RNA
Science & Engineering abbreviation · Biology
| Stands for | Ribonucleic acid |
|---|---|
| Categories | Science & Engineering |
RNA stands for Ribonucleic acid, a biology abbreviation.
Usually single-stranded nucleic acid that uses the sugar ribose and the base uracil in place of thymine. RNA copies genetic information from DNA, carries it to ribosomes and helps translate it into proteins; some RNAs act as enzymes, and many viruses, including influenza, HIV and SARS-CoV-2, use RNA as their genome.
Example: Total RNA was extracted from the liver samples and checked for integrity before sequencing.
Usage notes
The discovery that some RNA molecules catalyze reactions earned Thomas Cech and Sidney Altman the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and supports the "RNA world" hypothesis, a term coined by Walter Gilbert in 1986, which proposes that early life relied on RNA for both heredity and catalysis. Lowercase prefixes name RNA types: mRNA, tRNA, rRNA, siRNA, miRNA.
Related abbreviations
More biology abbreviations
- OD – Optical density
- PBS – Phosphate-buffered saline
- PCR – Polymerase chain reaction
- PDB – Protein Data Bank
- PFU – Plaque-forming unit
- qPCR – Quantitative polymerase chain reaction
- ROS – Reactive oxygen species
- rRNA – Ribosomal RNA
- RT-PCR – Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction
- RuBisCO – Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase
- SDS-PAGE – Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
- sp. – Species