How is tRNA described structurally?

How is tRNA described structurally?

• A. A single long RNA with an anticodon and an amino acid attachment site
• B. A short RNA with no attachment site
• C. A protein molecule that binds codons
• D. A DNA-like double helix

Answer: (A)

tRNA is a small RNA molecule that folds into a distinctive structure with two crucial features: an anticodon loop and an amino acid attachment site at its 3' end. It’s about 70–90 nucleotides long and is single-stranded, not a protein and not DNA. The anticodon region base-pairs with a specific codon on the mRNA, ensuring the correct amino acid is chosen, while the amino acid attachment site (the 3' CCA tail) is where the amino acid is covalently linked by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. This combination—being a short RNA with both an anticodon and a site for amino acid attachment—is what defines tRNA’s structure and function.

tRNA is a small RNA molecule that folds into a distinctive structure with two crucial features: an anticodon loop and an amino acid attachment site at its 3' end. It’s about 70–90 nucleotides long and is single-stranded, not a protein and not DNA. The anticodon region base-pairs with a specific codon on the mRNA, ensuring the correct amino acid is chosen, while the amino acid attachment site (the 3' CCA tail) is where the amino acid is covalently linked by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. This combination—being a short RNA with both an anticodon and a site for amino acid attachment—is what defines tRNA’s structure and function.