Protein Synthesis (Translation)

Translation

  • Occurs in cytoplasm on the ribosomes in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells

  • Translation is the process of decoding the information in mRNA to synthesise a polypeptide chain, with the help of tRNA. This chain them folds into a functional protein

Process of translation

  1. The ribosome attaches to the mRNA strand at the start codon (AUG)

  2. A tRNA molecule, carrying a specific amino acid and with an anticodon (UAC) that is complementary to the start codon, binds to mRNA

  3. A second tRNA molecule with an anticodon complementary to the next mRNA codon, also carrying a specific amino acid, attaches to mRNA

  4. The amino acid carried by the first two tRNA molecules are linked together by a peptide bond using ATP

  5. The first tRNA molecule detaches from mRNA and is free to collect another amino acid for future use

  6. The ribosomes moves along mRNA, allowing another tRNA molecule, carrying another amino acid, to bind to next codon on mRNA

  7. The process from step 4-6 is repeated, which elongates the polypeptide chain

  8. At any point during this process, two tRNA molecules can be attached to the ribosome

  9. The sequence continues until the ribosome reaches a stop codon on mRNA

  10. The completed polypeptide chain detaches from the ribosome