Question

What are the four types of RNA and how do they function?

Short answer

The four types of RNA are mRNA, tRNA, rRNA and heterogeneous nuclear RNA or hn RNA. they have different functional roles in the cell.

Step-by-step solution

Introduction

mRNA is the messenger RNA, it is formed from the DNA template strand by the process called transcription. The rRNA is the ribosomal RNA, which is formed in the nucleolar organizing region of the chromosome. The t-RNA is the transfer RNA and has the clover leaf-like structure. The last hn RNA is the heterogeneous RNA, which is the precursor form of mRNA and contains introns and exons.

Functions

The mRNA plays an important role in carrying the information in the form of a sequence of bases from the DNA template strand to code the functional protein by a process called translation. The rRNA along with proteins plays an important role in making the protein synthesis machinery called the ribosome. The tRNA plays the role in the transfer of amino acids corresponding to the sequence of codons present in the mRNA and form the polypeptide chain in the ribosome. The last hn RNA is involved in the splicing process, where the introns are removed and all exons or coding regions are joined together to form the mRNA or mature RNA, which ultimately codes for the polypeptide.