Which of the following characteristics of Figure 1 best shows that the fragment is RNA and not DNA?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking which characteristic of the nucleic acid fragment depicted shows that it is RNA rather than DNA. This involves evaluating options that pertain to the structure and composition of nucleotides.
Answer
RNA is identified by the hydroxyl group on the 2' carbon of the sugar.
The fragment is RNA because it has a hydroxyl (OH) group on the 2' carbon of the sugar, distinguishing it from DNA, which has a hydrogen atom at that position.
Answer for screen readers
The fragment is RNA because it has a hydroxyl (OH) group on the 2' carbon of the sugar, distinguishing it from DNA, which has a hydrogen atom at that position.
More Information
RNA can be identified by the presence of ribose sugar with a hydroxyl group, unlike DNA, which contains deoxyribose.
Tips
A common mistake is assuming the 5' to 3' orientation is unique to RNA; DNA also has the same orientation.
Sources
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