Chapter 6-2. RNA structure and versatility

RNA

Nucleic acid that contains ribose

Primary structure

The sequence of nucleotides in an RNA molecule

Secondary structure

Base pairing within a single RNA chain

Tertiary structure

The compact three-dimensional structure formed when RNA folds based on its secondary structure

Wobble base pairing

Non-Watson-Crick base pairing that contributes to RNA secondary and tertiary structure

Wobble pair

Alternative base pair that does not follow standard Watson-Crick pairing

U-G wobble pair

A non-Watson-Crick base pair between uracil and guanine

G-A wobble pair

A non-Watson-Crick base pair between guanine and adenine

Base triple

Structure formed when three bases interact with one another

mRNA

Messenger RNA that carries genetic information from DNA and serves as a template for protein synthesis

tRNA

Transfer RNA that delivers individual amino acids to sites of protein synthesis

rRNA

Ribosomal RNA that forms part of the ribosome and is essential for protein synthesis

Ribosome

RNA-protein complex where protein synthesis occurs

Coding RNA

RNA that contains information used to produce a protein

Non-coding RNA

RNA that is not translated into a protein

Regulatory RNA

Non-coding RNA that regulates biological processes

Ribozyme

RNA molecule that functions as an enzyme or catalyst

RNase P

Ribonucleoprotein complex in which the RNA component acts as the catalyst

Small non-coding RNA

Non-coding RNA shorter than 200 nucleotides

Long non-coding RNA

Non-coding RNA transcript longer than 200 nucleotides

lncRNA

Long non-coding RNA longer than 200 nucleotides that does not code for a protein

microRNA

Small RNA molecule about 20-25 nucleotides long that regulates gene expression

miRNA function

Binds to target sites in the 3' UTR of mRNA and can repress translation or promote mRNA degradation

3' UTR

Three-prime untranslated region of an mRNA that can contain regulatory sites targeted by molecules such as microRNAs

Translation repression

Reduction or blocking of protein production from an mRNA

mRNA degradation

Breakdown of an mRNA molecule

RNA-protein interaction

Interaction based largely on structural complementarity between RNA and proteins

RNA structural diversity

Variety of RNA structures that allows RNA molecules to perform many different functions

RNA functional diversity

Ability of different RNA molecules to perform roles including information transfer

RNA distribution

RNAs are found throughout the cell

Protein synthesis

Biological process in which the information in mRNA is used to produce a protein

DNA-RNA hybridization

Pairing of complementary DNA and RNA strands

Sense RNA

RNA strand with a sequence corresponding to the coding DNA strand

Antisense RNA

RNA complementary to a sense RNA sequence

Spliceosome

Molecular complex involved in removing introns from pre-mRNA

RNA-mediated regulation

Regulation of biological processes by RNA molecules

Gene regulation by RNA

Control of gene expression or function by RNA molecules