Ribonucleic acid (RNA)
RNA is a type of ribononucleic acid that is found in all living things. RNA nucleotides are made up of:
- A pentose: ribose.
- A phosphoric acid.
- A nitrogenous base: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C) and uracil (U).
RNA is made up of a single chain of nucleotides. In eukaryotic cells, it is found in the nucleus and in the cytoplasm.
There are several types of RNA:
- Ribosomal RNA or rRNA. It is part of the ribosomes, along with other proteins. This type of RNA is the most abundant.
- Messenger RNA or mRNA. It carries the information from the DNA from the nucleus to the ribosomes, in the cytoplasm, so that proteins can be synthesized.
- Transfer RNA o tRNA. The tRNA binds to amino acids and carries them to ribosomes for proteins to be synthesized.