Translation

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

The tRNA molecule
 tRNA molecules do the
final translating
 At one end the have a
specific amino acid
attached by a tRNA
activating enzyme
These enzymes do the
first part of translating
 At the other end they
have an anticodon
which is complementary
to the mRNA codons © St Edward’s University: Dept Chemistry and Biochemistry

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

The 3-D structure of a tRNA

© ThinkQuest.org
The genetic code
Made of 64 triplets of bases (codons)

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

 2nd position 3rd position ↓
1st
position U C A G

Phe Ser Tyr Cys U

U Phe Ser Tyr Cys C
Leu Ser STOP STOP A
Leu Ser STOP Trp G
Leu Pro His Arg U
C Leu Pro His Arg C
Leu Pro Gln Arg A
Leu Pro Gln Arg G
Ile Thr Asn Ser U
A Ile Thr Asn Ser C
Ile Thr Lys Arg A
Met Thr Lys Arg G
Val Ala Asp Gly U
G Val Ala Asp Gly C
Val Ala Glu Gly A
Acidic Basic Uncharged Polar Non-polar
© 2007 Paul Billiet Val Ala Glu Gly G
ODWS
The degenerate genetic code
 A few amino acids are coded for by a
single codon
 Most are coded for by more than one
codon
 Some are coded for by up to six codons
 This is degeneracy in the code

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

Grammar in the code?
 Three codons are nonsense codons they
represent the end of the information =
STOP
 The codon for methionine found at the
beginning of the information to be
transcribed it means START
 The methionine amino acid is usually
removed from the finished protein

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

 1st 2nd position 3rd position
↓
positi U C A G
on ↓

Phe Ser Tyr Cys U

U Phe Ser Tyr Cys C
Leu Ser STOP STOP A
Leu Ser STOP Trp G
Leu Pro His Arg U
C Leu Pro His Arg C
Leu Pro Gln Arg A
Leu Pro Gln Arg G
Ile Thr Asn Ser U
A Ile Thr Asn Ser C
Ile Thr Lys Arg A
Met Thr Lys Arg G
Val Ala Asp Gly U
G Val Ala Asp Gly C
Val Ala Glu Gly A
© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS Val Ala Glu Gly G
Genetic code: characteristics
 Only 61 triplets or codons code for
amino acids

 3 stop codons (aka nonsense codons or

terminator codons) UUA UAG UGA

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

The code is degenerative code
 Several codons code for the same amino acid

 The first two letters seem to be the most

important the third one tends to be
interchangeable
Codon Amino acid Codon Amino acid
UUU UUA
Phenylalanine Leucine
UUC UUG

Both Both purines

pyrimidines
© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS
Similar amino acids have similar
codons
Example
Aspartic acid codons GAU and GAC
Glutamic acid codons GAA and GAG
Both are acidic amino acids

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

Punctuation?
 The is no punctuation between each
codon
 The reading frame is set at the beginning
of the gene
 Frame shift mutations can be caused by
the ADDITION or DELETION of only one
or two bases. Everything downstream is
misread

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

Reading the code
 The reading of mRNA is always in the
same direction 5’ to 3’ (the same way as
transcription and replication)
 The polypeptide chain is constructed from
the amino end to the carboxyl end

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

A universal code
 The code is used by all organisms
 So it is very ancient
 Permits investigations into common
ancestry
 Permits genetically transformed organisms

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

20 is the limit
 Some amino acids are chemically altered
AFTER translation.

e.g. In collogen proline is converted to

hydroxyproline

 Therefore the total number of amino acids found

in proteins is greater than 20 but the total used
in translation is only 20

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

Translation plan
Complete protein
Polypeptide chain

TRANSLATION

Ribosomes

Stop codon Start codon

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

Translation1

AUGGGAUACACUUUUUGA

Ribosome mRNA

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

Translation 2
met amino acid

tRNA

UAC
anticodon

AUGGGAUACACUUUUUGA

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

Translation 3
gly

met

CCU

UAC
AUGGGAUACACUUUUUGA

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

Translation 4
peptide bond

met gly

UAC CCU
AUGGGAUACACUUUUUGA

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

Translation 5
tyr

met gly

AUG
UAC

CCU
AUGGGAUACACUUUUUGA

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

Translation 6
met gly tyr

CCU AUG
AUGGGAUACACUUUUUGA

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

Translation 7
thr

met gly tyr

UGA

CCU
AUG
AUGGGAUACACUUUUUGA

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

Translation 8
phe
polypeptide chain

met gly tyr thr

AAA

AUG
UGA
AUGGGAUACACUUUUUGA

© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS

Translation: the sequence
 The tRNA molecules with the correct anticodons
are lined up with their bases complementary to
the mRNA codons
 Two tRNA molecules at a time can fit on the
ribosome
 A peptide bond forms between their amino
acids
 The first tRNA leaves the ribosome and mRNA
move along to accept a new tRNA
 The process of translation proceeds in the same
direction as replication and transcription (5’ to
3’)
© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS