What type of RNA is involved in the splicing process along with proteins?

The correct choice, small nuclear RNA, plays a critical role in the splicing process of pre-mRNA, which is a vital step in the processing of gene transcripts in eukaryotic cells. During splicing, introns, or non-coding regions of RNA, are removed, and exons, which are the coding regions, are joined together to form a mature mRNA strand that can be translated into protein.

Small nuclear RNA (snRNA) combines with a variety of proteins to form small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs), which are essential components of the spliceosome. The spliceosome is a complex molecular machine that facilitates the removal of introns and the ligation of exons. This process ensures that only the coding sequences are expressed, allowing for accurate translation of genetic information.

In contrast, messenger RNA serves primarily as a template for protein synthesis and is not directly involved in the splicing process itself. Transfer RNA is responsible for transporting amino acids to the ribosome during translation, ensuring that the protein is synthesized according to the mRNA template. Ribosomal RNA is a structural and functional component of ribosomes, assisting in protein synthesis but not in pre-mRNA splicing. Thus, small nuclear RNA's direct