Biochemistry

produced for each gene in eukaryotes. Consequently, mRNA is a heterogeneous class of molecules. In
prokaryotes, the average length of an mRNA

molecule is about 1.2 kilobases (kb). In eukaryotes, mRNA has structural

features, such as stem-loop structures, that regulate the efficiency of translation and the lifetime of the
mRNA.

2. Transfer RNA (tRNA) carries amino acids in an activated form to the

ribosome for peptide-bond formation, in a sequence dictated by the mRNA

template. There is at least one kind of tRNA for each of the 20 amino acids.

Transfer RNA consists of about 75 nucleotides (having a mass of about

25 kd).

3. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is the major component of ribosomes (Chapter 30). In prokaryotes, there are
three kinds of rRNA, called 23S, 16S, and

5S RNA because of their sedimentation behavior. One molecule of each of

these species of rRNA is present in each ribosome. Ribosomal RNA was

once believed to play only a structural role in ribosomes. We now know that

rRNA is the actual catalyst for protein synthesis.

Ribosomal RNA is the most abundant of these three types of RNA.

Transfer RNA comes next, followed by messenger RNA, which constitutes

only 5% of the total RNA. Eukaryotic cells contain additional small RNA

molecules.

4. Small nuclear RNA (snRNA) molecules participate in the splicing of

RNA exons.

5. A small RNA molecule is an essential component of the signal- recognition

particle, an RNA–protein complex in the cytoplasm that helps guide newly

synthesized proteins to intracellular compartments and extracellular

destinations.
6. Micro RNA (miRNA) is a class of small (about 21 nucleotides) noncoding RNAs that bind to
complementary mRNA molecules and inhibit their

translation.

7. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a class of small RNA molecules that

bind to mRNA and facilitate its degradation. Micro RNA and small interfering RNA also provide scientists
with powerful experimental tools for

inhibiting the expression of specific genes in the cell.

8. RNA is a component of telomerase, an enzyme that maintains the telom