Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a biological molecule that stores, carries, or helps use genetic information in cells and in some viruses.
RNA is made from a chain of nucleotides and is closely related to DNA, but the two molecules have important structural and functional differences. In human cells, different types of RNA help convert genetic information from DNA into proteins and regulate cellular processes.
Some viruses, including HIV, use RNA as their genetic material. During HIV replication, the virus uses the enzyme reverse transcriptase to make a DNA copy from its RNA genome.
QUICK FACT
RNA is not simply a temporary copy of DNA. It can perform several different biological functions, and some viruses use RNA as their primary genetic material.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
DNA: DNA is the primary long-term genetic information storage molecule in human cells, while RNA performs a wider range of roles and serves as the genetic material of some viruses.
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