A phosphodiester bond is a type of chemical bond that forms between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the hydroxyl group on the sugar of another nucleotide within a nucleic acid, such as DNA or RNA. This bond is crucial for the structural integrity of nucleic acids, as it creates a long chain of nucleotides joined together.
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A phosphodiester bond connects two groups through a phosphate diester. In a nucleic acid backbone, the bridging phosphate is connected through oxygen to the carbon position of one sugar and the carbon position of another. These covalent bonds connect successive nucleotides along a strand; they are distinct from the hydrogen bonds between paired nucleobases.