RNA/ RNA Processing

What is messenger RNA (mRNA)?

A temporary RNA version of a DNA recipe that gets sent to the ribosome.

What role does ribosomal RNA (rRNA) play in the cell?

It makes up part of the ribosomes.

What is the function of transfer RNA (tRNA)?

It brings amino acids to the ribosomes, matching anticodons to codons to place specific amino acids at the right time.

What are exons?

The regions that express the code in mRNA.

What are introns?

The noncoding regions in the mRNA.

What is a polycistronic transcript?

A transcript in prokaryotes that can be used to make several proteins.

What is a monocistronic transcript?

A transcript in eukaryotes where one gene is transcribed to one mRNA and translated into one protein.

What is splicing?

The process of removing introns from mRNA before it leaves the nucleus.

What complex accomplishes splicing?

A spliceosome, which is an RNA-protein complex.

What modifications are made to mRNA before it leaves the nucleus?

A poly(A) tail is added to the 3′ end and a 5′ GTP cap is added to the 5′ end.