JEE Main202623 January 2026Evening ShiftChemistryBiomoleculesActual
Both human DNA and RNA are chiral molecules. The chirality in DNA and RNA arises due to the presence of
Options
- AL -sugar component
- BChiral phosphate unit
- CBase unit
- DD-sugar component
Correct answer
D. D-sugar component
Step-by-step solution
DNA and RNA are chiral molecules due to their structural components. Both contain pentose sugars: DNA contains deoxyribose and RNA contains ribose. These are D-sugars with multiple chiral centers (at C₂ , C₃ , and C₄ in the furanose ring). The D-designation comes from the stereochemical configuration at the chiral center furthest from the carbonyl carbon. The chiral centers in these sugar moieties are the primary source of chirality in nucleic acids, making them optically active molecules. While the phosphate units