Question

Which of the following RNAs should be most abundant in animal cells?

• A. rRNA
• B. tRNA
• C. mRNA
• D. miRNA

Answer 1

The correct option is A

rRNA

The correct option is option A.

Explanation for the correct option:

1. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA), a molecule in cells that are exported to the cytoplasm and is a component of the protein-producing organelle known as a ribosome, aids in the conversion of messenger RNA (mRNA) into protein.
2. rRNA, mRNA, and transfer RNA are the three main forms of RNA found in cells (tRNA).
3. It is the most abundant RNA because it makes up 80% of a cell's total RNA content.

Explanation for the incorrect options:

Option B:

1. A form of RNA molecule called transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) aids in the translation of a messenger RNA (mRNA) sequence into a protein.
2. Translation, which creates a protein from an mRNA molecule, uses tRNA at certain locations on the ribosome.

Option C:

1. DNA information must first be transcribed, or replicated, into mRNA since it cannot be immediately decoded into proteins.
2. With each sequence of three nitrogen-containing bases in the mRNA indicating the inclusion of a specific amino acid inside the protein, each mRNA molecule encodes the information for one protein (or several proteins in bacteria).

Option D:

1. A microRNA, sometimes known as a miRNA, is a tiny, single-stranded non-coding RNA molecule that participates in RNA silencing and post-transcriptional control of gene expression. It is present in plants, animals, and some viruses.

Final answer: The most abundant RNA in animal cells is rRNA.