Question

Mention any two chemical differences between DNA and RNA?

Answer 1

Part 1: Difference in type of pyrimidine
DNA and RNA comprises nitrogenous bases - purines and pyrimidines. But there is a difference in the type of pyrimidine present in DNA and RNA. DNA does not have uracil, instead has thymine (5-methyl uracil). Whereas RNA contains uracil in place of thymine. Thus in DNA adenine pairs with thymine whereas in RNA adenine pairs with uracil.

Part 2: Difference in pentose sugar
DNA has deoxyribose sugar, in which no OH group is present at 2’ position RNA has ribose sugar that has an OH group which is present at 2’ position.



Summary
$\begin{array}{ccc}\text{Criteria}& \text{DNA}& \text{RNA}\\ \text{Difference in type of pyrimidine}& \text{DNA contains thymine (5-methyl uracil)}& \text{RNA contains uracil in place of thymine.}\\ \text{Difference in pentose sugar}& \text{DNA has deoxyribose sugar, in which no}& \text{RNA has ribose sugar that has}\\ & \text{OH group is present at 2 position}& \text{an OH group which is present}\\ & & \text{at 2 position}\end{array}$