Structural differences The main structural differences between DNA and RNA are as follows
(i) The sugar moiety present in DNA is
beta-D-2-deoxyribose, whereas in RNA molecule, it is beta-D-ribose.
(ii) DNA has a double stranded helical structure, while RNA has a single stranded helical structure.
(iii) DNA contains cytosine and thymine as pyrimidine
bases, whereas RNA has cytosine and uracil as pyrimidine bases.
Functional difference DNA controls the transmission of hereditary effects while RNA controls the synthesis of proteins.