The three components of a nucleotide ... Sugar - Either ribose or deoxyribose (in RNA or DNA) Nitrogenous base - Adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine (only in DNA), uracil (only in RNA) Phosphates - One to three, two of which are usually hydrolyzed to provide the energy to attach the nucleotide and form the phosphodiester bond Solution The three components of a nucleotide ... Sugar - Either ribose or deoxyribose (in RNA or DNA) Nitrogenous base - Adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine (only in DNA), uracil (only in RNA) Phosphates - One to three, two of which are usually hydrolyzed to provide the energy to attach the nucleotide and form the phosphodiester bond.