Editing Messenger RNA (section)

{{More citations needed|date=May 2025}}{{short description|RNA that is read by the ribosome to produce a protein}}
{{redirect|MRNA}}
{{distinguish|modRNA}}
{{cs1 config|name-list-style=vanc}}
[[Image:MRNA-interaction.svg|thumb|upright=1.2|The "life cycle" of an mRNA in a [[eukaryote|eukaryotic]] cell. [[RNA]] is [[transcription (genetics)|transcribed]] in the [[cell nucleus|nucleus]]; after [[post-transcriptional modification|processing]], it is transported to the [[cytoplasm]] and [[Translation (genetics)|translated]] by the [[ribosome]]. Finally, the mRNA is degraded.]]

In [[molecular biology]], '''messenger ribonucleic acid''' ('''mRNA''') is a single-stranded [[molecule]] of [[RNA]] that corresponds to the [[genetic sequence]] of a [[gene]], and is read by a [[ribosome]] in the process of [[Protein biosynthesis|synthesizing]] a [[protein]].

mRNA is created during the process of [[Transcription (biology)|transcription]], where an [[enzyme]] ([[RNA polymerase]]) converts the gene into [[primary transcript]] mRNA (also known as [[pre-mRNA]]). This pre-mRNA usually still contains [[introns]], regions that will not go on to code for the final [[amino acid sequence]]. These are removed in the process of [[RNA splicing]], leaving only [[exons]], regions that will encode the protein. This exon sequence constitutes [[mature mRNA]]. Mature mRNA is then read by the ribosome, and the ribosome creates the protein utilizing [[amino acids]] carried by [[transfer RNA]] (tRNA). This process is known as [[Translation (biology)|translation]]. All of these processes form part of the [[central dogma of molecular biology]], which describes the flow of genetic information in a biological system.

As in [[DNA]], genetic information in mRNA is contained in the sequence of [[nucleotides]], which are arranged into [[codons]] consisting of three [[ribonucleotide]]s each. Each codon codes for a specific [[amino acid]], except the [[stop codon]]s, which terminate protein synthesis. The translation of codons into amino acids requires two other types of RNA: transfer RNA, which recognizes the codon and provides the corresponding amino acid, and [[ribosomal RNA]] (rRNA), the central component of the ribosome's protein-manufacturing machinery.

The concept of mRNA was developed by [[Sydney Brenner]] and [[Francis Crick]] in 1960 during a conversation with [[François Jacob]]. In 1961, mRNA was identified and described independently by one team consisting of Brenner, Jacob, and [[Matthew Meselson]], and another team led by [[James Watson]]. While analyzing the data in preparation for publication, Jacob and [[Jacques Monod]] coined the name "messenger RNA".
{{toclimit|3}}