Ribose and deoxyribose are both five-carbon sugars. Here are the structures of ribose and deoxyribose:
Ribose:
H OH
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H−C−OH−C−OH−C−OH−C−OH−H
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OH H
Deoxyribose:
H H
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H−C−OH−C−OH−C−OH−C−H
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OH H
Note that the only difference between ribose and deoxyribose is the presence or absence of an oxygen atom attached to the second carbon. In deoxyribose, the hydroxyl group (OH) on the second carbon is replaced by a hydrogen atom (H).
Draw the structures of ribose and deoxyribose
3 answers
What is the difference between the deoxyribose and ribose
The main difference between deoxyribose and ribose is the presence or absence of an oxygen atom on the second carbon of the sugar molecule.
In ribose, the second carbon has a hydroxyl group (OH) attached to it, while in deoxyribose, the hydroxyl group is replaced by a hydrogen atom (H). This small difference in structure gives deoxyribose its name, as it is a ribose sugar lacking an oxygen atom.
This difference in structure is significant because it plays a crucial role in the formation of DNA. Deoxyribose is a key component of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), while ribose is a component of RNA (ribonucleic acid). The presence of an oxygen atom on the second carbon in ribose allows for more reactive chemistry, as it can form more bonds, whereas deoxyribose lacks this reactivity.
Overall, the difference between deoxyribose and ribose lies in the presence or absence of the oxygen atom on the second carbon, which impacts their functionality and role in DNA and RNA.
In ribose, the second carbon has a hydroxyl group (OH) attached to it, while in deoxyribose, the hydroxyl group is replaced by a hydrogen atom (H). This small difference in structure gives deoxyribose its name, as it is a ribose sugar lacking an oxygen atom.
This difference in structure is significant because it plays a crucial role in the formation of DNA. Deoxyribose is a key component of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), while ribose is a component of RNA (ribonucleic acid). The presence of an oxygen atom on the second carbon in ribose allows for more reactive chemistry, as it can form more bonds, whereas deoxyribose lacks this reactivity.
Overall, the difference between deoxyribose and ribose lies in the presence or absence of the oxygen atom on the second carbon, which impacts their functionality and role in DNA and RNA.