What component serves as the sugar in DNA?

The sugar component in DNA is deoxyribose, which is a five-carbon sugar that forms part of the backbone of the DNA molecule. Deoxyribose differs from ribose, which is found in RNA, by the absence of one oxygen atom: deoxyribose has one less oxygen than ribose, hence the prefix "deoxy" in its name. This structural difference is crucial because it contributes to the stability and the double helix structure of DNA, as deoxyribose allows DNA to be less reactive and more stable compared to RNA.

The other sugars mentioned do not serve as the sugar in DNA. Glucose is a six-carbon sugar that is primarily involved in energy metabolism rather than being a structural component of nucleic acids. Fructose, another six-carbon sugar, is mainly found in fruits and is involved in energy production and metabolism but does not play a role in the structure of DNA. Therefore, deoxyribose is specifically integral to the formation of the DNA molecule.