Final answer:
DNA and RNA are composed of four types of nucleotides, with uracil in RNA instead of thymine in DNA. Proteins are made of amino acid subunits. DNA encodes the sequence of amino acids for proteins, a process executed through the roles of mRNA, tRNA, rRNA, and regulatory RNAs in protein synthesis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) are the two types of nucleic acids found in cells. DNA consists of two strands forming a double helix, with each strand made of nucleotide subunits. These nucleotides include adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). In contrast, RNA is generally single-stranded and has uracil (U) instead of thymine. Therefore, the subunits of DNA are the four types of nucleotides, while RNA subunits also include four nucleotides but have uracil replacing thymine. Proteins, on the other hand, are composed of amino acid subunits. There are 20 different amino acids that can be combined in various sequences to form proteins. The relationship between DNA and proteins is fundamental to cell function.
DNA contains the genetic code that determines the sequence of amino acids in a protein, which is carried out through the processes of transcription (making RNA from DNA) and translation (making protein from RNA), collectively known as the Central Dogma of protein synthesis. There are four types of RNA: messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), ribosomal RNA (rRNA), and regulatory RNAs (such as microRNAs). mRNA carries the genetic information from DNA to the ribosome, where protein synthesis takes place. tRNA brings the appropriate amino acids to the ribosome during translation, and rRNA helps form the ribosome's structure and catalyze the formation of peptide bonds between amino acids. Regulatory RNAs are involved in various cellular processes, including gene expression and suppression.