BASIC PRINCIPLES OF

MEDICINE 1:
FOUNDATIONS TO MEDICINE
Structure and Function
Nucleic Acids
Part 3 – RNA Structure and
Function
Designations to describe the structure of DNA and RNA:
Primary Structure: the sequence of nucleotides (bases) along the
polynucleotide chain.
5’-ACGTTAATGGC-3’
Secondary Structure: the 3D structure. Eg. Double helix of DNA

Tertiary Structure: includes supercoiling of the secondary structure.

Quaternary Structure: the interaction of nucleic acids with proteins.

2
RNA Structure and Function:
mRNA (messenger RNA):
-linear single stranded molecule
-carries codon information for translation
-post transcriptionally modified –
2% of total RNA

tRNA (transfer RNA):

-folded stem loop structures formed by intra-
molecular H-bonding
-carries amino acid to ribosome
-16% of total RNA

rRNA (ribosomal RNA):

-linear single stranded, folded molecule
-complexes with protein to form ribosome
-82% of total RNA 3
 tRNA and rRNA
Structural and catalytic roles:
Ribosome

grey = ribosomal RNA (rRNA)

gold = ribosomal proteins

Transfer RNA (tRNA) brings amino rRNA responsible for:

acids to the ribosome during Overall structure of ribosome
translation Catalytic activity (forming
covalent peptide bonds)
4
 Small Nuclear Ribonucleic Acid - snRNA
Involved in generation of mature mRNA transcripts

Central components of the splicing apparatus that removes non-coding

introns and joins together protein coding exons

Pre-mRNA Vertebrate snRNA – U1, U2, U4, U5 & U6.

Short in length between 106-185 nucleotides

Associate with specific proteins to form Small

nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNP)
mRNA

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 MicroRNA (miRNA) - regulation of gene expression

Silencing of gene expression:

~1000 human genes that encode miRNAs (~3% of genome).

Primary miRNA transcript

Nuclear Processing

Pre miRNA
Cytoplasmic Processing

Mature miRNA

miRNA + RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC)

Translation of target DNA Target mRNAs are degraded

is repressed 6
GS Mack Nature Biotechnology 25, 631 - 638 (2007)