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Examples of ribonucleic acid in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Folate is needed to make DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid) and helps produce healthy red blood cells.
—Lainey Younkin, Ms, Rd, Verywell Health, 22 Mar. 2024
The synthesis of ribonucleic acid requires various nitrile precursor molecules, such as hydrogen cyanide, cyanoacetylene and cyanogen, which can only form in certain conditions.
—Discover Magazine, 24 July 2023
Since the pandemic began this spring, scientists have learned that the ribonucleic acid, or RNA, of the coronavirus, which causes covid-19, can be detected in feces, and that infected individuals shed particles in their stool soon after being infected.
—Washington Post, 25 Dec. 2020
Unlike conventional vaccines, which use a live virus to trigger an immune response in humans, those made using messenger ribonucleic acid, mRNA, carry genetic instructions that generate a spike protein to develop antibodies against infections.
—Rajesh Roy, WSJ, 29 Sep. 2021
The researchers then extracted ribonucleic acid (RNA) — the cellular messenger that carries out the genetic instructions of DNA — from the nervous systems of both the shock and non-shock groups.
—Lacy Schley, Discover Magazine, 15 May 2018
But many researchers in the primordial biology game, Benner included, focus instead on RNA, or ribonucleic acid, a biological precursor to DNA that can also store genetic information and self-replicate but arises more easily from organic materials.
—Steve Nadis, Discover Magazine, 8 May 2014
The virus’s genetic material consists of many different nucleotides strung together in a chain called ribonucleic acid (RNA).
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2022
This particularly applies in the case of mRNA vaccines where the only active ingredient is the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), which trains a person’s body to recognize and kill the virus.
—Joshua Cohen, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ribonucleic acid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1930, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near ribonucleic acid
Cite this Entry
“Ribonucleic acid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ribonucleic%20acid. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
Kids Definition
ribonucleic acid
noun
ri·bo·nu·cle·ic acid
ˌrī-bō-n(y)u̇-ˌklē-ik-
-ˌklā-
: rna
Medical Definition
ribonucleic acid
noun
ri·bo·nu·cle·ic acid
ˌrī-bō-n(y)u̇-ˌklē-ik-
-ˌklā-
: rna
More from Merriam-Webster on ribonucleic acid
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ribonucleic acid
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