What is the difference between DNA and RNA?

DNA and RNA are both nucleic acids that carry genetic information, but they differ in several key ways. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) contains deoxyribose sugar, is double-stranded, and uses the bases adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine. It is found mainly in the cell nucleus and serves as the long-term storage of genetic information. RNA (ribonucleic acid) contains ribose sugar, is typically single-stranded, and replaces thymine with uracil. RNA is found throughout the cell and plays active roles in protein synthesis, acting as messenger (mRNA), transfer (tRNA), and ribosomal (rRNA) molecules. Essentially, DNA holds the genetic blueprint while RNA helps carry out its instructions.