1. Sugar: DNA contains deoxyribose sugar, while RNA contains ribose sugar. The difference lies in the presence of an oxygen atom on the 2' carbon in ribose, which is absent in deoxyribose.
2. Nitrogenous Bases: DNA uses the bases adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). RNA uses the same bases, except for thymine, which is replaced by uracil (U).
3. Structure: DNA is typically a double-stranded helix, while RNA is usually single-stranded. This difference is crucial for their different functions: DNA stores genetic information, while RNA is involved in protein synthesis and other cellular processes.
Let me know if you'd like a more detailed explanation of any of these differences!
