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Protein Synthesis, Brief Note

The document discusses key terms related to protein synthesis including RNA, mRNA, tRNA, codons, and polypeptides. It explains the two main stages of protein synthesis - transcription and translation - and provides details on the processes involved in each stage.

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21 views4 pages

Protein Synthesis, Brief Note

The document discusses key terms related to protein synthesis including RNA, mRNA, tRNA, codons, and polypeptides. It explains the two main stages of protein synthesis - transcription and translation - and provides details on the processes involved in each stage.

Uploaded by

osunfisanayomide
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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In I/GCSE, there are some key terms in protein synthesis.

RNA
 Ribonucleic acid
 Made from
 phosphate groups and ribose sugars linked together with one of four base
RNA polymerase
 An enzyme that creates mRNA from DNA
 Separates 2 DNA strands
mRNA
 Messenger RNA
 A single strand of RNA produced in transcription

Polypeptide
 A chain of amino acids
Codon
 A set of 3 bases found in DNA and RNA
 The genetic code is formed from patterns of codons

tRNA
 Transfer RNA
 A molecule of RNA that carries amino acids
Protein synthesis
There are 2 stages in protein synthesis.
The FIRST stage: Transcription
 The process by which the gentic code in one strand of DNA molecules is
used to make mRNA
Process:
1. RNA Polymerase binds to DNA and separates the strands in a non-coding
region. These regions don't code for a protein.
2. The enzyme then moves along one DNA strand (template strand) adding
complementary RNA nucleotides. These contain the same bases as DNA,
except that Uracil (U) is used instead of Thymine (T).
3. The nucleotides link to form a strand of mRNA.
The SECOND stage: Translation
 The process by which the genetic code in a molecule of mRNA is used to
make a polypeptide
Process:
1. The mRNA strands
2. travel out of the nucleus through nuclear pores.
3. In the cytoplasm, the mRNA strands attach to ribosomes.
4. A ribosome moves along the mRNA strand a codon at a time. At each
codon, a molecule of tRNA with complementary bases line up, Each
tRNA molecule carries a specific amino acid.
5. As the ribosome moves along it joins the amino acids from the tRNA
molecules together, forming a polypeptide.

Protein Synthesis

DNA’s biggest process is protein synthesis. This is how the growth and repair of
our body occurs. DNA provides a template upon which proteins are coded for.
There is some slightly confusing terminology in this section.

Protein synthesis is the process by which the base sequence found in genes on
DNA is used to make polypeptides.

Protein synthesis occurs in two major phases:

1. Transcription – during which a strand of mRNA is synthesised from


a particular gene template.
2. Translation – during which the mRNA attaches to the ribosome,
which recruits tRNAs carrying amino acids in order to make a
polypeptide.

RNA

RNA is ribonucleic acid – it is similar to DNA but it is single stranded and


contains uracil instead of thymine.

An important part of protein synthesis is that the DNA stays in the nucleus. Now if
the DNA stays in the nucleus, how does it reach the organelles to allow protein
synthesis to occur?

Transcription
 The DNA molecule is unzipped around the gene. DNA is a double
stranded molecule so it needs to be unzipped to expose one strand.
 RNA polymerase helps make a copy of DNA as mRNA. RNA
polymerase binds to the non-coding region in front of a gene on one
of the DNA strands and uses free nucleotides to produce a
complementary mRNA (messenger RNA) strand of the coding part of
the gene. The copying of the DNA is known as transcription.

Translation

 mRNA leaves the nucleus, moves into the cytoplasm and attaches
to the ribosome. The ribosome is the organelle responsible for
protein synthesis.
 tRNA molecules complementary to the mRNA arrive at the
ribosome. When the mRNA moves to the ribosome, it recruits tRNA
(transfer RNA structures) that are complementary to the base
sequence of the mRNA. The tRNA has an anti-codon that is
complementary to the mRNA’s codon (sequence of 3 bases).
 The tRNA molecule carry amino acids with it. The bases on the
mRNA are read in threes and code for a specific amino acid (the
triplet code). The amino acids then bond with another and
polypeptides are formed. This is translation.
 DNA Base Order and Protein Structure
 This therefore means that the order of the bases in the DNA determines what
amino acids are recruited and what polypeptides are made. Therefore, the
structure of the DNA influences what protein is made.

 Protein Synthesis: Translation


 Protein Shape and Enzymes
 Once these protein chains are formed, they are folded in a few ways, so each
protein has its own unique shape for example, enzymes, antibodies,
receptors, neurotransmitters etc. The unique shape is imperative for
enzymes, as they have their own individual active sites. These active sites
must be individual to each enzyme as they must have a complementary
shape to their substrate, to ensure the functionality of the enzyme.

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