A complex nucleic acid in living cells that is concerned, along with ribsomes, with protein synthesis. Most RNA is synthesised in the nucleus and then distributed to various parts of the cytoplasm. An RNA molecule consists of a long chain of nucleotides of alternating ribose sugar units and phosphate groups with bases adenine, guanine and uracil attached to the sugar units. There are a number of types of RNA:
‚a¢ messenger RNA (mRNA)
Responsible for carrying the genetic code (the polypeptide ‚aatemplate‚aa) transcribed from DNA to special sites within the cell called ribosomes (the site of protein synthesis). Here, the information is translated in protein.
‚a¢ ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
present in ribosomes, it is formed by base pairing within a single strand.
‚a¢ transfer RNA (tRNA):involved in the assembly of amino acids in the correct places along a molecule of mRNA, there being a different kinds of tRNA for each of the amino acids.
See Amino acids, Cytoplasm, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), Endoplasmic reticulum (ER), Epigenetics, MECP2 gene, Nucleic acid, Nucleotide, Pyrimidines, Purines, Ribosomes, Translation (genetics)