Translation: From Nucleotide to Amino Acid Language

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to the translation process in protein synthesis.

Translation

The process where the genetic information encoded in messenger RNA (mRNA) is used to synthesize a sequence of amino acids, forming a protein.

mRNA

Messenger RNA that carries the genetic code from DNA to the ribosome.

Nucleotide Language

The sequence of bases (A, U, G, C) in mRNA.

Amino Acid Language

The sequence of amino acids that make up a protein.

Codon

A group of three nucleotides in mRNA that specifies a single amino acid, a start signal, or a stop signal.

Start Codon

Typically AUG, which also codes for the amino acid methionine.

Stop Codons

Three different codons that signal the termination of translation.

Genetic Code

The relationship between a codon and the amino acid (or signal) it specifies.

tRNA

Transfer RNA that acts as the adaptor linking codons on mRNA to their corresponding amino acids.

Anticodon

A three-base sequence on tRNA that is complementary to a specific codon on mRNA.

Aminoacyl-tRNA

A tRNA molecule with its corresponding amino acid attached.

Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetase

The enzyme responsible for attaching the correct amino acid to its corresponding tRNA.

Peptide Bond

The bond formed between amino acids during protein synthesis.

Hydrolysis

The chemical breakdown of a compound due to reaction with water, often involved in protein termination.

Molecular Chaperones

Proteins that assist in the proper folding of other proteins.

Polycistronic mRNA

An mRNA molecule that encodes multiple proteins, common in prokaryotes.

Leaky Scanning

The phenomenon where the ribosome bypasses one or two AUG codons, resulting in proteins with shorter leader sequences.

Ubiquitination

The process of tagging proteins for degradation with ubiquitin, signaling that they should be broken down.

Proteasome

A cellular complex responsible for degrading misfolded or unwanted proteins.

Ribosome

The molecular machine responsible for synthesizing proteins via translation.

Degeneracy of the Genetic Code

The characteristic that most amino acids are specified by more than one codon.