Definition

Noun: * The template for protein synthesis; the form of RNA that carries information from DNA in the nucleus to the ribosome sites of protein synthesis in the cell: Messenger RNA is a type of ribonucleic acid that acts as an intermediary, copying genetic instructions from DNA and transporting them to cellular structures called ribosomes, where proteins are assembled.

Usage

• Messenger RNA is a scientific term used primarily in the fields of biology, genetics, and biochemistry.
• It is often abbreviated as mRNA.
• It functions as a crucial link in the central dogma of molecular biology (DNA → RNA → Protein).

Examples

• The messenger RNA transcript is processed before it leaves the nucleus.
• Scientists studied the stability of the viral messenger RNA.
• The ribosome reads the sequence of the messenger RNA to build a chain of amino acids.

Advanced Usage

• Primary transcript: The initial RNA product transcribed from DNA, which is then processed to become mature messenger RNA.
• Polyadenylation: The addition of a tail of adenine nucleotides to the end of a messenger RNA molecule, which is part of its processing and helps regulate its stability.
• Cap: A modified nucleotide added to the beginning of a messenger RNA molecule that is essential for its translation and stability.

Variants and Related Words

• mRNA: The standard abbreviation for messenger RNA.
• RNA (Ribonucleic Acid): The broader class of nucleic acid to which messenger RNA belongs. Other types include transfer RNA (tRNA) and ribosomal RNA (rRNA).
• Transcription: The process of synthesizing messenger RNA from a DNA template.
• Translation: The process of synthesizing a protein from the information carried by messenger RNA at the ribosome.

Synonyms

• Transcript: In molecular biology, this can refer specifically to an RNA molecule, including messenger RNA, produced by transcription.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• Genetic message: The information encoded within the messenger RNA sequence.
• Coding sequence: The part of the messenger RNA that directly specifies the amino acid sequence of a protein.
• Untranslated regions (UTRs): Sections at the beginning (5' UTR) and end (3' UTR) of a messenger RNA molecule that are not translated into protein but contain regulatory information.

Noun

1. the template for protein synthesis; the form of RNA that carries information from DNA in the nucleus to the ribosome sites of protein synthesis in the cell