We all are aware of the terms DNA (Deoxyribonucleotide acid) and RNA (Ribonucleotide acid).
These two microscopic molecules, specifically DNA and RNA, look similar and even work quite similarly.
Deoxyribonucleotide vs Ribonucleotide
The difference between deoxyribonucleotide and ribonucleotide is that the sugar component of deoxyribonucleotide is deoxyribose while ribonucleotide’s sugar compound is ribose. In 2’ carbon, deoxyribonucleotide has an H atom whereas ribonucleotide has an OH atom. When it comes to nitrogenous bases, deoxyribonucleotide consists of thymine, guanine, cytosine, and adenine. On the other hand, ribonucleotide consists of uracil, guanine, cytosine, and adenine.
Thymine, guanine, adenine, and cytosine are four of the nitrogenous bases which occur in DNA. In the cell, DNA occurs as a type of nucleic acid with the role of the hereditary molecule.
Ribonucleotide is the precursor of an RNA molecule. In the cell, ribonucleotide is the structure of nucleotide which is made up of sugars of ribose.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Deoxyribonucleotide | Ribonucleotide |
|---|---|---|
| Interpretation | A nucleotide is a constituent of DNA and contains deoxyribose. | A nucleotide is a constituent of RNA and contains ribose. |
| Basic unit | DNA | RNA |
| Pentose sugar component | Deoxyribose | Ribose |
| Splicing | Do not allow | Allow |
| The molecule at ‘2’ carbon | H atom | OH atom |
What is Deoxyribonucleotide?
The deoxyribonucleotide is mainly a nucleotide that consists of deoxyribose. They are the monomeric unit of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) which is the informational biopolymer.
In the analog of ribose, the hydrogen atom replaces me hydroxyl group of the 2’-carbon. The phosphoryl group simply attaches itself to the deoxyribose monomer.
Deoxyribonucleotide may be designated based on the number of phosphates that make up the compound are triphosphate (three phosphate groups), diphosphate (two phosphate groups),
or monophosphate (one phosphate group).
Deoxyribonucleotides may be available from the breakdown of endogenous materials from deoxyribonucleotidic or from dietary constituents.
What is Ribonucleotide?
A ribonucleotide is also a form of nucleotide in which the ribose is a sugar component. A nucleotide is considered as the nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) basic building block.
When an enzyme ribonucleotide reductase reduces the ribonucleotides then it may also refer to as precursors to deoxyribonucleotides.
Both pyrimidines and purines are synthesized from components specifically derived from the precursors of carbon dioxide, amino acids, ammonia, and ribose- 5 phosphates.
The one nucleotide 5’-phosphate group is linked to the next nucleotide 3’-hydroxyl group which creates a backbone of alternating pentose and phosphates residues. Each end of the polynucleotide does not have a phosphodiester bond.
Main Differences Deoxyribonucleotide and Ribonucleotide
- In terms of a pentose sugar, deoxyribonucleotide’s pentose sugar does not contain an OH group at the position of ‘2’, whereas ribonucleotide’s pentose sugar contains an OH group at the position of ‘2’.
- In deoxyribonucleotide, the DNA is the main constituent in which methylated bases occur frequently. On the other hand, the RNA-modified bases occur more frequently.
References
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07391102.2004.10506998
- https://cshperspectives.cshlp.org/content/2/4/a005439.short
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