The importance of being r: greater oxidative stability of RNA compared with DNA.
The 2'-hydroxyl group of ribose imparts hydrolytic lability on RNA, which provides a mechanism for numerous biological functions. Recent evidence from chemical cleavage studies shows that this hydroxyl group also stabilizes the sugar moiety in RNA towards oxidation relative to DNA. Is this just because RNA needs to be distinguishable from DNA or does it have other evolutionary significance?
Thorp
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Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3290, USA. holden@unc.edu
D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D020871:RNA Stability; D012266:Ribose / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
D012313:RNA; D012266:Ribose; D004247:DNA