'Tremendous uncertainty' for cancer research as US officials target mRNA vaccines

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. The point is that the mRNA codes for a viral protein

Yes, tRNA and rRNA are involved in the process, but they belong to the human (or whatever) cell. Normally, they follow the coding supplied by human mRNA (which is copied from human nuclear DNA). But when a virus invades a cell, it supplies its own mRNA (or DNA to be copied) for all the molecules that it consists of, and that is then processed by the tRNA and rRNA molecules.

So the vaccine has mRNA that codes for a protein particular to the virus - so that the human cells produce some of the virus protein, which the human immune system then recognises as foreign, and sets itself up to quickly attack it. Then, when the actual virus arrives, the immune system is ready for it. And since only one protein (or maybe a few - I'm not sure) is coded for, it's not the whole virus, and won't reproduce like a virus.

This means the only form of RNA in the vaccine is the mRNA that codes for the viral protein. So it is best to call it an mRNA vaccine. To use your analogy, the kitchen equipment and ingredients are all already present; it is just a new cookbook that's supplied.