Life sciences · Reference
What is mRNA (messenger RNA)?
Messenger RNA (mRNA) is a single-stranded molecule that carries genetic instructions copied from DNA to the ribosome, where they are read to build proteins — the working step that links genes to function.
What mRNA is
Messenger RNA is one of several types of RNA in the cell. It is produced during transcription, when the sequence of a gene is copied from DNA into a complementary strand of RNA. Unlike DNA, mRNA is usually single-stranded and uses the base uracil (U) in place of thymine. Each mRNA molecule is a temporary working copy of a gene, carrying its instructions out to where proteins are made.
How mRNA is read
At the ribosome, the mRNA sequence is read in groups of three bases called codons. Each codon specifies a particular amino acid (or a start or stop signal), and transfer RNAs deliver the matching amino acids in turn.
This process — translation — links amino acids into a chain that folds into a functional protein. In this way mRNA acts as the intermediary that converts the static information in DNA into the active proteins that carry out cellular tasks.
mRNA in the central dogma
mRNA sits at the heart of the "central dogma" of molecular biology: DNA is transcribed into RNA, and protein-coding mRNA is translated into protein. By carrying a gene’s message from the genome to the ribosome, mRNA allows one gene to be expressed many times and allows expression to be switched on and off, giving cells precise control over which proteins they make.
Research and applications
mRNA is a central object of study in molecular biology and a tool in biotechnology. Synthetic mRNA can be introduced into cells to direct them to make a chosen protein, an approach used in research and, historically, in mRNA vaccines such as those deployed from 2020. This page describes the molecular science and research uses of mRNA and does not provide medical advice.
Key facts
At a glance
- Full name: messenger RNA
- Strands: single-stranded RNA
- Made by: transcription from DNA
- Read in: three-base codons
- Role: carries genetic code from DNA to the ribosome
- Bases: uses uracil (U) instead of thymine (T)
Common questions
FAQ
What does mRNA do?+
mRNA carries a copy of a gene’s instructions from DNA to the ribosome, where the instructions are read in three-base codons to assemble a protein. It is the working intermediary between genes and proteins.
What is the difference between DNA and mRNA?+
DNA is the stable, double-stranded store of genetic information. mRNA is a single-stranded, temporary copy of a gene that carries its message to the ribosome; mRNA also uses the base uracil where DNA uses thymine.
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