Protein SynthesisBy Steven Detrie

Nucleus

Ribosomes

Cytoplasm

---------------------TACTCTGGCATCACT-------------------------------------------------ATGAGACCGTAGTGA---------------------------

Hydrogen Bonds

Coding Region

Start codon

Stop codon

---------------------TACTCTGGCATCACT-------------------------------------------------ATGAGACCGTAGTGA---------------------------

This is RNA polymerase.

---------------------TACTCTGGCATCACT-------------------------------------------------ATGAGACCGTAGTGA---------------------------

This is RNA polymerase.

---------------------TACTCTGGCATCACT-------------------------------------------------ATGAGACCGTAGTGA---------------------------

This is RNA polymerase.

ACG

---------------------TACTCTGGCATCACT-------------------------------------------------ATGAGACCGTAGTGA---------------------------

Hydrogen Bonds

This is RNA polymerase.

ACG AGA

---------------------TACTCTGGCATCACT-------------------------------------------------ATGAGACCGTAGTGA---------------------------

This is RNA polymerase.

ACG AGA CCG

---------------------TACTCTGGCATCACT-------------------------------------------------ATGAGACCGTAGTGA---------------------------

This is RNA polymerase.

ACG AGA CCG UAG

---------------------TACTCTGGCATCACT-------------------------------------------------ATGAGACCGTAGTGA---------------------------

This is RNA polymerase.

ACG AGA CCG UAG UGA

---------------------TACTCTGGCATCACT-------------------------------------------------ATGAGACCGTAGTGA---------------------------

This is RNA polymerase.

ACG AGA CCG UAG UGA

MRNA strand

---------------------TACTCTGGCATCACT-------------------------------------------------ATGAGACCGTAGTGA---------------------------

This is RNA polymerase.

ACG AGA CCG UAG UGA

---------------------TACTCTGGCATCACT-------------------------------------------------ATGAGACCGTAGTGA---------------------------

This is RNA polymerase.

ACG AGA CCG UAG UGA

Nucleus

Ribosomes

ACG AGA CCG UAG UGA

Nuclear Pore

Nucleus

Ribosomes

ACG AGA CCG UAG UGA

Nucleus

Ribosomes

ACG AGA CCG UAG UGA

ACG AGA CCG UAG UGA

AC

G A

GA

CC

G U

AG

UG

A

AC

G A

GA

CC

G U

AG

UG

A

ACG AGA CCG UAG UGA

ACG AGA CCG UAG UGA

ACG AGA CCG UAG UGA

ACG AGA CCG UAG UGA

AUG AGA CCG UAG UGA

TAC

tRNA molecule

Anti codon

AUG AGA CCG UAG UGA

TAC

AUG AGA CCG UAG UGA

TCT

AUG AGA CCG UAG UGA

TCT

AUG AGA CCG UAG UGA

GGC

AUG AGA CCG UAG UGA

GGC

AUG AGA CCG UAG UGA

ATC

AUG AGA CCG UAG UGA

ATC

AUG AGA CCG UAG UGA

AUT

AUG AGA CCG UAG UGA

AUT

AUG AGA CCG UAG UGA

AUG AGA CCG UAG UGA

AUG AGA CCG UAG UGA

Amino acids

Peptide bond

Summary

The first step is transcription. The first step in transcription is the unwinding of the DNA molecule so that some DNA that codes for the needed protein can be transcribed. After the DNA molecule unwinds, the enzyme, RNA polymerase lines up nucleotides to create a strand of mRNA. After transcription, the new RNA strand is released and the two unzipped DNA strands bind together again. Since after this occurs the DNA strand is back to normal this step can repeat.

Summary

The next step is Translation. In this, mRNA is sent to the cytoplasm, where it binds to the RNA. Once the mRNA is in place, tRNA molecules bind to the ribosome defined by the mRNA code. At its tail end, tRNA has a “stem” that attaches to a specific amino acid. At its head, it has three nucleotides that make up an anticodon. Translation begins with the binding of the mRNA chain to the ribosome. The tRNA molecule forms a base pair with the mRNA. A peptide bond is formed between the amino acid attached to the tRNA.