RNA and DNA differ in which aspects?

RNA and DNA exhibit several differences that are fundamental to their structure and function.

One primary distinction lies in their sugar components. DNA contains deoxyribose sugar, which lacks an oxygen atom at the 2' position compared to the ribose sugar in RNA. This structural difference contributes to the stability of DNA, making it less reactive than RNA.

In terms of base usage, DNA and RNA have different nitrogenous bases. DNA uses thymine, whereas RNA uses uracil in place of thymine. This substitution affects how the two types of nucleic acids interact and function within biological systems.

Additionally, the three-dimensional conformation of RNA differs significantly from that of DNA. While DNA typically forms a double helix structure, RNA can adopt various shapes, including single-stranded configurations and complex secondary structures like hairpins and loops, allowing for diverse functional roles in the cell.

Considering all these aspects—sugar type, base usage, and three-dimensional conformation—it is clear that these differences are crucial for the distinct roles that RNA and DNA play in cellular processes, such as genetics and protein synthesis. Therefore, the option indicating that all of these aspects contribute to the differences between RNA and DNA is accurate.