Cell and Molecular Biology

Lesson 14:
THE RNA

OBJECTIVE

At the end of this lesson, the students must have

 explained the structure, types, and functions of RNA.

RNA is the genetic material of some plants, animal and bacterial viruses. Except
some viruses (e.g. reoviruses), most cellular RNA is single stranded called as a single chain
poly – ribonucleotide. A variety of RNA molecules performing varied functions are found in
the cell. rRNA constitute the ribosomes, tRNA helps in aligning amino acids against the
mRNA, thus helps in decoding the genetic message of polypeptide formation while mRNA
(messenger RNA) functions as carrier of coded genetic or hereditary information from DNA
to cytoplasm for taking part in structural protein and functional proteins like enzyme. All
types of RNA are transcribed from nuclear DNA except rRNA which is transcribed from
nucleolus DNA. Inside the cytoplasm RNA molecules may occur freely as well as in
association with the ribosomes. These are also found in mitochondria, chloroplasts and
eukaryotic chromosomes. These are key intermediary molecule between DNA and
polypeptide.

Chemically RNA differs from DNA in three ways:

 The sugar molecule found in RNA is ribose, rather than the deoxyribose of DNA.
 It is generally consists of only one polynucleotide strand or single stranded.
 Three nitrogen bases (A, G, C) in RNA are identical to those in DNA, the fourth
base in RNA is Uracil (U), which is similar to thymine but lacks the methyl (-CH3)
group.

RNA is generally involved in protein synthesis but in majority of plant and some animal
viruses it also acts as genetic material. There are two major types of RNA:
1) Genetic RNA: H. Fraenkel-Conrat showed that RNA present in Tobacco Mosaic
Virus is its genetic material and this RNA is responsible for the infection in tobacco
plant.
2) Non- genetic RNA: Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes where genetic information is
contained in the DNA molecule, functions of such cells are performed by a different
kind of nucleic acids called non- genetic ribonucleic acid. Non-genetic RNA is
synthesized on DNA template. Such non genetic RNAs can be of many types like
mRNA, r RNA, & t RNA

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STRUCTURE OF RNA
RNA is single stranded polyribonucleotide. Each ribonucleotide is made of:
 Phosphoric acid- H3PO4
 Ribose sugar- C5H10O5
 Nitrogen base- Adenine (A), Guanine (G), Cytocine (C) and Uracil (U)

Figure 41: Components of a ribonucleotide

Many ribonucleotides join with each other by phosphor-ester bonds to make a linear
chain of polyribonucleotides. The chain will remain straight under all conditions in mRNA,
may fold randomly in r-RNA or specifically to form t-RNA.

TYPES OF RNA
1) T-RNA or Transfer RNA
 It is also called soluble or s-RNA. There are over 100 types of t-RNA. t-RNA is
the smallest RNA with 70-85 nucleotides and sedimentation co-efficient of 4S.
It is about 10-15% of the total weight of tRNA of the cell. Each tRNA has a
corresponding anticodon that can recognize the codon on mRNA and exhibit
high affinity for specific activated amino acids combine with them and carry
them to the site of protein synthesis
2) m-RNA or Messenger RNA
 Messenger RNA is a long unfolded RNA which constitutes 3-5% of the total
RNA content. It brings instruction from the DNA for the information of
particular type of polypeptide to be synthesized, having base sequence
complementary to DNA at the sites of protein synthesis-the ribosomes, to which
they become associated to participate in codon-anticodon interaction with tRNA.
These are also called informational or messenger or template RNAs
(mRNA). RNA is synthesized inside the nucleus as a complementary strand to
DNA and serves to carry genetic information from chromosomal DNA to the
cytoplasm for the synthesis of proteins. Out of the two strands of DNA only
template or noncoding or antisense strand transcribes mRNA. The name,
messenger RNA, has been proposed by Jacob and Monod (1961). It may
constitute up to 10% of the total RNA present in the cell, when the cell is
actively engaged in protein synthesis.
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3) r-RNA or Ribosomal RNA

 Ribosomal, stable or insoluble RNA constitutes the largest part (up to 80%) of
the total cellular RNA. It was reported by Kuntz. It is found primarily in the
cytoplasm as well as organelle. In prokaryotes it is transcribed from ribosomal
DNA which is a part of nuclear DNA but in eukaryotes ribosome is formed on
nucleolar DNA. The genetic instruction contained in mRNA is translated into
the amino acid sequences of polypeptides only with the help of ribosomes. Thus
ribosomes play an integral part in the transfer of genetic information from
genotype to phenotype. R-RNA is most stable type of RNA.
 Structure and processing of ribosome RNA: it forms about 80% of the total
cellular RNA. r- RNA consists of a single stranded RNA which gets twisted
over itself in certain regions due to complementary base pairing. R-RNA strand
unfold on heating and refold on coiling. It is one the most stable RNA among all
types of RNAs. R-RNA and ribo-proteins constitute ribosomes.

FUNCTIONS OF RNA
 The t-RNA plays important role in protein synthesis. T-RNA picks up a specific
amino acid from the cytoplasm carries it to the site of protein synthesis and attaches
itself to ribosome in accord with the sequence specified by mRNA. It transmits its
amino acid to the polypeptide chain. In protein synthesis tRNA acts an adaptor
molecule which is meant for transferring amino acids to ribosomes for synthesis of
polypeptides. There are different tRNAs for different amino acids. Codons are
recognized by anticodons of tRNA. They hold peptidyl chains over the mRNAs.
 The m-RNA carries coded information to be translation into polypeptide. It directly
takes part in protein synthesis in a cell. In some viruses having RNA as genetic
material, it may undergo reverse transcription to from compact genes which are used
in genetic engineering. The phenomenon also occurs in nature and has added certain
genes in the genomes.
 The r-RNA binds to protein molecules and gives rise to ribosomes. 3’end of 18s
rRNA (16s in prokaryotes) has unpaired nucleotides complementary to those of
region or m-RNA, it is the site where ribosomes bind to mRNA during translation. 5s
rRNA and surrounding protein complex provide binding site for tRNA.

IMPORTANT FEATURES OF RNA

 RNA is copied from one strand of the double helix called the template strand.
 RNA differs from DNA in that it is single stranded, has uracil inserted of thymine
and has ribose sugar instead of deoxyribose ribose.
 Messenger RNA (mRNA) carries the genetic information that specifies a
particular amino acid sequence of protein synthesized.
 mRNA bases constitute codons, each codon is made of three consecutive bases in a
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row.
 rRNA joins certain proteins to form ribosomes. Ribosomes physically support the
other structures involved in protein synthesis, and some rRNA catalyses formation
of peptide bonds.
 tRNA is clover leaf-shaped and connects mRNA codon to an amino.
 In prokaryotes, RNA is translated as soon as it is transcribed while in eukaryotes,
RNA is often altered (or modified) before it is actively translated.
 mRNA gains a modified nucleotide cap and a poly A tail.
 Many genes have intervening sequences called introns, which are not transcribed
and cutout from the mRNA. The protein encoding sequences in mRNA, exons, are
then reattached. Ribozymes are small RNAs with catalytic activity that can splice
introns. They join proteins to form snurps, which associate to form spliceosomes.
 After being processed the RNA must be exported from the nucleus before it is
translated.

ACTIVITY

Refer to your activity sheet and answer activity 13, page 36.

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