Which of the following option depicts the difference between DNA and RNA?

Options

A. Only sugar
B. Nitrogen base only
C. Nitrogen base and sugar
D. Phosphate groups

Answer

To answer the question about the differences between DNA and RNA, we can break down the key differences step-by-step:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Structure of Sugar**:
- **DNA**: The sugar in DNA is deoxyribose. In deoxyribose, there is a hydrogen atom (H) at the 2' carbon position.
- **RNA**: The sugar in RNA is ribose. In ribose, there is a hydroxyl group (OH) at the 2' carbon position.

**Hint**: Focus on the sugar component of the nucleotides in DNA and RNA.

2. **Nitrogenous Bases**:
- **DNA**: The nitrogenous bases in DNA include adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T).
- **RNA**: The nitrogenous bases in RNA include adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and uracil (U) instead of thymine.

**Hint**: Remember the difference in one specific base between DNA and RNA.

3. **Stability**:
- **DNA**: DNA is generally more stable due to its structure and the absence of the hydroxyl group at the 2' position, which makes it less reactive.
- **RNA**: RNA is less stable because the presence of the hydroxyl group at the 2' position makes it more reactive and prone to hydrolysis.

**Hint**: Consider how the presence of the hydroxyl group affects the stability of the molecule.

4. **Phosphate Group**:
- Both DNA and RNA contain a phosphate group in their structure, which is the same in both types of nucleic acids.

**Hint**: The phosphate group does not differentiate DNA from RNA.

### Conclusion:
The main differences between DNA and RNA are:
- The type of sugar (deoxyribose in DNA vs. ribose in RNA).
- The nitrogenous bases (thymine in DNA vs. uracil in RNA).
- Stability (DNA is more stable than RNA).

### Final Answer:
The option that depicts the difference between DNA and RNA should include both the sugar type and the nitrogenous base differences.