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Chapter 6: Problem 3

What are the three major structural differences between DNA and RNA? 1. 2. 3

Short Answer

Expert verified
1. Different sugars: deoxyribose in DNA and ribose in RNA. 2. Different bases: thymine in DNA and uracil in RNA. 3. DNA is double-stranded; RNA is single-stranded.

Step by step solution

01

Difference 1: Sugar Component

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) contains deoxyribose sugar, whereas RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) contains ribose sugar. The deoxyribose sugar in DNA lacks one oxygen atom compared to the ribose sugar in RNA.
02

Difference 2: Nitrogenous Bases

DNA and RNA contain different nitrogenous bases. DNA uses the bases adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). RNA, on the other hand, uses adenine (A), uracil (U), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). Thymine in DNA is replaced by uracil in RNA.
03

Difference 3: Strand Structure

DNA is typically double-stranded, forming a double helix, whereas RNA is usually single-stranded. This structural difference influences their functionality and stability within the cell.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

DNA structure
DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic Acid and is the molecule that carries the genetic instructions for life. Its structure is like a twisted ladder, known as a double helix. The sides of the ladder are made up of sugar molecules (deoxyribose) and phosphate groups. These sugars are called deoxyribose because they lack one oxygen atom compared to ribose sugars in RNA. Each 'rung' of the ladder consists of pairs of nitrogenous bases bonded together by hydrogen bonds.
RNA structure
RNA stands for Ribonucleic Acid and plays a crucial role in coding, decoding, regulating, and expressing genes. Unlike DNA, RNA is usually single-stranded. Its sugar component is ribose, which, unlike deoxyribose in DNA, has one more oxygen atom. RNA can fold upon itself to form complex three-dimensional shapes because of interactions between its nitrogenous bases.
Nucleotide bases
Both DNA and RNA are made up of units called nucleotides. Each nucleotide consists of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. The nitrogenous bases are the key players here:
- DNA contains: Adenine (A), Thymine (T), Cytosine (C), and Guanine (G).
- RNA contains: Adenine (A), Uracil (U), Cytosine (C), and Guanine (G).
In DNA, A pairs with T and C pairs with G. In RNA, A pairs with U and C pairs with G. These pairings are crucial because they ensure the genetic information is accurately copied and expressed.
Double helix
The double helix is a defining structural feature of DNA. It looks like a twisted ladder where the rungs are nitrogenous base pairs and the sides are alternating sugar and phosphate groups. This structure is stabilized by hydrogen bonds between the bases:
- Adenine pairs with Thymine, forming two hydrogen bonds.
- Cytosine pairs with Guanine, forming three hydrogen bonds.
This specific pairing is known as complementary base pairing, and it ensures that the genetic code can be accurately copied during cell division.
Single-stranded molecules
RNA molecules are typically single-stranded, which gives them more flexibility and versatility than the double-stranded DNA. Being single-stranded means RNA can fold into various shapes and perform different functions within a cell:
- Messenger RNA (mRNA) carries genetic information from DNA to ribosomes for protein synthesis.
- Transfer RNA (tRNA) helps decode mRNA sequences into proteins by bringing appropriate amino acids.
- Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) forms the core of ribosomes and catalyzes protein synthesis.
This structural flexibility is a key feature that allows RNA to play multiple roles in the cell.

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