Uracil is one of the four nucleotide bases found in RNA, with the molecular formula C4H4N2O2. Unlike DNA which contains thymine, RNA contains uracil instead. This pyrimidine base plays a crucial role in protein synthesis by pairing with adenine during transcription and translation processes.
The main structural difference between uracil and thymine is that thymine has an additional methyl group. Uracil has the formula C4H4N2O2, while thymine is C5H6N2O2. This extra methyl group in thymine provides additional stability to DNA, which is why DNA uses thymine instead of uracil for long-term genetic storage.
Uracil pairs with adenine through hydrogen bonding, just like thymine does in DNA. The uracil-adenine pair forms two hydrogen bonds, which provides stability to the RNA double helix during transcription and translation. This base pairing is crucial for accurate genetic information transfer from DNA to RNA and then to proteins.
In RNA structure, uracil is one of the four nucleotide bases that make up the genetic code. RNA contains uracil, adenine, guanine, and cytosine. The sequence of these bases determines the genetic information carried by RNA molecules. Uracil's presence instead of thymine allows RNA to be more flexible and perform various cellular functions beyond just storing genetic information.