Which sugar is found in RNA?

Which sugar is found in RNA?

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

Answer: (B)

Ribose is the sugar in RNA. It is a five-carbon (pentose) sugar with a hydroxyl group at the 2' position. This 2'-OH distinguishes RNA from DNA, whose sugar is deoxyribose and lacks that 2' hydroxyl. The presence of the 2'-OH in ribose makes RNA chemically more reactive and less stable, which fits its roles as a typically transient genetic material and in catalysis by some RNA molecules. The backbone of RNA consists of alternating phosphate groups and ribose sugars, linking the 5' carbon of one sugar to the 3' carbon of the next. Glucose and fructose are hexoses and are not components of nucleic acids.

Ribose is the sugar in RNA. It is a five-carbon (pentose) sugar with a hydroxyl group at the 2' position. This 2'-OH distinguishes RNA from DNA, whose sugar is deoxyribose and lacks that 2' hydroxyl. The presence of the 2'-OH in ribose makes RNA chemically more reactive and less stable, which fits its roles as a typically transient genetic material and in catalysis by some RNA molecules. The backbone of RNA consists of alternating phosphate groups and ribose sugars, linking the 5' carbon of one sugar to the 3' carbon of the next. Glucose and fructose are hexoses and are not components of nucleic acids.