32. Protein synthesis
Protein synthesis starts off with a process called
transcription. Transcription is when RNA
polymerase makes a mRNA strand using DNA. RNA
polymerase unwinds DNA at the start of a gene. It
uses one strand to get the complementary
nucleotides for the mRNA strand. On the mRNA, A
and U go together and G and C go together. The
mRNA then breaks off when RNA polymerase is
done using the DNA and goes into the cytoplasm.
The DNA then goes back together.
33. Protein synthesis cont.
• The next step of protein synthesis is translation. Translation
is when the mRNA strand is read to make amino acids. The
mRNA comes in contact with a ribosome and the ribosome
reads the three sets of nucleotides. The ribosome begins at
the start codon. Then tRNA transfer amino acids. The tRNA
has an anti-codon that is the complement to the nucleotide
on the mRNA. The tRNA binds temporarily on the mRNA
until another tRNA comes to put an amino acid on another
codon. The amino acid then forms a peptide bond with
another amino acid. The ribosome stops at the stop codon.
After all of the amino acids are made and bonded together,
they fold on themselves and form a tertiary structure to
give it a function.