenous base · Pentose sugar (ribose or deoxyribose) · Phosphate group | · Nitrogenous base · Pentose sugar (ribose or deoxyribose) |
| Structure | · Generally larger and more complex due to the phosphate group | · Have a smaller and simpler structure |
| Stability | · Less stable | · More stable |
| Phosphate group | · Present | · Absent |
| Role in building nucleic acids | · When linked together, they form DNA or RNA | · Not involved in forming DNA or RNA |
| Function | · Synthesis of DNA and RNA · Role in energy transfer and cell signaling | · Serve as precursors for the synthesis of nucleotides and nucleic acids |
| Role in energy transfer | · Involved in energy transfer as ATP, GTP, etc. | · Not directly involved in energy transfer |
| Examples | · ATP · GTP · dTTP | · Adenosine · Cytidine · Uridine |
Comparison between nucleotide and nucleoside
Let me share with you a comparison between nucleotide and nucleoside.