What type of RNA is directly involved in protein synthesis?

Messenger RNA (mRNA) plays a crucial role in protein synthesis by serving as the template for translation. During the process of transcription, DNA is transcribed into mRNA, which carries the genetic information from the nucleus to the ribosomes, the sites of protein synthesis in the cytoplasm. The sequence of nucleotides in mRNA is translated into a specific sequence of amino acids, forming a polypeptide chain that eventually folds into a functional protein.

mRNA conveys the instructions for building proteins based on the genetic code, specifying the order of amino acids that make up the protein. This unique function distinguishes it from the other types of RNA, which have different roles in the overall process of gene expression and protein synthesis.

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) serves as a structural and functional component of ribosomes, while transfer RNA (tRNA) is responsible for transporting amino acids to the ribosome and matching them to the codons in the mRNA. Small nuclear RNA (snRNA) is involved in the processing of pre-mRNA in eukaryotic cells but is not directly involved in the translation process.