List of RNAs

The following are a list of RNAs in nature. Some of these categories are broad, others are single RNA families.

RNAs involved in protein synthesis

Type	Abbr.	Function	Distribution	Ref.
Messenger RNA	mRNA	Codes for protein	All organisms
Ribosomal RNA	rRNA	Translation	All organisms
Signal recognition particle RNA	7SL RNA or SRP RNA	Membrane integration	All organisms
Transfer RNA	tRNA	Translation	All organisms
Transfer-messenger RNA	tmRNA	Rescuing stalled ribosomes	Bacteria

RNAs involved in post-transcriptional modification or DNA replication

Type	Abbr.	Function	Distribution	Ref.
Small nuclear RNA	snRNA	Splicing and other functions	Eukaryotes and archaea
Small nucleolar RNA	snoRNA	Nucleotide modification of RNAs	Eukaryotes and archaea
SmY RNA	SmY	mRNA trans-splicing	Nematodes
Small Cajal body-specific RNA	scaRNA	Type of snoRNA; Nucleotide modification of RNAs
Guide RNA	gRNA	mRNA nucleotide modification	Kinetoplastid mitochondria
Ribonuclease P	RNase P	tRNA maturation	All organisms
Ribonuclease MRP	RNase MRP	rRNA maturation, DNA replication	Eukaryotes
Y RNA		RNA processing, DNA replication	Animals
Telomerase RNA Component	TERC	Telomere synthesis	Most eukaryotes
Spliced Leader RNA	SL RNA	mRNA trans-splicing, RNA processing

Regulatory RNAs

Type	Abbr.	Function	Distribution	Ref.
Antisense RNA	aRNA, asRNA	Transcriptional attenuation / mRNA degradation / mRNA stabilisation / Translation block	All organisms
Cis-natural antisense transcript	cis-NAT	Gene regulation
CRISPR RNA	crRNA	Resistance to parasites, probably by targeting their DNA	Bacteria and archaea
Long noncoding RNA	lncRNA	Regulation of gene transcription, epigenetic regulation	Eukaryotes
MicroRNA	miRNA	Gene regulation	Most eukaryotes
Piwi-interacting RNA	piRNA	Transposon defense, maybe other functions	Most animals
Small interfering RNA	siRNA	Gene regulation	Most eukaryotes
Trans-acting siRNA	tasiRNA	Gene regulation	Land plants
Repeat associated siRNA	rasiRNA	Type of piRNA; transposon defense	Drosophila
7SK RNA	7SK	negatively regulating CDK9/cyclin T complex

Parasitic RNAs

Type	Function	Distribution	Ref.
Retrotransposon	Self-propagating	Eukaryotes and some bacteria
Viral genome	Information carrier	Double-stranded RNA viruses, positive-sense RNA viruses, negative-sense RNA viruses, many satellite viruses and reverse transcribing viruses
Viroid	Self-propagating	Infected plants
Satellite RNA	Self-propagating	Infected cells

Other RNAs

Type	Abbr.	Function	Distribution	Ref.
Vault RNA	vRNA, vtRNA	Expulsion of xenobiotics (conjectured)

See also

See also: Category:RNA

• RNA: Types of RNA
• Non-coding RNA

External links

• Rfam database — a collection of RNA families
• European ribosomal RNA database