RNA into DNA

RNA into DNA

Subject : Science & tech

Context : A new study notes that as against the current understanding that only DNA transcription into RNA as being possible, the reverse can also happen.

Concept :

• Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and Ribonucleic acid (RNA) are important molecules in cell biology, responsible for the storage and reading of genetic information that underpins all life.
• They are both linear polymers, consisting of sugars, phosphates and bases, but there are some key differences which separate the two.
• Unlike DNA which is double stranded, RNA is single-stranded.
• The bases in DNA are Adenine (‘A’), Thymine (‘T’), Guanine (‘G’) and Cytosine (‘C’). RNA shares Adenine (‘A’), Guanine (‘G’) and Cytosine (‘C’) with DNA, but contains Uracil (‘U’) rather than Thymine.
• Unlike DNA which replicates and stores genetic information and functions as a blueprint for all genetic information contained within an organism, RNA converts the genetic information contained within DNA to a format used to build proteins, and then moves it to ribosomal protein factories.

Transcription

• Transcription is the process of copying a segment of DNA into RNA. The segments of DNA transcribed into RNA molecules that can encode proteins are said to produce messenger RNA.