DNA – The molecule that holds genetic information and instructions for making proteins.
• Nucleotide – The building block of DNA and RNA, made of a sugar, a phosphate, and a nitrogen base.
• Gene – A section of DNA that has instructions to make a protein.
• mRNA (messenger RNA) – A copy of DNA that carries instructions to the ribosome to make a protein.
• tRNA (transfer RNA) – Brings the right amino acids to the ribosome to build a protein.
• rRNA (ribosomal RNA) – A part of the ribosome that helps make proteins.
• Protein Synthesis – The process of making proteins from DNA instructions.
• Transcription – The first step of protein synthesis, where DNA is copied into mRNA (happens in the nucleus).
• Translation – The second step of protein synthesis, where mRNA is read to build a protein (happens in the ribosome).
Amino Acids – The small building blocks that join together to make proteins.
Codon: A group of 3 mRNA bases that code for an amino acid.
• Mutation – A change in DNA that can affect how proteins are made.
• Intron – A part of mRNA that is removed because it doesn’t code for a protein.
• Exon – A part of mRNA that stays because it has the instructions to make a protein.
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