mRNA, the messenger molecule present in every living cell for millions of years is the prime ingredient in some Covid 19 vaccines. One hot topic of discussion during the Covid pandemic has been the molecule called mRNA. It is a well known fact that mRNA is the key ingredient of Pfizer and Moderna Covid 19 vaccines. mRNA itself is not a new invention from the laboratory and it is believed that mRNA evolved billions of years ago. The mRNA is naturally found in every cell in human body and scientists believed that RNA originated in the earliest life forms even before the existence of DNA.
Cells depend on proteins to carry out the processes necessary for the body to function and it is where mRNA comes in. The DNA code sections are transcribed into shortened messages entitled as mRNA and they are transported out to the main part of the cell. It has been pointed out that the cell can produce special type proteins from these instructions once the mRNA arrives. The functionality of mRNA is to fire up the cellular machinery to build the proteins as encoded by the DNA.
mRNA as a New Type of Vaccine
mRNA vaccines are a whole new type of vaccine to protect against infectious diseases and it teaches cells how to make a protein that triggers an immune response inside human bodies. The amazing benefit of mRNA vaccines is that those who are vaccinated gain protection without having to risk the serious consequences of getting sick with Covid 19. mRNA vaccines are some of the first Covid 19 vaccines authorized for use in the United States of America. Covid 19 mRNA vaccines give instructions for cells to make a piece of what is termed as ‘spike protein’ and the spike protein is found on the surface of the virus that causes Covid 19. The best thing about messenger RNA vaccines is that they can be created in a lab using readily available materials.
mRNA as a safety mechanism in the cell
mRNA is considered as an important safety mechanism in the cell and it is helpful in preventing invaders from hijacking the cellular machinery. Messenger RNA gives the cell a way to control the rate of protein production and the mRNA instructions are designed to self destruct. Various structural features of the mRNA including single stranded shape, ribose sugar, and its typical sequence ensure that messenger RNA has a short half life. These features equip the message to be read, translated into proteins, and destroyed very quickly. The mRNA in the covid vaccine is soon destroyed by the cell and it can’t get into the cell nucleus and can’t affect an individual’s DNA.
mRNA vaccines have been well tested for safety and the success of mRNA vaccine against Covid 19 in terms of safety and efficacy, predicts an illustrious future for new age vaccine therapies. Clinical trials using mRNA vaccines have already been performed for influenza, rabies, zika and cytomegalovirus. Scientists blessed with effulgence of creativity are developing therapies for other diseases that might benefit from an approach similar approach. mRNA vaccines are known for tricking the body into producing viral proteins and it is the molecule that puts the DNA instructions into action.