RNA (ribonucleic acid) audio icon

(RAHY-buh-noo-clay-ik) A long, usually single-stranded chain of nucleotides. There are three major types of RNA, which are all involved in protein synthesis:
  • Messenger RNA (mRNA) is complementary to one of the DNA strands of a gene and carries genetic information to the ribosome for protein synthesis.
  • Transfer RNA (tRNA) works with mRNA to make sure the right amino acids are inserted into the protein being made.
  • Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) (RAHY-buh-sohm-uhl), together with proteins, makes up ribosomes and functions to recognize the mRNA and tRNA that are presented to the ribosomal complex.

Certain viruses contain RNA, instead of DNA, as their genetic material.

For more, check out our Biomedical Beat blog post: Science Snippet: RNA's Remarkable Roles