What Does
Ribonucleic Acid Mean?
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a nucleic acid that is present in all living cells including bacterium and many viruses. It is found primarily in the cytoplasm of a cell or virus and consists, usually, of a single strand of alternating phosphate and ribose. It is important in the synthesis of proteins and when transmitting genetic information that has been transcribed from DNA.
Safeopedia Explains Ribonucleic Acid
There are several types of RNA in a cell that play different roles in the function and operation for the cell. These roles include messenger RNA, which takes encoded instructions from DNA to the cytoplasm of the cell where protein is made, transfer RNA, which comes in 20 varieties and combines with amino acids and leads to the formation of proteins, and ribosomal RNA that functions as a place for making polypeptides.