Amoeba Sisters Protein Synthesis Flashcards

Protein Synthesis Overview

• Protein synthesis is the process by which cells create proteins essential for various functions.
• Two main processes involved in protein synthesis are transcription and translation.

Transcription

• Transcription involves making RNA from DNA, allowing genetic information to be copied.
• The specific RNA required for transcription is messenger RNA (mRNA).
• The task of transcription is to replicate the DNA sequence into an RNA format.

Translation

• Translation decodes the mRNA message into a protein, linking genetic information to functional molecules.
• Transfer RNA (tRNA) is essential for the translation process, as it brings amino acids to the ribosome.
• Translation translates the sequence of an mRNA molecule into a sequence of amino acids, forming a polypeptide chain.

Amino Acids and Codons

• Amino acids serve as the building blocks (monomers) of proteins.
• A codon consists of three nucleotides that correspond to a specific amino acid.
• The anticodon is the complementary sequence to the codon, allowing proper pairing during translation.

Importance of Specific Amino Acids

• Methionine is recognized as the starter amino acid in protein synthesis, initiating translation.

Peptide Bonds

• Peptide bonds are covalent bonds that link amino acids together, forming proteins.

Termination of Protein Synthesis

• A stop codon signifies the end of protein coding, indicating that the synthesis process is complete.