Final answer:
The major difference between ribose (RNA) and deoxyribose (DNA) lies in their chemical structure, which affects stability and base-pairing capabilities. RNA has a hydroxyl group at the 2' carbon of ribose, making it less stable and allowing it to engage in temporary cellular processes. In contrast, DNA lacks this hydroxyl group and uses thymine instead of uracil for base-pairing.
Step-by-step explanation:
The major difference between ribose (RNA) and deoxyribose (DNA) lies in their chemical structure. Ribose has a hydroxyl group (-OH) attached to the 2' carbon, while deoxyribose lacks this hydroxyl group. This difference in structure affects the stability, synthesis, and functions of RNA and DNA.
The hydroxyl group in ribose makes RNA less stable than DNA because it is more prone to hydrolysis. This instability allows RNA to have a more temporary role in cellular processes such as gene expression and protein synthesis.
Additionally, the presence of the hydroxyl group in ribose affects the base-pairing capabilities. RNA utilizes the base uracil (U), which pairs with adenine (A), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). On the other hand, DNA uses thymine (T) instead of uracil, which pairs with adenine (A) only. This difference in base-pairing rules between RNA and DNA contributes to their distinct functions in the cell.