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ribonucleoprotein

(Science: protein) complexes of rNA and protein involved in a wide range of cellular processes.

Besides ribosomes (with which ribonucleoprotein was originally almost synonymous), in eukaryotic cells both initial rNA transcripts in the nucleus (hnRNA) and cytoplasmic mRNAs exist as complexes with specific sets of proteins.

processing (splicing) of the former is carried out by small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNP). Other examples are the signal recognition particle responsible for targetting proteins to endoplasmic reticulum and a complex involved in termination of transcription.

Acronym: RNP