A class of short adaptor RNAs that transfers a specific amino acid to a growing polypeptide chain at the ribosomal site of protein synthesis during translation. Each transfer RNA comprises a three-nucleotide sequence that is complementary to the triplet nucleotide coding sequence of an mRNA, conferring specificity to the amino acid being incorporated into the assembling protein.

Small ribonucleic acid molecules 73 to 93 nucleotides long, occurring in cells in about 30 varieties and functioning in translation; each variety carries a specific amino acid to a site specified by an RNA codon, binding to amino acid, ribosome, and to the codon via an anticodon region; all have numerous modified bases and extensive secondary structure.

(rna, transfer) The small RNA molecules, 73-80 nucleotides long, that function during translation (TRANSLATION, GENETIC) to align AMINO ACIDS at the RIBOSOMES in a sequence determined by the mRNA (RNA, MESSENGER). There are about 30 different transfer RNAs. Each recognizes a specific CODON set on the mRNA through its own ANTICODON and as aminoacyl tRNAs (RNA, TRANSFER, AMINO ACYL), each carries a specific amino acid to the ribosome to add to the elongating peptide chains.

Transfer RNA (tRNA), small molecule in cells that carries amino acids to organelles called ribosomes, where they are linked into proteins. In addition to tRNA there are two other major types of RNA: messenger RNA (mRNA) and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). By 1960 the involvement of tRNAs in the assembly of...