Question

What evidence best explains how the structure of RNA enables it to assist with expressing genetic information within a cell?

A. The RNA molecule uses the nucleotide Uracil instead of the Thymine molecule contained within DNA strands.
B. The RNA nucleotide structure contains the sugar ribose, which makes up the sugar-phosphate backbone of the RNA molecule.
C. RNA polymerase unwinds the DNA strand, binds to the molecule, and begins unwinding the DNA to expose the bases to free-floating nucleotides.
D. Each set of three RNA nucleotides structurally corresponds to specific amino acids, which join together to create different proteins depending on the sequence.

Answer 1

The structure of RNA, with its capacity to fold into complex three-dimensional shapes and its use of uracil instead of thymine, allows it to translate genetic information into proteins through the processes of transcription and translation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Structure of RNA and Protein Synthesis

The evidence that best explains how the structure of RNA enables it to assist with expressing genetic information within a cell is D. Each set of three RNA nucleotides structurally corresponds to specific amino acids, which join together to create different proteins depending on the sequence. This is known as the genetic code and it allows RNA to translate the genetic information from DNA into the language of proteins. RNA molecules, especially messenger RNA (mRNA), are crucial in the process known as transcription, where a segment of DNA is copied into RNA. Then, during translation, the mRNA works with ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and transfer RNA (tRNA) to synthesize proteins, with the sequence of nucleotides in the mRNA determining the order of amino acids in the protein.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) differs from DNA in several ways that are critical for its function in protein synthesis. RNA is typically single-stranded allowing it to fold into complex three-dimensional structures crucial for its functions. The presence of the sugar ribose and the uracil base in RNA, as opposed to thymine in DNA, also contributes to RNA's unique role.