Biochemistry, RNA Structure

Excerpt

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a molecule that is present in the majority of living organisms and viruses. It is made up of nucleotides, which are ribose sugars attached to nitrogenous bases and phosphate groups. The nitrogenous bases include adenine, guanine, uracil, and cytosine. RNA mostly exists in the single-stranded form, but there are special RNA viruses that are double-stranded. The RNA molecule can have a variety of lengths and structures. An RNA virus uses RNA instead of DNA as its genetic material and can cause many human diseases. Transcription is the process of RNA formation from DNA, and translation is the process of protein synthesis from RNA. The means of RNA synthesis and the way that it functions differs between eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Specific RNA molecules also regulate gene expression and have the potential to serve as therapeutic agents in human diseases.