3.2 Structure of DNA and RNA

• RNA can be mRNA (messenger RNA).
• RNA can be rRNA (ribosomal RNA).
• RNA can be tRNA (transfer RNA).
• mRNA contains a uracil nucleotide base. It is single-stranded and shorter than DNA.
• mRNA carries a transcript of a gene from the nucleus to a ribosome.
• rRNA is associated with proteins.
• rRNA's function is to form a ribosome.
• tRNA has a clover leaf shape. It has hydrogen bonding between bases. It has an anticodon which is complementary to an mRNA codon. The amino acid binding site attaches to the amino acid so the amino acid can be carried to ribosome.
• The function of tRNA is to carry amino acids to the ribosome.
• You would find mRNA in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and associated with ribosomes.
• You would find rRNA in the ribosomes.
• You would find tRNA in the cytoplasm and associated with ribosomes.
• DNA is a double helix.
• The nitrogenous bases in DNA are adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine.
• The nitrogenous bases in RNA are adenine, guanine, cytosine, and uracil
• In DNA, there are two strands held together by hydrogen bonds between complementary base pairs (adenine and thymine).
• The structure of DNA allows it to be replicated accurately during cell division.
• In RNA, there is one single strand that folds back on itself forming loops and hairpin turns.
• In DNA, there are two strands held together by hydrogen bonds between complementary base pairs (adenine to thymine; cytosine to guanine).
• There are four different types of RNA molecules: messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and small nuclear RNA (snRNA)
• Both DNA and RNA have sugar phosphate backbones.
• DNA has deoxyribose as its sugar component while RNA has ribose.
• The sugar molecule in DNA is deoxyribose.
• DNA has the bases adenine, thymine, cytosine and guanine while RNA has uracil instead of thymine.
• The backbone of DNA consists of alternating sugars and phosphates.