RNA Structures, Ribonucleic Acids, RNA Molecules, Long Polymer Nucleotide

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	RNA Structures - The nucleic acid, other than DNA, which exists in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes is ribonucleic acid. In some plant and animal viruses, RNA molecules can act as genetic material. Like DNA, RNA is also a long polymer of nucleotide. But there are some differences between DNA and RNA.
1. RNA is single-stranded and does not have antiparallel or complementary strand. 2. RNA also contains four major bases adenine, guanine, cytosine and uracil instead of thymine 3. The essential difference between DNA and RNA is the type of sugar each contains RNA contains the sugar D ribose (hence ribonucleic acid, RNA). Ribose sugar contains OH at 2' carbon, which is absent in deoxyribose. This minor structural difference confers very different chemical and physical properties upon DNA and RNA. RNA is much stiffer due to steric hindrance and more susceptible to hydrolysis in alkaline conditions.