Question:
Write the important structural and functional differences between DNA and RNA.
Answer:
DNA comprises of deoxyribose sugars and phosphate backbone. It has four different types of nitrogenous bases - adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine.
RNA is a polymer consisting of ribose sugars and phosphate backbone. The four different nitrogenous bases it has are - adenine, guanine, cytosine, and uracil.
The structural differences are as follows -
|
DNA |
RNA |
||
|
1. |
The sugar moiety in DNA molecules is a deoxyribose. | 1. | The sugar moiety in RNA molecules is a ribose. |
|
2. |
DNA contains thymine (T). It does not contain uracil (U). | 2. | RNA contains uracil (U). It does not contain thymine (T). |
|
3. |
The helical structure of DNA is double-stranded and narrower. | 3. | The helical structure of RNA is single-stranded and wider than DNA. |
The functional differences are -
|
1 |
DNA is the chemical basis of heredity. |
1 |
RNA is not responsible for heredity, but it is has an important role during the process of protein synthesis. |
|
2 |
DNA molecules do not synthesise proteins, but transfer coded message for the synthesis of proteins in the cells. |
2 |
Proteins are synthesised by RNA molecules in the cells. |
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