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RNA

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Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine

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Synonyms

Coding RNA; Messenger RNA; mRNA; Noncoding RNA; Ribosomal RNA; rRNA; Transfer RNA; tRNA

Definition

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a chain of multiple nucleotides (a polynucleotide) consisting of a molecule of sugar (ribose), a molecule of phosphoric acid, and a nucleic base (uracil, cytosine, guanine, or adenine). In contrast to DNA, RNA is normally single-stranded. Its main function within the cell is the conversion of the genetic information into proteins, i.e., gene expression. There are different RNA molecules exerting different functions, the so-called coding and noncoding RNA. Coding RNA, also called messenger RNA (mRNA), copies information from the DNA and carries this information to the ribosome, the cell organelle where protein synthesis takes place. There are different forms of noncoding RNA with transfer RNA and ribosomal RNA being the most important. Transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules take amino acids and transport them to the ribosome. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is the...

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References and Readings

  • Cole, S. W., Hawkley, L. C., Arevalo, J. M., Sung, C. Y., Rose, R. M., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2007). Social regulation of gene expression in human leukocytes. Genome Biology, 8(9), R189.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Marburg, Gutenbergstrasse 18, 35037, Marburg, Germany

    Dr. Jana Strahler

Authors
  1. Dr. Jana Strahler
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jana Strahler .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Behavioral Medicine Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA

    Marc D. Gellman

  2. Cardiovascular Safety, Quintiles, Durham, NC, USA

    J. Rick Turner

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© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media, New York

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Strahler, J. (2013). RNA. In: Gellman, M.D., Turner, J.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_53

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_53

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-1004-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-1005-9

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