The key difference between snRNA and snRNP is that snRNAs are small nuclear RNA molecules while snRNPs or small nuclear ribonucleoproteins are small nuclear RNA molecules with proteins.
snRNAs are non-coding, biologically active small RNA molecules with an average size of 150 nucleotides. They are usually present in association with proteins as snRNPs in the natural state. Hence, snRNPs are small nuclear RNA with several snRNP-specific proteins. snRNPs are involved in mediating or regulating post-translational RNA-processing events such as splicing, etc. Both snRNA and snRNP are found in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells.
