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Ribonucleic acid (RNA)

Dyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) are molecules central to biological processes. A deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) constitutes the genome carrying the information of life. A ribonucleic acid (RNA) is an important biological polymer which receives such information and is involved in protein biosynthesis and the like in the body. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules are synthesized by the transcription of specific regions of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The general function of RNA is as the intermediary of protein synthesis from DNA into the amino acid sequences of protein. RNA may be found in nature in various forms, including messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), ribosomal RNA (rRNA), and viral RNA. Each of these types of RNA have distinct properties related to their specific functions. The messenger RNAs (mRNA) each contain enough information from the parent DNA molecule to direct the synthesis of one more proteins. Each has attachment sites for tRNAs and rRNA. The transfer RNAs (tRNA) each recognize a specific codon of three nucleotides in a strand of mRNA, the amino acid specified by the codon, and an attachment site on a ribosome. Each tRNA is specific for a particular amino acid and functions as an adaptor molecule in protein synthesis, supplying that amino acid to be added to the distinctive polypeptide chain. Subunits of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) form components of ribosomes, the "factories" where protein is synthesized. The subunits have attachment sites for mRNA and the polypeptide chain. The rRNAs regulate aminoacyl-tRNA binding, mRNA binding, and the binding of the initiation, elongation, and termination factors; peptide bond formation; and translocation. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is available as a raw material for a drug or a flavor enhancer such as 5'-inosinic acid (IMP) or 5'-guanylic acid (GMP).

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