Final answer:
A small nuclear ribonucleoprotein is composed of small RNA and proteins and plays an essential role in splicing, which is the removal of introns and ligation of exons in mRNA.
Step-by-step explanation:
A small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) consists of small RNA and proteins. The role of these snRNPs is crucial in the process of splicing where they are responsible for the removal of introns (non-coding regions) from pre-messenger RNA (mRNA) and facilitating the ligation of exons (coding regions) to form the mature mRNA that will be translated into proteins. snRNPs assemble with specific nuclear bodies and their associated proteins to function properly. These nuclear bodies facilitate the formation and function of snRNPs within the spliceosome, a complex that conducts splicing of mRNA. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is another type of RNA involved in protein synthesis, forming part of the ribosome's structure and function.