Protein Synthesis

• What do DNA molecules contain that determines which proteins are built?

  A genetic code
• How do proteins affect the cells in the body?

  They determine how all the cells function
• What is the process called that DNA controls in a cell?

  Protein synthesis
• What is a section of DNA that codes for a particular protein called?

  A gene
• What are proteins made up of?

  Chains of amino acids
• Why does each protein have a different shape?

  Because each has its own number and order of amino acids
• What determines the order of amino acids in a protein?

  The order of the bases in a gene
• What is the triplet code in protein synthesis?

  A sequence of three bases in the gene that codes for an amino acid
• How are amino acids joined together to make proteins?

  Following the order of the bases in the gene
• What does each gene contain that allows it to code for a particular protein?

  A different sequence of bases
• Where is DNA found in the cell?

  In the nucleus
• Why can't DNA move out of the nucleus?

  Because it’s really big
• What molecule is used to transfer information from DNA to ribosomes?

  mRNA
• How does mRNA differ from DNA?

  It’s shorter and only a single strand
• What happens during transcription?

  The DNA is used as a template to make mRNA
• What ensures that mRNA is complementary to the DNA strand?

  Base pairing
• What happens to the mRNA molecule after it is made?

  It moves out of the nucleus into the cytoplasm
• What does the mRNA do once it reaches the ribosome?

  It joins with a ribosome
• What role does tRNA play in protein synthesis?

  It brings amino acids to the ribosome
• What is the process called when amino acids are joined together in the correct order?

  Translation
• How is the order of amino acids determined during translation?

  By the triplet codes on the mRNA
• What are the main steps of protein synthesis?

  1. DNA controls protein synthesis.
  2. A gene codes for a protein.
  3. mRNA is transcribed from DNA.
  4. mRNA moves to ribosomes.
  5. tRNA brings amino acids.
  6. Amino acids are translated into proteins.
• What is the significance of the order of bases in DNA during protein synthesis?

  It determines the sequence of amino acids in the protein
• Why is tRNA described as ‘complementary’ to a DNA strand during protein synthesis?

  Because it matches the triplet codes on the mRNA
• What happens during the translation stage of protein synthesis?

  Amino acids are joined together in the correct order to form a protein