DNA RNA
Usual structure Single stranded. Shorter than DNA.
Irregular 3-D structure.
Double stranded. Each strand has 5’ end (phosphate group attached to 5’C)
& 3’ end (OH group attached to 3’C). Strands are antiparallel, i.e., one in 3’
to 5’ direction, other 5’–3’. 2 strands coil around each other to form double
helix with alternating sugar & P groups on exterior & bases on interior.
Strands held together by hydrogen (H) bonds between complementary
bases.
Comparison of DNA and RNAcontinued
Molecular Diagnostics
(MDx) Review 528
C
C C
C C
C
C C
C C C C
C
C
A A A
A
A A A
T T
T
T
T
G T T
G
G
G
G
G G
G G
G
G G
5 ¢
Sugar-phosphate backbone
3 ¢^5 ¢
3 ¢
Nitrogen bases
DNA
double helix
(From Buckingham L. Molecular Diagnostics: Fundamentals, Methods, and
Clinical Applications, 2nd ed. Philadelphia: FA Davis; 2012:3.)
