What sugar is present in RNA?

The sugar present in RNA is ribose, which is a five-carbon sugar that forms part of the RNA nucleotide structure. In RNA, each nucleotide consists of a ribose sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base (such as adenine, cytosine, guanine, or uracil). Ribose has an -OH (hydroxyl) group attached to the second carbon atom, distinguishing it from deoxyribose, which is found in DNA and lacks one oxygen atom (specifically, it has an -H instead of an -OH on the second carbon). This difference is crucial as it influences the stability and function of the genetic material in cells.

Glucose and fructose are other types of sugars, but they are not components of nucleotides in RNA. Glucose is a six-carbon sugar primarily involved in energy production, while fructose, also a six-carbon sugar, is often found in fruits and has various metabolic roles. Therefore, ribose is the sugar specifically associated with RNA.