Question

What are the structural differences between RNA and DNA?

a) DNA has ribose, RNA has deoxyribose
b) DNA is single-stranded, RNA is double-stranded
c) DNA has thymine, RNA has uracil
d) DNA has uracil, RNA has thymine

Answer 1

RNA is single-stranded with ribose sugar and uses uracil instead of thymine, unlike the double-stranded DNA with deoxyribose and thymine. Option C

Step-by-step explanation:

The structure of ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) differ primarily in three ways:

RNA is usually single-stranded, whereas DNA is typically double-stranded. DNA's double helix consists of two complementary strands that wind around each other, while RNA is single-stranded but can fold upon itself to create complex three-dimensional shapes.

The sugar present in the backbone of RNA is ribose, which contains an additional oxygen atom when compared to deoxyribose, the sugar found in DNA. This structural difference gives DNA added stability for the long-term storage of genetic information.

RNA uses the nitrogenous base uracil (U) instead of thymine (T), which is found in DNA. This means that in RNA, adenine pairs with uracil during protein synthesis.

Therefore, the correct statement among the options provided is: DNA has thymine, RNA has uracil. Option C