Related topics: dna · genes · protein · gene expression · cells

Unexpected phage protein function discovered in bacteria battle

An unexpected find has enabled important progress to be made in the battle against harmful bacteria. An international team of researchers, led by Professor Peter Fineran from the University of Otago, investigated a particular ...

Researchers reveal how myrtle rust pathogen breaks into a host plant

A recent study looking at the molecular foundation of myrtle rust reveals how the pathogen breaks into a host plant and how the host plant responds. This insight will inform the design of useful tools to prevent future break-ins ...

Study finds ways to enhance transcription factor activity

Transcription factors regulate gene expression by binding specific sequences on DNA, which is an essential step to producing messenger RNAs from protein-coding genes. Denes Hnisz's lab, in collaboration with Martin Vingron's ...

New mRNA technology turns cells into long-lasting drug factories

A team of researchers has established a ribonucleic acid (RNA)-based method that drives cells in the body to produce therapeutic proteins and secrete them into the bloodstream. The approach could potentially extend the lifespan ...

Researchers capture never-before-seen view of gene transcription

Every living cell transcribes DNA into RNA. This process begins when an enzyme called RNA polymerase (RNAP) clamps onto DNA. Within a few hundred milliseconds, the DNA double helix unwinds to form a node known as the transcription ...

Research shows how RNA 'junk' controls our genes

Researchers at Arizona State University have made a significant advance in understanding how genes are controlled in living organisms. The new study, published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research, focuses on critical snippets ...

New molecules to modulate gene expression

The correct functioning of cells relies heavily on the ability to finely control gene expression, a complex process by which the information contained in DNA is copied into RNA to eventually give rise to all the proteins ...

Protein nanocages pave the way for effective mRNA therapeutics

In recent years, messenger RNA (mRNA) has emerged as a promising avenue for accurate and potent therapeutic interventions. Unlike DNA drugs, mRNA can express genetic information without the risk of integrating into the host ...

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RNA

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a biologically important type of molecule that consists of a long chain of nucleotide units. Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous base, a ribose sugar, and a phosphate. RNA is very similar to DNA, but differs in a few important structural details: in the cell, RNA is usually single-stranded, while DNA is usually double-stranded; RNA nucleotides contain ribose while DNA contains deoxyribose (a type of ribose that lacks one oxygen atom); and RNA has the base uracil rather than thymine that is present in DNA.

RNA is transcribed from DNA by enzymes called RNA polymerases and is generally further processed by other enzymes. RNA is central to the synthesis of proteins. Here, a type of RNA called messenger RNA carries information from DNA to structures called ribosomes. These ribosomes are made from proteins and ribosomal RNAs, which come together to form a molecular machine that can read messenger RNAs and translate the information they carry into proteins. There are many RNAs with other roles – in particular regulating which genes are expressed, but also as the genomes of most viruses.

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