DNA and RNA are two very important molecules in our cells, and they have different shapes that help them do different jobs.

1. Structure:

• DNA:
  • It looks like a twisted ladder, also known as a double helix.
  • The sides of the ladder are made of a sugar called deoxyribose and phosphate groups.
  • The steps of the ladder are special pieces called nitrogenous bases. They are adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). A always pairs with T, and C always pairs with G, thanks to weak bonds.
• RNA:
  • This molecule is like a single strand, not twisted.
  • It has ribose sugar instead of deoxyribose.
  • Instead of thymine, it has uracil (U).

2. Functional Implications:

• DNA:
  • It is very stable. In fact, it can last a really long time, about 521 years, without getting repaired.
  • Its main job is to store genetic information and help copy itself. Humans have about 46 billion base pairs in their DNA!
• RNA:
  • RNA is more flexible because it is single-stranded.
  • It helps in two important processes: making messenger RNA (mRNA) and creating proteins from that RNA.
  • mRNA is usually between 500 and 10,000 pieces long.

These differences in structure are really important. They affect how DNA and RNA work in controlling our genes and making our cells function properly.