Notes from NEET topper
RNA Components
Sugar in RNA
The sugar in RNA is ribose, a five-carbon sugar. Ribose is chemically distinct from the deoxyribose found in DNA due to an additional hydroxyl group attached to its second carbon. This difference is crucial, as it makes RNA less stable than DNA, but also more flexible, suitable for its varied roles in the cell.
Nitrogenous Bases in RNA
RNA contains four primary nitrogenous bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and uracil (U). Uracil serves a similar base-pairing function as thymine in DNA, pairing with adenine. The bases are critical for RNA’s ability to encode information, similar to DNA.
Nucleoside
In RNA, a nucleoside is formed when a ribose sugar is covalently bonded to a nitrogenous base (A, U, C, or G). Nucleosides differ from nucleotides; the latter also includes one or more phosphate groups attached to the sugar.
