DNA
| RNA |
1. DNA is the usual genetic material
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1. RNA is the genetic material of some viruses.
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2. DNA is usually double-stranded, (In certain viruses DNA is single stranded, e.g. φ X 174).
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2. Most cellular RNA is single stranded. (Some viruses e.g. reovirus, have double stranded RNA).
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3. The pentose sugar is deoxyribose.
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3. The pentose sugar is ribose.
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4. The common organic bases are adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine.
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4. The common organic bases are adenine, guanine, cytosine and uracil.
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5. Base pairing: adenine pairs with thymine and guanine with cytosine.
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5. Adenine pairs with uracil and guanine with cytosine.
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6. Pairing of bases is throughout the length of the molecule.
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6. Pairing of bases is only in the helical region
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7. There are fewer uncommon bases
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7. There are more uncommon bases.
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8. DNA is only of one type
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8. There are three types of RNA messenger ribosomal and transfer RNA.
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9. Most of the DNA is found in the chromosomes. Some DNA is also found in the cytoplasm e.g. in mitochondria and chloroplasts.
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9. Messenger RNA is formed on the chromosomes, and is found in the nucleolus and cytoplasm. rRNA and tRNA are also formed on the chromosomes, and are found in cytoplasm.
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10. Denaturation (melting) is partially reversible only under certain conditions of slow cooling (renaturation).
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10. Complete and practically in stantaneous reversibility of the process of melting.
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11. Sharp, narrow temperature interval of transition in melting.
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11. Broad temperature interval of transition in melting.
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12. DNA on replication forms DNA, and on transcription forms RNA.
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12. Usually RNA does not replicate or transcribe. (In certain viruses RNA can synthesize an RNA chain).
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13. Genetic messages are usually encoded in DNA.
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13. The usual function of RNA is translating messages encoded in DNA into proteins.
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14. DNA consists of a large number of nucleotides, up to 4.3 million
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14. RNA consists of fewer nucleotides, up to 12,000
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