What is the difference between RNA and DNA?

3.52K views

What is the difference between RNA and DNA?

In: Biology

Anonymous 0 Comments

1) DNA stores genetic information. RNA is an intermediate form that carries information from DNA to protein. So DNA gets transcribed, RNA gets translated.

2) DNA is DeoxyriboNucleic Acid, RNA is RiboNucleic Acid. So ~~DNA~~ **RNA** has an extra oxygen in its sugar.

3) DNA has four bases, G, C, A, T. RNA has the same but uracil instead of thymine.

4) DNA is usually double stranded. RNA is usually single stranded. Emphasis on usually.

5) DNA forms long strands, a double antiparallel helix, with many layers of coiling. RNA forms secondary and tertiary structures, so it can bend onto itself and Form different shapes (like hairpins and loops, or like in ribosomes).

6) RNA has soooooooooo many types (mRNA, tRNA, siRNA, ncRNA, rRNA, shRNA, etc etc etc), and serves sooooooo many functions. DNA is only for storing information. But DNA is more stable although it is more susceptible to UV damage, but it can repair itself, unlike RNA.

Edit: I think I should mention these are the major differences. There countless other differences