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What are similarities and differences between the structures of DNA and RNA?

User Kortschak
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Answer:

The similarities and differences between DNA and RNA are given as follows:

Step-by-step explanation:

Similarities:

Both are made up of nucleotides

Nucleotides are made up of nitrogenous bases, a pentose sugar, and the phosphate backbone.

Both DNA and RNA have four nitrogenous bases each - two purines two pyrimidines

Purine binds with pyrimidines

Differences

DNA uses the nitrogenous bases adenine, cytosine, thymine, and guanine whereas RNA uses adenine, cytosine, uracil, and guanine. Uracil lacks a methyl group on its ring

RNA contains the sugar ribose that has an extra -OH while DNA contains the deoxyribose sugar that has H at the 2 carbon.

DNA is double-stranded while RNA is a single-stranded

Under alkaline conditions, DNA is stable while RNA is not stable.

User Kevinbrink
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