Are sugar and phosphate the same thing? Understanding their fundamental biochemical differences
                                
                                
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                                    6 min read                                
                            
                                All life depends on the structure of DNA, which is built from nucleotides. With both sugar and phosphate serving as core components of these vital molecules, it is easy to wonder: are sugar and phosphate the same thing? The answer is a clear no, as they are fundamentally distinct molecules with entirely different chemical compositions and functions in the cell.