Types Of RNA

Messenger RNA (mRNA)

mRNA acts as a messenger from DNA to the cell’s protein-making machinery. It’s synthesized during transcription and carries the genetic information copied from DNA in a form that can be decoded during protein synthesis in the ribosome.

Function of tRNA

Transfer RNA (tRNA) plays a key role in translation, the process of protein synthesis. Each tRNA molecule carries a specific amino acid to the ribosome, matching its anticodon with the corresponding codon on the mRNA strand. This ensures that the amino acids are added in the correct order to build proteins.

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)

rRNA is a key structural and enzymatic component of ribosomes, the sites of protein synthesis in cells. rRNA helps to correctly position the mRNA and tRNA and catalyzes the formation of the peptide bonds between amino acids.

Small Nuclear RNAs (snRNAs)

snRNAs are components of a complex known as the spliceosome. They play a crucial role in pre-mRNA splicing – the process of editing the initial mRNA transcript into its mature form by removing non-coding regions (introns).

microRNAs (miRNAs)

microRNAs are small, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. They bind to complementary sequences on target mRNA molecules, leading to mRNA degradation or inhibition of translation.

Catalytic RNA

Certain RNA molecules known as ribozymes have catalytic properties, meaning they can catalyze chemical reactions. This challenges the traditional view that only proteins could serve as enzymes.