Question

Which chemical element is found in high amounts in nuclein?

• A. Phosphorus
• B. Sulphur
• C. Carbon
• D. Oxygen

Hint:

Nuclein is the old name for nucleic acid, whose backbone contains phosphate groups.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept
Friedrich Miescher (1869) isolated an acidic substance from the nuclei of pus cells and named it nuclein. It is what we now call nucleic acid.

Step 2: Composition
Each nucleotide of a nucleic acid contains a phosphate group, so the phosphodiester backbone is rich in phosphorus.

Step 3: Compare with proteins
Proteins contain sulfur, but nucleic acids do not. So the element in high amount is phosphorus.

Final Answer:
Nuclein is rich in phosphorus. \[ \boxed{\text{(A) }\text{Phosphorus}} \]