lähettiRNAssa
LähettiRNAssa, often shortened to mRNA, is a type of ribonucleic acid that carries genetic information from DNA to the ribosome. It acts as a messenger, hence its name, translating the genetic code into instructions for protein synthesis. DNA, located in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells, contains the permanent blueprint for an organism's proteins. However, DNA itself does not directly build proteins. Instead, a process called transcription creates an mRNA molecule that is a complementary copy of a specific gene. This mRNA molecule then exits the nucleus and travels to the cytoplasm, where ribosomes reside. Ribosomes read the sequence of nucleotides on the mRNA, a process called translation, in three-nucleotide units called codons. Each codon specifies a particular amino acid. Transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules bring the corresponding amino acids to the ribosome, and the ribosome links them together in the order dictated by the mRNA, forming a polypeptide chain that folds into a functional protein. mRNA molecules are generally unstable and are degraded after they have served their purpose, allowing cells to regulate protein production. This crucial role of mRNA in gene expression makes it fundamental to all living organisms.