A Good RNA Primer: Part One

RNA Secondary Structure Prediction is a Connexions module by author Susan Cates. The short article is informative and contains information that is highly relevant to understanding certain health issues at a molecular level. RNA is a universal biomolecule which, together with its better known biochemical cousin DNA, constitute the two major forms of nucleic acids which are essential to life as we know it.

The three major forms of RNA are messenger RNA (mRNA), which contains genetic information transcribed from DNA, transfer RNA (tRNA) which links three nucleotide groups known as codons to the particular amino acids they code for and ribosomal RNA (rRNA) which has a catalytic function expressed at cellular structures known as ribosomes. It is the ribosomes where amino acid chains are linked and then proceed to form the distinct proteins required for cellular functions.

In her first paragraph Susan Cates provides a link to an online RNA Structure Primer providing further details about RNA and some visuals. The linked article notes that the four nitrogenous bases found in RNA are adenine, cytosine, guanine and uracil. The counterpart for uracil in DNA is thymine; another biochemical difference between the two nucleic acids. Sometimes other bases also are found in RNA. They include thymine, pseudouridine and methylated cytosine and guanine.

In addition to the forms of RNA already described, the Primer points out that other types exist and more are being discovered. Small nuclear RNA (snRNA), small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA) and signal recognition particle (SRP) are other forms of RNA. The varieties reflect multiple biological functions performed by RNA.