DNA and RNA are acronyms of chemical substances involved in the transmission of hereditary characters and in the production of composite proteins, which are the main constituent of living beings; they are nucleic acids found in all human cells.
According to biology, DNA makes RNA, which makes protein (although there are exceptions such as retroviruses, for example, the AIDS virus). The information contained in DNA is registered in the sequence of its bases in the chain, which indicates another sequence, that of amino acids, substances that constitute proteins. DNA is not the direct manufacturer of these proteins; for this it forms a specific type of RNA, the messenger RNA. The genetic code is in the DNA, in the nucleus of cells, while the proteins are in the cell cytoplasm, where the messenger RNA is directed.
DNA
DNA is a molecule formed by two strands in the form of a double helix, which are made up of a sugar, a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base. The double helix is an essential factor in DNA replication during cell division, where each helix serves as a template for a new one.
RNA
RNA is the acronym for ribonucleic acid (RNA), which is a molecule also formed by a sugar, a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base. RNA is responsible for the cell's protein synthesis, they are usually formed in single strands, which can sometimes be folded.
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Differences between DNA and RNA
In the cell, DNA is found in the nucleus, and RNA is produced in the nucleus but migrates to the cytoplasm.
With regard to pentose (the structural monosaccharide that is present in the nucleotide), in RNA there is ribose and in DNA there is deoxyribose.
Another difference between DNA and RNA lies in their structures. As for the number of strands, normally RNA has a single helix, while DNA has a double helix.
Regarding the pairing of nitrogenous bases, both in RNA and DNA, cytosine pairs with guanine. The difference is that in RNA, adenine pairs with uracil and in DNA, adenine pairs with thymine.
See too:
- RNA
- DNA
- DNA: what is it, what is its function and structure
