mRNA
messenger ribonucleic acid that serves as a template for protein synthesis; it carries information from DNA in a cell nucleus to the ribosome sites of protein synthesis in the cell to mediate transfer of genetic information from the nucleus to ribosomes in the cytoplasm.
defined: Template for protein synthesis. Each set of three bases, called codons, specifies a certain protein in the sequence of amino acids that comprise the protein. The sequence of a strand of mRNA is based on the sequence of a complementary strand of DNA.
explained:
Listen to a detailed explanation. Dr. Paul Meltzer, of the National Human Genome Research Institute's Laboratory of Cancer Genetics, defines messenger RNA (mRNA).
illustrated: 
View illustration related terms: 
gene,
nucleus,
protein,
ribonucleic acid (RNA)
Messenger RNA. It is the first product of the DNA transcription by RNA polymerase. mRNA forms 1-5% of the total cellular RNA. Its molecular weight is generally less than 2x106. At any time, there are about 105 species of mRNA in a cell.