• Conversion of sequence of bases on mRNA into sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide.

• Polypeptides are synthesized by ribosomes and tRNA.

tRNA

• Delivers the amino acid to the ribosome as the polypeptide chain elongates.

• 70-90 nucleotides long.

• Folds into a cloverleaf shape.

• One arm of tRNA contains the anticodon, which is complementary to codon in mRNA.

• The amino acids is attached to the opposite end of the tRNA molecule.

The Wobble Hypothesis

• The anticodon only needs to match the first TWO bases in the codon, The third can be incorrect but still retrieve the correct amino acid.

• Remember that multiple codons may encode for the same amino acid.

Aminoacylation

• Amino acids are linked to tRNA in a process called aminoacylation.

• This process is performed by the enzyme aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase.

• There are 20 enzymes, one for each amino acid. The product is called an aminoacyl-tRNA

Ribosomes

• Composed of 2 subunits: large ribosomal subunit and small ribosomal subunit, both composed of rRNA (ribosomal RNA)

• mRNA moves through groove between subunits

• Contains 3 binding sites

  • A (aminoacyl) site – aminoacyl tRNA containing next amino acid binds to MRNA

  • P (peptidyl) site – TRNA binds to ribosome

  • E (exit) site – tRNA leaves ribosome

3 stages of translation:

Initiation

• Translation begins at the start codon (AUG) on mRNA

• AUG is the codon for the amino acid methionine

• The aminoacyl-TRNA for methionine (the initiator tRNA) binds the small ribosomal subunit and scans the mRNA for the start codon

• When met-tRNA recognizes the start codon, the large ribosomal subunit binds

• A reading frame is established such that the bases are read 3 at a time from start codon.

Elongation

• Begins with initiator tRNA bound to P site and empty A site

• Aminoacyl-tRNA with next amino acid binds to A site

• Amino acid in P site is removed from its tRNA and a peptide bond is formed with the amino acid in the A site

• Ribosome moves to next codon, all tRNA’s shift (P --> E, A --> P)

• A site is now ready to accept next aminoacyl-tRNA. E site ejects its tRNA.

Termination

• Occurs when stop codons enter the A site (UAA, UAG, UGA)

• Protein release factor binds instead of aminoacyl-tRNA (there are no corresponding amino acids for stop codons)

• Polypeptide is released, ribosomal subunits detach.