Question

What do nucleotides consist of? List any two structural differences between RNA and DNA.

Answer 1

Nucleotide:

1. The nucleotide is an organic molecule whose basic composition is a nitrogenous base, pentose sugar, and phosphate.
2. Both DNA and RNA are polynucleotides, containing a monomeric nucleotide sequence with different nitrogenous bases.
3. Nucleotides play an essential role in carrying out metabolic and physiological activities.
4. A nucleotide is composed of three covalently bonded units.
5. They are Nitrogen bases - Purine and Pyrimidine, Pentose sugar - Ribose and deoxyribose, and Phosphates - monophosphate, diphosphate, and triphosphate.

RNA:

Ribonucleic acid is a polymeric molecule essential in various biological roles in coding, decoding, regulation and expression of genes.

DNA:

Deoxyribonucleic acid is a molecular group that is in charge of transporting and transferring hereditary contents or genetic instructions from parents to children.

Structural differences between RNA and DNA:

S.No.	DNA	RNA
1.	It stands for deoxyribonucleic acid.	It stands for ribonucleic acid.
2.	The structure of DNA is double-stranded.	The structure of RNA is single-stranded.
3.	Deoxyribose is sugar with four nitrogenous bases i.e. Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, and Thymine.	Ribose is sugar with four nitrogenous bases i.e. Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, and Uracil
4.	Deoxyribose lacks the OH group at 2' carbon.	Ribose has an OH group attached to 2' carbon.
5.	DNA is stable under alkaline conditions.	RNA is unstable under alkaline conditions.