Protein synthesis is a really cool process that happens in all living cells. It can be broken down into two main parts: Transcription and Translation.
1. Transcription:
Starting Point: This process starts when an enzyme called RNA polymerase sticks to a certain spot on the DNA. This spot is called the promoter.
Building the mRNA: RNA polymerase then unwinds the DNA and makes a strand of mRNA. It does this by matching up tiny building blocks called nucleotides. These include A, U, C, and G for RNA, which pair with T, A, G, and C from the DNA. For example, if the DNA has the sequence TAC, the mRNA will be AUG.
Finishing Up: When RNA polymerase reaches a signal that tells it to stop, the mRNA is done and it lets go of the DNA.
2. Translation:
Starting Again: The mRNA strand then connects to a ribosome. The ribosome acts like a reading machine and reads the mRNA in groups of three nucleotides, called codons.
Adding Amino Acids: Molecules called tRNA bring specific amino acids to the ribosome based on these codons. For example, if the codon read is AUG, the tRNA will bring the amino acid methionine.
Wrapping Up: When the ribosome finds a stop codon (like UAA, UAG, or UGA), the translation process stops, and the new chain of amino acids, called a polypeptide, is released.
This amazing process makes sure that proteins are built correctly, helping our cells do all their important jobs!
Protein synthesis is a really cool process that happens in all living cells. It can be broken down into two main parts: Transcription and Translation.
1. Transcription:
Starting Point: This process starts when an enzyme called RNA polymerase sticks to a certain spot on the DNA. This spot is called the promoter.
Building the mRNA: RNA polymerase then unwinds the DNA and makes a strand of mRNA. It does this by matching up tiny building blocks called nucleotides. These include A, U, C, and G for RNA, which pair with T, A, G, and C from the DNA. For example, if the DNA has the sequence TAC, the mRNA will be AUG.
Finishing Up: When RNA polymerase reaches a signal that tells it to stop, the mRNA is done and it lets go of the DNA.
2. Translation:
Starting Again: The mRNA strand then connects to a ribosome. The ribosome acts like a reading machine and reads the mRNA in groups of three nucleotides, called codons.
Adding Amino Acids: Molecules called tRNA bring specific amino acids to the ribosome based on these codons. For example, if the codon read is AUG, the tRNA will bring the amino acid methionine.
Wrapping Up: When the ribosome finds a stop codon (like UAA, UAG, or UGA), the translation process stops, and the new chain of amino acids, called a polypeptide, is released.
This amazing process makes sure that proteins are built correctly, helping our cells do all their important jobs!