tRNA and Genetic Code

trna structure

short singled stranded RNA molecule

primary structure

nucleotide sequence

secondary structure

short complementary sections that base pair to create clover shape

tertiary

folding in 3D space creates L shape

at the end of the L

where is the anticodon?

anticodon

three nucleotides complementary to an mRNA codon specifying the amino acid carried by the tRNA

forms base pairs with other regions of the tRNA

the anticodon never

antiparallel to each other 

the strands of the anticodon and codon run

the trna 3’ end

where is the amino acid attached?

aminoacyl-tRNA synthases

connect the tRNA to the amino acid that corresponds to the anticodon

the only molecules that can read both nucleic acid and protein

61

how many codons are there that specify amino acids?

true

true or false: tRNAs can recognize more than one codon for the amino acid with which they are charged

wobble

flexibility in base pairing between 3’ nucleotide in codon and 5’ nucleotide in anticodon

wobble rules

G (U or C)

C (G)

A (A,G, U, C)

U (A, G, U, C)

I (AUC)