science

Protein Synthesis

the process in a cell where a gene is copied (transcription) and then used to create a protein at the ribosome (translation)

Transcription

the first part of protein synthesis; the formation of mRNA from DNA; process happens inside of the nucleus

Translation

the second part of protein synthesis; the formation of a protein from mRNA; process happens in the cytoplasm of the cell

mRNA

the RNA copy of the gene produced during transcription, made up of RNA nucleotides that are organized into codons

tRNA

specific RNA molecules that are found in the cytoplasm of cells that bond to specific amino acids and eventually bond with codons at the ribosome; they transport amino acids to the ribosome

codon

a set of three nucleotides along the length of mRNA that codes for a specific amino acid on the mRNA codon wheel

anticodon

a set of three nucleotides along the length of tRNA that bonds with a codon on mRNA

amino acids

the building blocks or monomers of proteins; there are twenty; examples include lysine, alanine, phenylalanine, etc...

ribosome

the structure in a cell that plays a major role in the the production of proteins

Start codon

the set of three nucleotides along the length of mRNA that signals the start of protein building; there is only one start codon (AUG, which codes for methionine)

Stop codon

a set of three nucleotides along the length of mRNA that signals the end of protein building; there are three stop codons (UGA, UAA, UAG)

mRNA codon wheel/chart

a wheel that shows the 64 possible codons and their associated amino acids