Introduction Protein Synthesis Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, processes, and stages of protein synthesis.

mRNA

A type of RNA that carries instructions from DNA to the ribosomes so the cell can make proteins, serving as a temporary photocopy of one gene.

Transcription

The process taking place in the nucleus where RNA polymerase unwinds DNA and uses a template to build a strand of mRNA.

Translation

The process in the ribosome where mRNA codons are read to build a chain of amino acids.

Codon

A three-letter word in mRNA that is read during translation.

tRNA

Transfer RNA that acts as a delivery truck to bring the matching amino acid by matching its anticodon to the mRNA codon.

Anticodon

A group of 3 bases on tRNA that matches with a codon on mRNA.

Peptide bond

A chemical bond that connects amino acids together in a chain to make a protein.

Central Dogma

The flow of biological information from DNA (information storage) to RNA (messenger) to Protein (product).

Initiation

The stage of transcription where RNA polymerase attaches to the promoter of a gene and begins making RNA.

Elongation

The stage of transcription where RNA polymerase moves along the DNA, adding RNA nucleotides to build the RNA strand.

Termination

The stage of transcription where RNA polymerase reaches a termination signal and stops, releasing the newly made RNA.