Why is it that RNA can catalyze reactions but DNA cannot?
Biology · High School · Mon Jan 18 2021
Answered on
Correct answer is The sugar of RNA is much more reactive than the sugar of DNA.
The ribosome takes advantage not only of the versatility of RNA as a catalyst, but also its versatility as a substrate. For many phosphoryl transfer reactions, RNA provides its own nucleophile, the 2′-hydroxyl, greatly accelerating the reaction (hence the drastic difference in stability of DNA and RNA).