Messenger RNA (mRNA) has been making headlines due to its pivotal role in the development of COVID-19 vaccines. Scientists Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman were awarded the Nobel Prize for their groundbreaking discoveries that laid the foundation for the mRNA technology used in these vaccines. This recognition highlights the significance of mRNA in revolutionizing vaccine development and combating the global pandemic.
Messenger RNA is a single-stranded RNA molecule that carries genetic information from DNA in the cell nucleus to the ribosomes in the cytoplasm. It serves as a template for protein synthesis, playing a crucial role in the translation of genetic information into proteins. mRNA is transcribed from DNA during gene expression and undergoes various modifications before being translated into proteins by ribosomes. The recent success of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 has brought attention to the potential of this technology in rapidly developing effective vaccines against infectious diseases.