The Similarities in the Structure of MRNA & TRNA
Cells contain genetic information in the form of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The specific sequences on the DNA strand code for the synthesis of particular proteins. Protein biosynthesis is a complex process coordinated through several types of ribonucleic acid (RNA), such as messenger RNA (mRNA), ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and transfer RNA (tRNA). mRNA and tRNA share a few similarities in their structure.
Other People Are Reading
-
Sugar Molecule
-
Being types of ribonucleic acid, both mRNA as well as tRNA contain the same pentose sugar ribose, unlike DNA, which contains deoxyribose sugar. The ribose sugar in RNA contains a hydroxyl group at the 2' position. This makes the RNA more susceptible to hydrolysis, unlike DNA, where the deoxyribose sugar does not have the hydroxyl group.
Nitrogen Bases
-
Both DNA and RNA are comprised of nucleotides. A nucleotide is made up of a sugar molecule, a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base. There are four nitrogenous bases found in DNA: adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine. All types of RNA also contain these components with the single difference that thymine is replaced by its unmethylated form known as uracil. Therefore, a similarity in the structure of mRNA and tRNA is that both contain the nitrogen base uracil.
-
Strand structure
-
RNA is made up of a long chain of nucleotides held together in a specific sequence. Although mRNA is derived from the double helical DNA molecule, it has a single stranded chain structure. tRNA also exists as a single strand although it undergoes spatial orientation to form the typical clover leaf structure. Both mRNA and tRNA are necessary components for successful completion of the process of protein synthesis.
Role of mRNA and tRNA
-
mRNA is synthesized from the DNA strand as a code given by a sequence of three nucleotide bases known as a triplet codon. The order in which these codons are arranged determines the sequence for incorporation of specific amino acids to synthesize a protein molecule. tRNA contains a complementary sequence of nucleotides known as an anticodon. Using this, the tRNA "reads" the code on the mRNA, to position the right amino acids in place to form the protein.
-
