Nucleotides are to DNA as amino acids are to ____?

Nucleotides serve as the building blocks of DNA, forming the essential sequences that encode genetic information. Similarly, amino acids are the fundamental components that link together to create proteins. In the process of protein synthesis, amino acids are assembled in specific sequences dictated by the genetic information carried by mRNA, ultimately folding into functional proteins. This relationship highlights how both nucleotides and amino acids are critical in the formation of larger biological structures—DNA for nucleotides and proteins for amino acids. The other options, such as ribosomes, RNA, and cells, do not represent the direct structural relationship that amino acids have with proteins.