Question

Differentiate between purine and pyrimidine bases.

Hint:

Purines and pyrimidines are fundamental to the structure of nucleic acids and play a key role in genetic coding.

Answer 1

Step 1: Definition of Purine Bases.
Purines are nitrogenous bases that consist of a two-ring structure. The two main purines in nucleic acids are: 1. Adenine (A) 2. Guanine (G)
Step 2: Definition of Pyrimidine Bases.
Pyrimidines are nitrogenous bases that consist of a single ring structure. The three main pyrimidines in nucleic acids are: 1. Cytosine (C) 2. Thymine (T) (found in DNA) 3. Uracil (U) (found in RNA)
Step 3: Differences Between Purines and Pyrimidines.
1. Structure: Purines have a two-ring structure, while pyrimidines have a single-ring structure. 2. Examples: Purines include adenine and guanine; pyrimidines include cytosine, thymine, and uracil. 3. Base Pairing: Purines pair with pyrimidines to form base pairs in DNA and RNA (A pairs with T or U, G pairs with C).
Step 4: Conclusion.
Thus, purines and pyrimidines differ in their structure, with purines having a two-ring structure and pyrimidines a single-ring structure.
Final Answer: \[ \boxed{\text{Purines have a two-ring structure, while pyrimidines have a single-ring structure.}} \]