1. Proteins and Amino Acids
DEF: Proteins are large molecules made up of chains of amino acids that are an essential part of all living organisms.
There are 20 different amino acids that combine into thousands of different proteins
Folding of the string of amino acids is critical for protein function

2. Proteins and Amino Acids
Proteins can vary in size from just 20 amino acids, like one found in Gila Monster saliva
To the protein nicknamed “Titin” with 34,350 amino acids, found in human muscle tissue

3. RNA is needed to make proteins
RNA is ribonucleic acid and is very similar to DNA except:
RNA has ribose sugar instead of deoxyribose sugar
RNA has Uracil instead of Thymine
RNA is a single strand

4. RNA is needed to make proteins
EUKARYOTES: RNA copies the information from the DNA inside the nucleus then travels outside to the cytoplasm
PROKARYOTES: RNA and proteins are made in the cytoplasm

5. RNA is needed to make proteins
Three different types of RNA are involved in making protein:
messanger RNA (mRNA)
ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
transfer RNA (tRNA)
mRNA carries the message or code outside the nucleus
tRNA brings the correct amino acids to the ribosome for protein construction

6. Transcription
Transcription produces a single- stranded molecule of RNA
One strand of DNA is the template or pattern
The steps of transcription are:
1. The DNA molecule opens up along a gene
2. RNA nucleotides (A,U,C,G) match up and join the open DNA strand
3. The complete RNA strand is released and moves to the cytoplasm

7. TRANSLATION Translation happens in the cytoplasm of the cell
mRNA carries the triplet code for amino acids out of the nucleus – acts like the “recipe” for the protein
tRNA decodes the mRNA “recipe” and gathers the correct amino acids
Amino acids are connected together to form a protein

8. The Central Dogma
The process of making proteins is the same in all cells
This is the foundation of molecular biology, biochemistry, and genetics

9. HOW TO USE THE CODON WHEEL
Start from the middle! – we work our way out
The first letter of your TRIPLET code is your starting point
Follow the other two letters until you hit the second to last ring of the wheel
The final letter is your AMINO ACID – look up the full name in the table below.