Question

Although there is significant variation in the length of RNA molecules, they are generally much shorter than chromosomal sequences of DNA. In fact, they range from only a few ____ nucleotides long to several _____ nucleotides long

Answer 1

RNA molecules are much shorter than DNA, ranging from a few hundred to several thousand nucleotides. RNA, essential for protein synthesis, carries the genetic information of a single gene, with types like mRNA, tRNA, and rRNA playing central roles.

Step-by-step explanation:

RNA molecules vary significantly in length, ranging from only a few hundred nucleotides to several thousand nucleotides long. Unlike the much longer chromosomal sequences of DNA, RNA molecules are relatively small because they carry the genetic information of just one gene. For example, transfer RNA (tRNA) is quite short, typically 70-90 nucleotides, and is stable with extensive intramolecular base pairing, containing both an amino acid binding site and an mRNA binding site.

There are several kinds of RNA, including messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA), all of which play crucial roles in the synthesis of proteins. The nucleotides in RNA contain the nitrogenous bases adenine, cytosine, guanine, and uracil—instead of thymine as found in DNA— and RNA exists as a single-stranded molecule rather than a double helix.