RNA Comparison with DNA

RNA and DNA are both nucleic acids, but differs in three respects. First, unlike DNA which is double stranded RNA is a single-stranded molecule in most of its biological roles and has a much shorter chain of nucleotides. Secondly, while DNA contains deoxyribose, RNA contains ribose, (there are no hydroxyl group attached to a ring of pentoses in the 2 'position of the DNA). These hydroxyl groups make RNA less stable than DNA because it is more prone to hydrolysis. Third, the additional base adenine is not thymine, as it is in the DNA, but uracil, which is an unmethylated form of thymine. [1]