Question

Write any two differences between DNA and RNA.

Nucleic acids are the polymers of nucleotides which in turn consist of a base, a pentose sugar and phosphate group. Nucleic acids are responsible for the transfer of characters from parents to offsprings. There are two types of Nucleic acids – DNA and RNA. DNA is the chemical basis of heredity and have the coded message for proteins to be synthesised in the cell. Answer the following :

Ribose and 2-deoxyribose have an important role in biology. Among the most important derivatives are those with phosphate groups attached at the 5 position. Mono-, di- and tri-phosphate forms are important, as well as 3-5 cyclic monophosphates. Purines and pyrimidines form an important class of compounds with ribose and deoxyribose. When these purine and pyrimidine derivatives are coupled to a ribose sugar, they are called nucleosides.