messenger RNA (redirected from Polycistronic mRNA)

RNA ribonucleic acid.

---

complementary RNA  (cRNA) viral RNA that is transcribed from negative-sense RNA and serves as a template for protein synthesis.

heterogeneous nuclear RNA  (hnRNA) a diverse group of long primary transcripts formed in the eukaryotic nucleus, many of which will be processed to mRNA molecules by splicing.

messenger RNA  (mRNA) RNA molecules, usually 400 to 10,000 bases long, that serve as templates for protein synthesis (translation).

negative-sense RNA  viral RNA with a base sequence complementary to that of mRNA; during replication it serves as a template for the transcription of viral complementary RNA.

positive-sense RNA  viral RNA with the same base sequence as mRNA; during replication it functions as mRNA, serving as a template for protein synthesis.

ribosomal RNA  (rRNA) that which together with proteins forms the ribosomes, playing a structural role and also a role in ribosomal binding of mRNA and tRNAs.

small nuclear RNA  (snRNA) a class of eukaryotic small RNA molecules found in the nucleus, usually as ribonucleoproteins, and apparently involved in processing heterogeneous nuclear RNA.

transfer RNA  (tRNA) 20 or more varieties of small RNA molecules functioning in translation; each variety carries a specific amino acid to a site specified by an RNA codon, binding to amino acid, ribosome, and to the codon via an anticodon region.

Schematic diagram of features common to transfer RNA molecules, depicting the anticodon and amino acid attachment regions. Dotted lines between chains represent hydrogen-bonded base pairs. The characteristic cloverleaf is formed by the hairpin and loop structures that result from intrachain hydrogen bonding.

---

mes·sen·ger RNA (msn-jr)

n.

See mRNA.

---

messenger RNA (mRNA)

[mes′ənjər]

Etymology: ME, messangere, message bearer; RNA, ribonucleic acid

(in molecular genetics) an RNA fraction that carries information from deoxyribonucleic acid to the protein-synthesizing ribosomes of cells. mRNA contains codons that are eventually encoded into amino acids via the translation process.