Transcription and Translation

Nucleic acids What are they? What do they do? What is it made of? DNA and RNA What do they do? What is it made of? Nucleotides

Three differences between DNA & RNA Ribose instead of deoxyribose Uracil (U) instead of thymine (T) Single-stranded “R U single?”

Three types of RNA mRNA (messenger) – carries info from DNA to cytoplasm tRNA (transfer) – brings in the amino acids to build the protein rRNA (ribosomes!) – acts like an enzyme to position the mRNA and tRNA so the protein forms

Transcription Process of using DNA to make RNA Happens in the nucleus

Transcription Helicase “unzips” the DNA RNA polymerase makes mRNA. The new mRNA falls off the DNA and leaves the nucleus. The DNA “zips” back up.

Translation Process of making protein using RNA. Happens in cytoplasm. mRNA codes for amino acids using three letter groups called codons. AUG is the start codon.

tRNA

Translation (Protein Synthesis) mRNA codes for the amino acids. rRNA positions the molecules the right way so the protein can get built. tRNA carries in the correct amino acids to build the protein by matching three bases (called the anticodon) to the codon.

Translation (Protein synthesis) The rRNA attaches to the mRNA. A tRNA attaches to the mRNA carrying an amino acid. The mRNA slides over in the rRNA. Another tRNA attaches to the mRNA. A peptide bond forms between the two amino acids. Everything slides over in the mRNA. The old tRNA falls off. Repeat steps 4-7 until there is a stop codon. At the stop codon, everything falls off the mRNA, the protein curls up to do its job, and everything else can be reused.