Sugar Backbone |
Ribose (contains a hydroxyl group at the 2' position) |
Deoxyribose (lacks the hydroxyl group at the 2' position) |
Bases |
Adenine (A), Guanine (G), Cytosine (C), Uracil (U) |
Adenine (A), Guanine (G), Cytosine (C), Thymine (T) |
Structure |
Single-stranded (can fold into complex shapes) |
Double-stranded (twisted double helix) |
Function |
Carries genetic information, participates in protein synthesis, performs regulatory roles |
Stores genetic information, serves as the blueprint for life |
Stability |
Less stable, degrades quickly |
More stable, passes genetic information from generation to generation |
Location |
Found in cytoplasm, nucleus, and ribosomes |
Found in nucleus and chromosomes |
Types |
Messenger RNA (mRNA), Ribosomal RNA (rRNA), Transfer RNA (tRNA), MicroRNA (miRNA) |
Genomic DNA, Mitochondrial DNA, Plasmid DNA |