U6T4 - Translation and Ribosomes

Flashcards covering key terms and definitions related to translation, ribosomes, and associated processes.

Translation

The synthesis of a polypeptide using information from mRNA, occurring at the ribosome.

tRNA (Transfer RNA)

A type of RNA that carries the amino acid specified by the mRNA codon and has an anticodon region complementary to the mRNA.

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase

An enzyme that attaches amino acids to their corresponding tRNA, 'charging' the tRNA.

Ribosome

A cellular structure made of two subunits (small and large) where protein synthesis (translation) occurs.

Initiation

The first stage of translation where the small ribosomal subunit binds to mRNA and the first tRNA binds to the start codon AUG.

Elongation

The stage of translation involving the addition of amino acids to the growing polypeptide chain, occurring in three steps: codon recognition, peptide bond formation, and translocation.

Termination

The final stage of translation where a stop codon reaches the A site of the ribosome, signaling the release of the polypeptide.

Chaperone proteins

Proteins that assist polypeptides in folding into their functional shapes correctly.

Retroviruses

Viruses like HIV that reverse the usual flow of genetic information from RNA to DNA using reverse transcriptase.

Polypeptide

A chain of amino acids that forms proteins; during translation, it grows as amino acids are added in sequence.