RNA has an important function in protein synthesis as an intermediary between DNA and proteins. Messenger RNA (mRNA) transmits genetic information from DNA found in the nucleus to ribosomes located in the cytoplasm, where proteins are formed. Transfer RNA (tRNA) delivers individual amino acids to the ribosome and matches its anticodon with codons on the mRNA strand. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA), which makes up most of the ribosome, helps the amino acids fit together into a polypeptide chain.
The process starts with transcription, in which DNA is transcribed into mRNA. The mRNA proceeds to the ribosome, where translation takes place. In translation, tRNA molecules bring amino acids to the ribosome according to the codon sequence of the mRNA. The ribosome, assisted by rRNA, connects these amino acids to create a protein. RNA, without which genetic information in DNA would not be able to be translated into operational proteins, is a crucial factor in gene expression and cellular functioning.