
Asked by: Wahab Oberem
asked in category: General Last Updated: 14th February, 2020Does DNA contain oxygen?
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Hereof, does DNA have oxygen?
Deoxyribose, found in DNA, is a modified sugar, lacking one oxygen atom (hence the name "deoxy"). This difference of one oxygen atom is important for the enzymes that recognize DNA and RNA, because it allows these two molecules to be easily distinguished inside organisms.
Similarly, what atoms is DNA made of? It consists of just a few kinds of atoms: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Combinations of these atoms form the sugar-phosphate backbone of the DNA -- the sides of the ladder, in other words. Other combinations of the atoms form the four bases: thymine (T), adenine (A), cytosine (C), and guanine (G).
Hereof, why does DNA have less oxygen?
Due to its deoxyribose sugar, which contains one less oxygen-containing hydroxyl group, DNA is a more stable molecule than RNA, which is useful for a molecule which has the task of keeping genetic information safe.
At which carbon is Deoxyribose lacking in oxygen?
Deoxyribose differs from ribose in that it lacks an oxygen at carbon 2 (labelled) - and so has only 2 hydrogen atoms (white).