Central dogma

• Protein synthesis


  The process by which cells make proteins
• DNA has the genetic information that codes for traits like eye color
• Genes


  Portions of DNA that can code for proteins
• Protein synthesis


  1. Transcription

  2. Translation
• Transcription


  The process of transcribing DNA into mRNA
• mRNA


  Messenger RNA, a single-stranded molecule that carries the genetic information from the nucleus to the ribosome
• RNA polymerase


  An enzyme that connects complementary RNA bases to the DNA during transcription
• Translation


  The process of using the mRNA to direct the synthesis of a protein
• Ribosome


  The cellular structure where protein synthesis occurs, made of rRNA
• tRNA


  Transfer RNA, carries amino acids to the ribosome during translation
• Codon


  A sequence of three nucleotides on the mRNA that codes for a specific amino acid
• Anticodon


  The complementary sequence of three nucleotides on the tRNA that pairs with the codon on the mRNA
• Amino acid


  The building blocks of proteins
• Peptide bond


  The chemical bond that holds amino acids together in a protein
• Start codon


  The mRNA codon (AUG) that indicates the beginning of protein synthesis
• Stop codon


  An mRNA codon that does not code for an amino acid but signals the end of protein synthesis
• Protein folding and modification may occur after translation