Question

DNA and RNA

Compare and contrast DNA and RNA. Discuss why humans did not evolve with one central repository of DNA, but rather it is replicated throughout the body?

Your assignment should be 250-500 words in length.

IN YOUR OWN WORDS PLEASE!!!! NO PLAGIARISM!!!!!!

Answer 1

DNA:

i. Usually double-stranded

ii. Contains deoxyribose sugar

iii. Contains ATGC bases (A pairs with T and G pairs with C)

iv. It is a stable molecule

v. dsDNA exists in a double helical conformation.

vi. It serves as the genetic material

vii. Length of DNA is generally high

RNA:

i. Usually single-stranded

ii. Contains ribose sugar

iii. Contains AUGC bases

iv. It is a relatively unstable molecule

v. RNA exists in various structures depending upon its internal sequence complementarity (Ex: stem-loop)

vi. Messenger RNA codes for proteins. Ribosomal RNA and transfer RNA help in translation. A few viruses contain RNA genomes (Ex: Retroviruses).

vii. Length of RNA is generally less as compared to DNA.

There can not be a central stock of DNA in an organism's body. It has to be present in each cell. This is because

i. If it is present as a single stock, a single mutation will affect all the cells of the body (It is more prone to damage/mutations)

ii. Some cells express a set of genes while other cells repress the same set of genes during the same developmental stages. This can not be possible if there is a single stock of DNA.