DNA v. RNA

A shopping cart model of DNA by Abigail Fallis. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) stores the genetic information necessary to maintain and propagate life, and is the main component of chromosomes. DNA is an extremely long, self-replicating molecule consisting of two nucleotide strands coiled around one another in a double helix.

RNA (ribonucleic acid) refers to a group of single-stranded nucleic acids involved in protein synthesis. Messenger RNA carries a transcribed copy of a DNA sequence from the nucleus to the ribosomes, which assemble proteins. Transfer RNA is a small RNA molecule that delivers amino acids to the ribosomes for incorporation into proteins. Ribosomal RNA is a structural element of the ribosomes themselves.

• DNA is usually double-stranded and RNA is usually single-stranded.
• The sugar in the backbone of DNA is deoxyribose; in RNA, ribose is used instead.
• The four chemical bases found in DNA are adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine. Thymine is replaced with uracil in RNA.
• RNA is shorter than DNA, and comes in a variety of shapes.
• In eukaryotes, DNA remains within the nucleus, or in some organelles. RNA carries information from the nucleus to the ribosomes.
• While almost all organisms use DNA to encode their genetic information, the majority of viruses have RNA genomes.

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