Thursday, August 4, 2011

DNA and RNA

DNA and RNA are two different nucleic acids found in the cells of every living organism. Both have significant roles to play in cell biology. DNA and RNA structure are similar because they both consist of long chains of nucleotide units. However, there are a few structural details that distinguish them from each other, and if you are to compare DNA and RNA, these would be the results:
RNA is single-stranded while DNA is a double-stranded helix. RNA also has uracil as its base while the DNA base is thymine. However, even with the differences in their structures, DNA and RNA have cooperating roles in the field of Cell Biology.
DNA contains the genetic information of an organism, and this information dictates how the body’s cells would construct new proteins according to the genetic code of the organism. Within the cell structure, DNA is organized into structures called chromosomes, which are duplicated during cell division.
These chromosomes would then release the genetic codes that will be transcribed and carried by the RNA (specifically the messenger RNA) to the ribosome. The ribosome will then synthesize new proteins that will help the body grow. This is the how the DNA and RNA work together in the body.
Resource : science.plazza.us