1. RNA and Protein Synthesis

2. Protein Synthesis
Protein Synthesis is the process that cells use to produce protein.
- it involves 2 distinct phases
Transcription – occurs in the nucleus
involves the creation of mRNA
Translation – occurs in the cytoplasm
at a ribosome – the protein recipe is “read” and the correct protein is made

3. Proteins are chains of amino acids
amino acid + amino acid + amino acid = protein
The order of amino acids determines protein shape
Shape determines function
DNA recipe consists of the order of amino acids for each protein
- the recipes are known as genes

4. Recipe has to get from DNA to the ribosome which builds the protein

5. Transcription: makes a copy of the protein recipe
This is necessary because:
DNA cannot leave the nucleus!!!
Proteins are made on ribosomes in the cytoplasm.
mRNA provides the solution
Messenger ribonucleic acid
mRNA is a copy of the protein recipe that can leave the nucleus

6. Knowledge Check
How do transcription and translation work together to produce proteins?
What is necessary for protein synthesis to occur?
CRITICAL THINKING: What is the one time when DNA does leave the nucleus? (It is not in strands that can be copied at this time)

7. The Structure of RNA
There are three main differences between RNA and DNA:
The sugar in RNA is ribose instead of deoxyribose.
RNA is generally single-stranded.
RNA contains uracil in place of thymine.

8. Types of RNA There are three main types of RNA: messenger RNA
ribosomal RNA
transfer RNA

9. Messenger RNA (mRNA) carries copies of instructions for assembling amino acids into proteins, leaving the nucleus and traveling to the ribosome

10. Ribosomes are made up of proteins and ribosomal RNA (rRNA).

11. During protein construction, transfer RNA (tRNA) transfers each amino acid to the ribosome.

12. Critical Thinking
Based on their descriptions, hypothesize why you think each type of RNA is required for proteins synthesis to occur.

13. Transcription: Initiation The Process Begins
The enzyme RNA polymerase finds the beginning of a protein recipe called the promoter
- promotor = a series of nucleotides that indicate the start of a protein recipe
The RNA polymerase opens the DNA molecule at the promoter

14. Transcription: Initiation
The RNA polymerase uses one DNA strand as a template to build the mRNA
- only one of the DNA strands contains the protein recipe
- the strand with the recipe is the
template strand
- the strand without the recipe is
the non-template strand
- it is not copied

15. Ho

16. Transcription: Elongation Building the mRNA Molecule
RNA polymerase brings RNA nucleotides to the template strand
-pairs them with their complements on
the original DNA molecule
-this follows the base pairing rules except that uracil replaces thymine
- Adenine on DNA is paired with Uracil (U)
on the new mRNA

17. Transcription: Termination The Process Ends
the RNA polymerase continues to add new nucleotides until it reaches the terminator
- the terminator is a sequence of nucleotides
that indicates the end of the recipe
the mRNA drops off the DNA
-this is pre-mRNA it needs further
processing before it can be translated

18. Knowledge Check How does RNA polymerase assist in transcription?
What role does the promoter play?
Summarize the major steps of transcription (you should have at least 3)

19. RNA Editing
Introns – segments of nucleotides not involved in coding for proteins
Exons – DNA sequences that code for proteins
Introns get cut out and exons get spliced (added) together

20. Transcription

21. Genetic Code The genetic code is the “language” of mRNA instructions.
The code is written using four “letters” (the bases: A, U, C, and G).
A codon consists of three consecutive nucleotides on mRNA that specify a particular amino acid.

22. The Genetic Code “Start” codon – AUG (methionine)
3 “stop” codons – do not code for amino acids; signify the end of a protein molecule

24. Knowledge Check What is the amino acid for AUC?
What is the amino acid for CUG?
Explain (in words) how you determine the amino corresponding to each codon.

25. Translation Overview

26. Translation
Translation is the decoding of an mRNA message into a polypeptide chain (protein).
Translation takes place on ribosomes.
During translation, the cell uses information from messenger RNA to produce proteins.

27. Translation mRNA molecule attaches to a ribosome
As each codon of the mRNA molecule moves through the ribosome, the proper amino acid is brought to the ribosome by the tRNA
In the ribosome, the amino acid is transferred to the growing protein molecule

28. Translation Each tRNA molecule carries only one kind of amino acid
Each tRNA has 3 unpaired bases
Anticodon – complementary to the one mRNA codon

29. Knowledge Check Where does translation occur?
Summarize the major steps of translation (you should have at least 3).
Critical Thinking: How does the anti-codon relate to the original DNA template strand?

30. The ribosome binds new tRNA molecules and amino acids as it moves along the mRNA, beginning with the “start” codon

31. The process continues until the ribosome reaches a stop codon.

32. DNA
mRNA
Protein