Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)
  • DNA is an organic chemical that contains genetic information and instructions for protein synthesis.
  • DNA is a key part of reproduction, in which genetic heredity is passed down through DNA from parents to offspring
  • RNA is a nucleic acid principally involved in the synthesis of proteins, carrying the messenger (ex: mRNA) instructions from DNA, which itself contains the genetic instructions
  • It has a deoxyribose-phosphate backbone with four distinct bases: Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine & Thymine (ACGT).
  • It has a ribose-phosphate backbone with four bases: Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine& Uracil (ACGU).
  • Found in the cell nucleus and Mitochondria.
  • Found in the Cytoplasm, nucleus, and ribosomes.
  • Has 2-deoxyribose.
  • Has Ribose
  • A double-stranded molecule with a long chain of nucleotides.
  • A single-stranded molecule with a shorter chain of nucleotides.
  • Self-replicating
  • Synthesizes from DNA when required.

 

mRNA

  • mRNA stands for messenger ribonucleic acid. 
  • It is a usually single-stranded RNA molecule that carries genetic instructions copied from DNA to ribosomes, where proteins are synthesized.

 

Source: Down To Earth