Differences Between DNA and RNA Structure

1. Nucleotide Composition:

   • DNA: Made up of deoxyribonucleic acid. It has a sugar called deoxyribose, a phosphate group, and four building blocks (nitrogenous bases):
     • Adenine (A)
     • Thymine (T)
     • Cytosine (C)
     • Guanine (G)
   • RNA: Made of ribonucleic acid. It has a sugar called ribose, a phosphate group, and four building blocks (nitrogenous bases):
     • Adenine (A)
     • Uracil (U)
     • Cytosine (C)
     • Guanine (G)

2. Strand Structure:

   • DNA: Generally, it has two strands that twist together to form a shape called a double helix. The bases pair up in a special way: A with T and C with G.

   • RNA: Usually has one strand. However, it can create different shapes, like loops and twists.

3. Function:

   • DNA: Acts like a blueprint for all living things. It holds the instructions for making proteins and keeps our genetic information safe. On average, humans have about 3 billion base pairs in their DNA.

   • RNA: Plays a big part in making proteins. Messenger RNA (mRNA) takes genetic information from DNA to the ribosomes, which are like factories for making proteins. Transfer RNA (tRNA) and ribosomal RNA (rRNA) help in putting that information into action to create proteins.

These differences in structure help DNA and RNA do their special jobs in living organisms.