Transfer RNA (tRNA) is a type of RNA molecule that helps decode mRNA sequences into proteins. It carries amino acids to the ribosome, matching them with the appropriate codons on the mRNA strand during translation.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
tRNA molecules have a characteristic cloverleaf structure with three hairpin loops.
Each tRNA has an anticodon region that is complementary to an mRNA codon.
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase enzymes attach specific amino acids to their corresponding tRNAs.
The tRNA's 3' end attaches to an amino acid, forming an aminoacyl-tRNA complex.
There are at least 20 different types of tRNAs, one for each amino acid.