Both DNA and proteins contain the element nitrogen. In DNA, nitrogen is a key component of the nitrogenous bases (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine) that make up the nucleotides. Each of these bases has a nitrogen atom in its molecular structure, which is crucial for the encoding of genetic information.
Similarly, proteins are made up of amino acids, some of which also contain nitrogen in their chemical structure. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and include an amino group (-NH2) that contains nitrogen.
This shared presence of nitrogen highlights its importance in the biochemistry of life, serving as a fundamental element in both genetic material and protein synthesis.