Protein synthesis

• What is protein synthesis?

  Process of making proteins
• What are the two steps of protein synthesis?

  • Transcription
  • Translation
• What happens during transcription?

  It converts a single gene into mRNA
• What is the role of translation in protein synthesis?

  It converts mRNA into a protein
• Where are the bases in DNA found?

  In the nucleus
• How do bases get read by ribosomes?

  They must be copied into mRNA
• What is mRNA?

  Messenger RNA, a copy of a gene
• What are the structural differences between mRNA and DNA?

  mRNA is shorter, single-stranded, and has U
• What enzyme initiates transcription?

  RNA polymerase
• What happens to the DNA strands during transcription?

  They separate to expose the gene
• What is the template strand in transcription?

  The DNA strand used to make mRNA
• What does each triplet of bases code for?

  A specific amino acid
• What happens during translation?

  Ribosome builds protein by adding amino acids
• What brings amino acids to the ribosome?

  tRNA (transfer RNA)
• What is an anti-codon?

  A sequence of 3 bases on tRNA
• How does tRNA ensure the correct amino acid is brought to the ribosome?

  Each tRNA is specific to a triplet on mRNA
• What happens to the amino acids during translation?

  They join together to form a chain
• What is a polypeptide?

  A chain of amino acids
• What are the steps of transcription and translation in protein synthesis?

  Transcription:

  1. RNA polymerase binds to DNA
  2. DNA strands separate
  3. mRNA strand is synthesized

  
  

  Translation:

  1. mRNA moves to ribosome
  2. tRNA brings amino acids
  3. Amino acids join to form a polypeptide