Which type of RNA is responsible for carrying the genetic information from DNA to the ribosome?

Messenger RNA (mRNA) plays a crucial role in the process of gene expression. It is synthesized from a DNA template during transcription, where the genetic information stored in the DNA is copied into a complementary RNA sequence. This mRNA strand then exits the nucleus and travels to the ribosome, the cellular machinery responsible for protein synthesis.

The ribosome reads the sequence of codons in the mRNA, which are sets of three nucleotides that correspond to specific amino acids. This process, called translation, ultimately leads to the assembly of proteins based on the instructions encoded in the mRNA.

In contrast, transfer RNA (tRNA) functions differently; it is responsible for bringing the appropriate amino acids to the ribosome based on the sequence of the mRNA. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is a structural component of the ribosome itself and aids in the assembly of proteins but does not carry genetic information. Small nuclear RNA (snRNA) is involved in RNA splicing, a process that modifies precursor mRNA before it becomes functional mRNA. Thus, it is mRNA that directly carries the genetic instructions from DNA to the ribosome for protein synthesis.