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AAT Bioquest

Is RNA less stable than DNA?

Posted February 5, 2021


Answer

Yes, RNA is less stable than DNA. RNA is less stable due to its chemical structure. DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. Unlike DNA, RNA in biological cells is predominantly single stranded. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible. While DNA contains deoxyribose, RNA contains ribose, characterized by the presence of the 2′-hydroxyl group on the pentose ring. The hydroxyl group increases the likelihood of breakage of the sugar-phosphate backbone

Additional resources

The emerging role of RNA modifications in the regulation of mRNA stability

DNA and RNA