PROTEIN

SYNTHESIS

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DNA
and
Gene
s
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 DNA
• DNA contains genes,
sequences of
nucleotide bases
• These Genes code for
polypeptides
(proteins)
• Proteins are used to
build cells and do
much of the work
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Genes & Proteins
 Proteins are made of
amino acids linked
together by peptide
bonds
 20 different amino
acids exist

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Amino Acid
Structure

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 Polypeptides

• Amino acid
chains are
called
polypeptid
es

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DNA Begins the
Process
• DNA is found inside the
nucleus
• Proteins, however, are
made in the cytoplasm of
cells by organelles called
ribosomes
• Ribosomes may be free in
the cytosol or attached to
the surface of rough ER
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Starting with DNA
• DNA ‘s code must be copied
and taken to the cytosol
• In the cytoplasm, this code
must be read so amino acids
can be assembled to make
polypeptides (proteins)
• This process is called
PROTEIN SYNTHESIS

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RNA

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Roles of RNA and DNA
• DNA is the MASTER
PLAN

• RNA is the
BLUEPRINT of the
Master Plan
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RNA Differs from DNA
• RNA has a sugar ribose
DNA has a sugar deoxyribose

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 Other Differences
• RNA contains
the base uracil
(U)
DNA has
thymine (T)
• RNA molecule is
single-stranded
DNA is double-
stranded
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Structure of RNA

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. Three Types of
RNA
• Messenger RNA (mRNA)
copies DNA’s code & carries
the genetic information to the
ribosomes
• Ribosomal RNA (rRNA), along
with protein, makes up the
ribosomes
• Transfer RNA (tRNA) transfers
amino acids to the ribosomes
where proteins are
synthesized
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 Messenger RNA
• Long Straight
chain of
Nucleotides
• Made in the
Nucleus
• Copies DNA &
leaves through
nuclear pores
• Contains the
Nitrogen Bases A,
G, C, U ( no T )
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Messenger RNA (mRNA)
• Carries the information for a
specific protein
• Made up of 500 to 1000
nucleotides long
• Sequence of 3 bases called
codon
• AUG – methionine or start codon
• UAA, UAG, or UGA – stop codons

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Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
• rRNA is a single
strand 100 to
3000 nucleotides
long
• Globular in shape
• Made inside the
nucleus of a cell
• Associates with
proteins to form
ribosomes
• Site of protein
Synthesis
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The Genetic Code
• A codon designates an
amino acid
• An amino acid may have
more than one codon
• There are 20 amino acids,
but 64 possible codons
• Some codons tell the
ribosome to stop
translating
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 The Genetic Code
•Use the
code by
reading
from the
center to
the outside
•Example:
AUG codes
for
Methionine
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 Name the Amino
Acids
• GGG?
• UCA?
• CAU?
• GCA?
• AAA?

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Remember the
Complementary
Bases
On DNA:
A-T
C-G
On RNA:
A-U
C-G
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 Transfer RNA
(tRNA)
• Clover-leaf shape
• Single stranded molecule
with attachment site at
one end for an amino
acid
• Opposite end has three
nucleotide bases called
the anticodon
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 Transfer RNA
amino acid
attachment site

U A C
anticodon
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 Codons and
Anticodons
• The 3 bases of an
anticodon are
complementary to
the 3 bases of a
codon UGA

• Example: Codon
ACU ACU
Anticodon UGA

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Transcripti
on and
Translation

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Pathway to Making a
Protein
DNA

mRNA

tRNA (ribosomes)

Protein
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 Protein Synthesis
 The production or synthesis of
polypeptide chains (proteins)
 Two phases:
Transcription & Translation
 mRNA must be processed
before it leaves the nucleus of
eukaryotic cells

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 DNA  RNA  Protein
Nuclear
DNA membrane

Transcription
Pre-mRNA
Eukaryot RNA Processing
ic Cell mRNA

Ribosome

Translation

Protein
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 Transcription
• The process of copying
the sequence of one
strand of DNA, the
template strand
• mRNA copies the
template strand
• Requires the enzyme
RNA Polymerase
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Template Strand

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 Transcription
• During transcription, RNA
polymerase binds to DNA
and separates the DNA
strands
• RNA Polymerase then
uses one strand of DNA as
a template to assemble
nucleotides into RNA
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 Transcription
• Promoters are regions on
DNA that show where RNA
Polymerase must bind to
begin the Transcription of
RNA
• Called the TATA box
• Specific base sequences act
as signals to stop
• Called the termination signal
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RNA Polymerase

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 mRNA Processing
• After the DNA is
transcribed into RNA,
editing must be done to
the nucleotide chain to
make the RNA functional
• Introns, non-functional
segments of DNA are
snipped out of the chain
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 mRNA Editing
• Exons, segments of DNA that code for proteins, are then rejoined by the
enzyme ligase
• A guanine triphosphate cap is added to the 5” end of the newly copied mRNA
• A poly A tail is added to the 3’ end of the RNA
• The newly processed mRNA can then leave the nucleus

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Result of Transcription

New
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CA Transcript
 mRNA Transcript
•mRNA leaves the nucleus
through its pores and goes
to the ribosomes

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 Translation
• Translation is the
process of decoding the
mRNA into a polypeptide
chain
• Ribosomes read mRNA
three bases or 1 codon
at a time and construct
the proteins
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Transcriptio
n

Translati
on

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 Ribosomes
• Made of a large and
small subunit
• Composed of rRNA
(40%) and proteins
(60%)
• Have two sites for tRNA
attachment --- P and A
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 Step 1- Initiation
• mRNA transcript
start codon AUG
attaches to the
small ribosomal
subunit
• Small subunit
attaches to large
ribosomal
subunitmRNA transcript
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 Ribosomes

Large
subunit
P A
Site Site

mRNA
A U G C U A C U U C G
Small
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 Step 2 - Elongation
• As ribosome moves, two tRNA
with their amino acids move into
site A and P of the ribosome
• Peptide bonds join the amino
acids

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 Initiation
aa2
aa1

2-tRNA
1-tRNA
G A U
anticodon U A C
hydrogen A U G C U A C U U C G A
bonds codon mRNA
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 Elongation
peptide bond
aa3
aa1 aa2

3-tRNA

1-tRNA 2-tRNA G A A
anticodon U A C G A U
hydrogen A U G C U A C U U C G A
bonds codon mRNA
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 aa1 peptide bond
aa3
aa2

1-tRNA

U A C 3-tRNA
(leaves)
2-tRNA G A A

G A U
A U G C U A C U U C G A
mRNA
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Ribosomes move over one codon
 peptide bonds
aa1 aa4

aa2 aa3

4-tRNA

2-tRNA 3-tRNA G C U

G A U G A A
A U G C U A C U U C G A A C U
mRNA
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 peptide bonds
aa1 aa4
aa2

aa3

2-tRNA
4-tRNA
G A U
(leaves) 3-tRNA G C U

G A A
A U G C U A C U U C G A A C U
mRNA
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Ribosomes move over one codon
 peptide bonds aa5
aa1
aa2
aa4
aa3

5-tRNA

U G A
3-tRNA 4-tRNA

G A A G C U
G C U A C U U C G A A C U
mRNA
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 aa1 peptide bonds aa5
aa2
aa3
aa4

5-tRNA

3-tRNA U G A
G A A 4-tRNA

G C U
G C U A C U U C G A A C U
mRNA
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Ribosomes move over one codon
 aa5
aa4 aa199
Termination
aa3 primary aa200
structure
aa2 of a protein

aa1
terminator
200-tRNA
or stop
codon
A C U C A U G U U U A G
mRNA
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 End Product –The
Protein!
• The end products of protein
synthesis is a primary
structure of a protein
• A sequence of amino acid
bonded together by peptide
bonds
aa5
aa3 aa4
aa2 aa199

aa1 copyright cmassengale aa200

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 Messenger RNA
(mRNA)
start
codon

mRNA A U G G G C U C C A U C G G C G C A U A A

codon 1 codon 2 codon 3 codon 4 codon 5 codon 6 codon 7

protein methionine glycine serine isoleucine glycine alanine stop

codon

Primary structure of a protein

aa1 aa2 aa3 aa4 aa5 aa6

peptidecopyright
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