Comparison of RNA and DNA

This chart illustrates the differences between DNA and RNA.

RNA and DNA are both nucleic acids consisting of a long chain of nucleotides. Despite their seemingly minor chemical differences, the two molecules play very different roles for life forms on Earth.

Introduction

DNA and RNA differ in the identity of the sugar and one base. DNA utilizes the sugar deoxyribose and the base thymine, while RNA utilizes the sugar ribose and the base uracil. Additionally, DNA is almost always double-stranded, occuring alongside a complementary strand. RNA is often found in single-stranded form.