Which sugar is found in RNA?

Ribose is the sugar found in RNA, and it plays a crucial role in the structure of the molecule. RNA, or ribonucleic acid, consists of a backbone made up of alternating ribose sugars and phosphate groups. The presence of ribose distinguishes RNA from DNA, which contains deoxyribose.

The key feature of ribose is its hydroxyl (-OH) group attached to the second carbon atom in the sugar ring. This hydroxyl group makes RNA more reactive and less stable compared to DNA, which lacks this group at the same position—making it deoxyribose.

In contrast, glucose and fructose are monosaccharides primarily involved in energy metabolism and are not components of nucleic acids. While they serve different functions in biological systems, they do not participate in the structure of RNA. The distinction of ribose as integral to RNA is essential for understanding the molecular biology of nucleic acids and their roles in genetic information processing and protein synthesis.