2007-09-06 07:34:41 · 6 answers · asked by nothingspecial 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
RNA is ribonucleic acid. It is similar to DNA but much less stable. It is used primarly to aid protein synthesis.
There are three types of RNA in cells. Messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and rRNA (ribosomal RNA). mRNA is a copy of DNA that encodes a protein and is translated into the protein in the ribosome. tRNA is RNA that is involved in the process of building proteins. tRNA identifies the codons on the mRNA strand and adds the appropriate amino acid to the protein. rRNA is a catalytic component of ribosomes that bind to mRNA to enhance protein synthesis.
2007-09-06 07:47:32 · answer #1 · answered by brinmat 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi,
It stands for ribonucleic acid. It is similar to DNA, but only single stranded and has a ribose sugar in it's structure, not deoxyribose.
It's involved in protein production. There are 2 types, messenger RNA (mRNA) and transfer RNA (tRNA).
Messenger RNA transcribes triplet codes from the original DNA template in the nucleus. A triplet code is a set of 3 nucleotide bases in a sequence. One code is a gene to code for one amino acid.
These triplet codes are then passed onto transfer RNA in the ribosomes on the rough endoplasmic reticulum surrounding the nucleus. This is where the triplet codes are translated into a polypeptide/protein chain. Each tRNA has a specific amino acid attached to it.
The specific amino acids placed in the sequence are determined by the sequence of triplet codes transcribed by mRNA from the DNA. There are 20 amino acids, each one has about 3 or 4 possible triplet codes.
Hope this helps a bit.
2007-09-06 08:05:47 · answer #2 · answered by StewieBob 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nucleic acids allow organisms to transfer genetic information from one generation to the next. There are two types of nucleic acids: deoxyribonucleic acid, better known as DNA and ribonucleic acid, better known as RNA.
DNA contains the "programmatic instructions" for cellular activities. When organisms produce offspring, these instructions, in the form of DNA, are passed down.
RNA is involved in the synthesis of proteins. Information is typically passed from DNA to RNA to the resulting proteins.
2007-09-06 07:43:14 · answer #3 · answered by megaherzfan 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ribonucleic acid?
Why not go to google & type Define RNA - you'll get lots of links to define it!
2007-09-06 07:42:53 · answer #4 · answered by Hedge Witch 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Ribonucleic acid
2007-09-06 08:12:26 · answer #5 · answered by rosie recipe 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Ribonucleic acid.
2007-09-06 08:17:02 · answer #6 · answered by Capt. Kiith-Sa Soban 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋