PROTEIN SYNTHESIS

Comparing RNA to DNA

rna2.gif

Types of RNA
 Messenger RNA (mRNA) - long, single nucleotide

strands that resemble half of a DNA molecule and carry the "message" containing instructions for protein synthesis from the DNA in the nucleus to the ribosomes in the cytoplasm. nucleotides, cloverleaf-shaped molecules that transfer amino acid molecules to the mRNA.

 Transfer RNA (tRNA) - small, between 70 and 80

 Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) combines with proteins to

make up the ribosome structure, they are the site of polypeptide synthesis.

mRNA

Alanine tRNA

rRNA - Ribosome

Overview of protein synthesis

5-ATGCCTAGGTACCTATGA-3 3-TACGGATCCATGGATACT-5
Transcription

DNA

5-AUGCCUAGGUACCUAUGA-3
decoded as

mRNA

5-AUG CCU AGG UAC CUA UGA-3

Translation

N-MET-PRO-ARG-TYR-LEU-C

Protein

Protein synthesis
involves two major phases:

Transcription - complementary mRNA is made at the DNA gene. Three-base sequences, or triplets, on the DNA specify a particular amino acid. The corresponding three-base sequences on mRNA are called codons. The form is different, but the information is the same. Translation The mRNA is "decoded" to assemble proteins in a ribosome using tRNA. The language of nucleic acids (base sequence) is "translated" into the language of proteins (amino acid sequence)

Transcription
 Transcription involves synthesizing a strand of RNA complementary to a strand of DNA  RNA is single-stranded, so only one strand of DNA is transcribed for a particular gene  The RNA produced is messenger RNA (mRNA), because it carries a genetic message from the DNA to the site of polypeptide production

NOTE: DNA is also transcribed into transfer RNA (tRNA) and ribosomal RNA (rRNA), which have different roles in the production of polypeptides

Transcription
 Transcription occurs in 3 main

steps:  initiation  elongation  termination

Transcription: Initiation
 Transcription begins when an enzyme, RNA

polymerase, binds DNA at a promoter site promoter is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that RNA polymerase recognizes and binds to
 Promoter is near to, and upstream from, the

gene(s) to be transcribed, and orients RNA polymerase in the proper direction RNA polymerase will move along DNA in the 3 5 direction

Transcription: Elongation
 RNA polymerase unwinds the DNA ~20 base

pairs at a time, moving along the transcribed strand of DNA in the 3 5 direction
 At same time, RNA polymerase synthesizes a

single strand of RNA complementary to the strand of DNA

 Nucleotides are added to the growing strand

of RNA in the 5

3 direction

Transcription: Elongation
 Sequences in the DNA at the end of genes

signal RNA polymerase to stop transcription mRNA transcript either falls away or is taken away by enzymes RNA polymerase unbinds
 mRNA may be immediately translated

(prokaryotes) or may be processed before translation (eukaryotes)

RNA Processing

Translation
 Translation involves the transfer of the

genetic code in an mRNA molecule into the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide
    

This involves four components: mRNA ribosomes (with large and small subunits) tRNA amino acids

Translation
This is a molecule of messenger RNA. It was made in the nucleus by transcription from a DNA molecule.

codon AUGGGCUUAAAG CAGUGCACGUU

mRNA molecule

A ribosome on the rough endoplasmic reticulum attaches to the mRNA molecule.

ribosome

AUGGGCUUAAAG CAGUGCACGUU

Amino acid tRNA molecule A transfer RNA molecule arrives. It brings an amino acid to the first three bases (codon) on the mRNA. anticodon The three unpaired bases (anticodon) on the tRNA link up with the codon.

UAC AUGGGCUUAAAG CAGUGCACGUU

Another tRNA molecule comes into place, bringing a second amino acid. Its anticodon links up with the second codon on the mRNA. UAC AUGGGCUUAAAG CAGUGCACGUU

Peptide bond

A peptide bond forms between the two amino acids.

AUGGGCUUAAAG CAGUGCACGUU

The first tRNA molecule releases its amino acid and moves off into the cytoplasm.

AUGGGCUUAAAG CAGUGCACGUU

The ribosome moves along the mRNA to the next codon.

AUGGGCUUAAAG CAGUGCACGUU

Another tRNA molecule brings the next amino acid into place.

AUGGGCUUAAAG CAGUGCACGUU

A peptide bond joins the second and third amino acids to form a polypeptide chain.

AUGGGCUUAAAG CAGUGCACGUU

The process continues. The polypeptide chain gets longer. This continues until a termination (stop) codon is reached. The polypeptide is then complete. AUGGGCUUAAAG CAGUGCACGUU

Protein Synthesis
 Transcription

http://www.stolaf.edu/people/giannini/flashanim at/molgenetics/transcription.swf  Translation http://www.stolaf.edu/people/giannini/flashanim at/molgenetics/translation.swf  http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0072437316/student_view0/chapte r15/animations.html