Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)
A complex organic substance involved in protein synthesis in cells.
RNA consists of a five-carbon sugar (ribose), phosphate, and four nitrogenous bases (adenine, guanine, cytosine, and uracil). In an RNA molecule, the sugar and phosphate combine to form a structure to
which the nitrogenous bases are attached. These molecules range in composition from fewer than 100 to several thousand nitrogenous bases, and vary in shape from helical to uncoiled. RNA is the primary agent of protein formation, and processes genetic information from deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules into enzymes necessary for life.
[The entire page is 116 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
