Which type of RNA carries genetic information from the DNA to the ribosome?

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Messenger RNA (mRNA) is the type of RNA that carries genetic information from DNA to the ribosome, where proteins are synthesized. This process begins when a specific segment of DNA is transcribed into mRNA in the nucleus. The mRNA then travels out of the nucleus into the cytoplasm, where it serves as a template for protein synthesis during translation.

mRNA is crucial because it contains the codons that specify the sequence of amino acids in a protein. Each codon corresponds to a specific amino acid or a stop signal in the protein synthesis process. This makes mRNA essential for translating the genetic instructions encoded in DNA into functional proteins, which play numerous roles in cellular structure and function.

In contrast, transfer RNA (tRNA) functions to bring amino acids to the ribosome during protein synthesis, while ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is a component of ribosomes and helps facilitate the assembly of amino acids to form proteins. Coding RNA, often a less commonly used term, typically refers to RNA molecules that are involved in the process of coding for proteins but does not specifically denote mRNA's role. Hence, mRNA is the correct answer as it directly connects the genetic information stored in DNA to the ribosome for protein production.

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