Uracil Function in RNA: Detailed Explanations

RNA is said to be a molecule which is similar to that of DNA. Just with the difference of RNA being single stranded.

Uracil function in RNA is just placed to one area which is to pair up with adenine via the hydrogen bond. While the time of base pairing along with adenine, uracil seem to act both as a donor of hydrogen bond and also an acceptor of it. Uracil binds with sugar in RNA.

RNA strands do seem to have a backbone and it is formed by sugar called ribose and it placed in alternating manner and also attached to it are the groups of phosphate. There are four bases linked with each of the sugar said to be adenine, guanine, cytosine and uracil.

There are several types of RNA seen in the cell. They are transfer RNA, messenger RNA and ribosomal RNA. In the recent times, there is few tiny RNA that has been seen to be used up in getting the gene expression regulated. RNA is same to that of DNA with just one strand.

As said earlier RNA is quite same to that of a molecule of DNA with just having a variation in its structure. There are several functions of RNA that the cells make it does. One of them can be said to be the messenger RNA or the mRNA. There are also the others serving the goals. The molecules of amino are made to gather into the portion chain.

It is a nucleic acid that informs the molecule to help the conversion of data from the genome to the proteins by the method of translation. Another type of RNA is called the transfer RNA that is the tRNA and they are said to be the non-protein ones that encode the molecules of RNA and helps in getting the amino acid accrued away physically to the site of translation.

RNA as a molecule

RNA is quote of a molecule that is flexible and instructs the protein making industry in the cell of the task that needs to be done.

It helps in storming of the genetic data with making the cell understand the motif of DNA and those acts as a part of helping to start a life. RNA helps in playing a role of a parent in converting the genetic data to the protein in our body.

This is termed to be a good molecule for its helps carry the genetic codes for many of the organism and also it has played its role in making a life start. Along with RNA the DNA makes up he nucleic acid and one of the four or three classes of the major portion of the macromolecules. They are vital for life.

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RNAWikipedia

The other parts that make up macromolecule are the lipids and proteins along with a portion of the carbohydrates. Macromolecules are a large part of the molecules and often get to repeat themselves as a subunit. Both the RNA and DNA make up subunits and are called as nucleotides. When taken by mouth- RNA and DNA are quite safe when consumed in the amounts found in food.

The two of the nucleic acids get to team up to make proteins, the process of making up of proteins using up the genetic data in the nucleic acids is vital for the life as said by people. It is called the central dogma of the biology world. The dogma signifies the flow of the genetic data in any organism. Also, RNA is safe for most people when taken along with omega-3 fatty acids and L-arginine.

RNA in simple word can be said to a molecule that links up the DNA and the proteins. The ability of this molecule is to store and get to copy the data depending on the molecule that repeats its nucleotide. The nucleotide is made to organize in specific sequence and can also read the letters in any code. It is used for essential in various biological roles in coding, decoding, regulation and expression of gene.

Uracil structure

Uracil gets to bind with adenine via the hydrogen bond in RNA While in DNA it gets replaced by Thymine.

At the time of synthesis, in the RNA strand, the base of uracil inks with adenine and then cytosine pairs up with guanine. The molecular formal for uracil is C4H4N2O2 with it being an organic pyrimidine compound.

Uracil gets to replace thymine as the complementary nucleotide for the base adenine. This means that at the time of elongation process the presence of the base adenine in the template of DNA strand can tell the RNA polymerase to link it with the corresponding place of the growing RNA strand. It is involved with hereditary feature. Found in RNA, it base pairs with adenine and replaces thymine during DNA transcription

uracil function in rna
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Uracil StructureWikipedia

In the molecule of DNA adenine is seen to always pair up with thymine and guanine pairs with cytosine. In RNA, uracil gets to replace with thymine and thus in RNA uracil is said to always pair with adenine. Both uracil and thymine are said to have hydrogen bonds that are two in number and in between them awhile the rest have three. So uracil is the nucleotide that is found almost exclusively in RNA.

As there is a lot similar behavior in structure of purine and pyrimidine it is usually referred to as having double ring with one member adenine and guanine are said to purines. A six member thymine, uracil and cytosine single ring are called to be the pyrimidine. In view of context, uracil is also said to be polar. Uracil is a nucleotide, much like adenine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine, which are the building blocks of DNA, except uracil replaces thymine in RNA.

Uracil replaces thymine as an alternate nucleotide to the base of adenine. This states that the presence or finding of the base for adenine in the DNA strand template during the elongation process or method and can actually instruct RNA polymerase to bind to the appropriate site of the growing RNA strand. It is related to genetic traits. Uracil is a common and naturally occurring pyrimidine nucleobase in which the pyrimidine ring is substituted with two oxo groups at positions 2 and 4.

The pyrimidines are the building blocks of DNA and RNA and involved in the formation of active intermediates in carbohydrate and phospholipid metabolism. Pyrimidine synthesis differs from that of purines in that the single pyrimidine ring is first assembled to form orotic acid and then linked to ribose phosphate to form the central pyrimidine nucleotideuridine monophosphate. The pyrimidine bases, uracil and thymine, are catabolized in steps.

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Image credit-Pyrimidine ring-Wikipedia

Uracil vs. thymine

The DNA molecule has in it the bases of adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine while RNA has in it uracil.

The molecule of RNA has in it uracil whereas the DNA has in it thymine. Thymine is the base that has a group of methyl group at the 5th position of carbon while uracil has the molecule of hydrogen in it at 5th place. Thymine is said to synthesize by uracil.

Uracil as a base is said to be less expensive to make and with less energy and can be responsible for the Uracil function in RNA. Thus having thymine as the normal base can make the detection of general base and repair the incipient sudden changes that are taking place. Uracil is a nucleotide, much like adenine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine, which are the building blocks of DNA, except uracil replaces thymine in RNA

Uracil is a nucleotide, much like adenine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine, which are the building blocks of DNA, except uracil replaces thymine in RNA. So uracil is the nucleotide that is found almost exclusively in RNA. DNA does not use uracil as mostly due to the deamination of cytosine to uracil via hydrolysis-which releases ammonia. When thymine is used in the cell can easily recognized.

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Image credit-
ThymineWikipedia

It get seen that the uracil doesn’t belong there and can repair it by substituting it by a cytosine again. DNA uses thymine instead of uracil because thymine has greater resistance to photochemical mutation, making the genetic message more stable. Outside of the nucleus, thymine is quickly destroyed. Uracil is resistant to oxidation and is used in the RNA that must exist outside of the nucleus. In RNA, the thymine is replaced by uracil.

DNA uses up the base of thymine as thymine seem to have better resistance to the mutation that are photochemical and then makes up more specific genetic information and becomes more stable. The difference between both the bases can be-

  • Thymine is seen in the molecule of DNA while Uracil is seen in RNA.
  • In all of the system of biology, thymine is said to be synthesized form the vase of uracil.
  • Thymine has its ribonucleoside as thymidine and uracil has its own as uradine.
  • Thymine has its deoxyriblonucleoside called as deoxythymidine and uracil has the Deoxyribonucleoside as deoxyuridine.
  • The molar mass of uracil is 112.08 g while thymine has its mass as 126.11 g.
  • Uracil serves to be allosteric regulator and also as coenzyme in plants while thymine are derive from the uracil.

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