The sugar component of RNA is specifically called what?

The sugar component of RNA is specifically called what?

• A. Deoxyribose
• B. Ribose
• C. Glucose
• D. Fructose

Answer: (B)

The main idea is identifying the sugar that makes up RNA’s backbone. In RNA, each nucleotide carries a five-carbon sugar called ribose, which connects to a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base. This ribose distinguishes RNA from DNA, because DNA uses deoxyribose, which is missing the 2' hydroxyl group that ribose has. The presence of the 2' hydroxyl in ribose contributes to RNA’s chemical properties and its tendency to be more reactive than DNA. The other two options—glucose and fructose—are six-carbon sugars used in metabolism, not the sugar that forms nucleic acids. So the sugar component specific to RNA is ribose.

The main idea is identifying the sugar that makes up RNA’s backbone. In RNA, each nucleotide carries a five-carbon sugar called ribose, which connects to a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base. This ribose distinguishes RNA from DNA, because DNA uses deoxyribose, which is missing the 2' hydroxyl group that ribose has. The presence of the 2' hydroxyl in ribose contributes to RNA’s chemical properties and its tendency to be more reactive than DNA. The other two options—glucose and fructose—are six-carbon sugars used in metabolism, not the sugar that forms nucleic acids. So the sugar component specific to RNA is ribose.