Question

How do sugars of RNA and DNA differ?

1) RNA has six-carbon sugar whereas DNA has a five-carbon sugar.
2) The sugar of RNA has a hydroxyl group that is not found in the sugar of DNA.
3) RNA contains uracil while DNA contains thymine.
4) The sugar in DNA has a phosphorus atom while the sugar in RNA does not.
5) There is no biochemical difference in the sugars of RNA and DNA.

Answer 1

The sugars in RNA and DNA differ by an extra hydroxyl group present in RNA. DNA has deoxyribose, with no hydroxyl group at the 2' carbon, whereas RNA has ribose, which includes the hydroxyl group at the same position.

Step-by-step explanation:

The sugars in RNA and DNA differ by the presence of an extra hydroxyl group in RNA. DNA contains deoxyribose, which lacks a hydroxyl group at the 2' carbon, hence the prefix 'deoxy-' indicating the removal of an oxygen atom. In contrast, the sugar in RNA is ribose, which includes a hydroxyl group (-OH) on the 2' carbon. This structural difference is fundamental as it affects the stability and the overall structure of the nucleic acids. Additionally, both RNA and DNA contain phosphate groups, but they have no bearing on the differences in sugars between the two.

RNA and DNA are the presence of a hydroxyl group on the second carbon of the ribose in RNA, whereas DNA's deoxyribose lacks this hydroxyl group. Another difference is the number of carbon atoms in the sugar: RNA's ribose has five carbons, while DNA's deoxyribose has only four carbons. Additionally, RNA contains the base uracil, while DNA contains the base thymine.