ABSTRACT
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RNA (ribonucleic acid) is a nucleic acid that plays important roles in transcribing genetic information from DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). RNA is a polymer of ribose sugar and phosphate backbone and nucleotide bases. Unlike DNA, RNA is usually single stranded (although these single-stranded molecules can form secondary structures giving rise to double-stranded stretches within a RNA molecule by forming hydrogen bonds). In addition, RNA nucleotide contains ribose sugar instead of deoxyribose sugar present in the DNA, and the nucleotide in RNA is uracil instead of thymine as present in DNA. The hydroxyl group present in the 2' position of the pentose sugar of the RNA molecules makes it more prone to hydrolysis and as a result RNA is less stable than DNA.
