Chapter 4.12 Transfer RNA

Question 1

What does tRNA stand for and how many are present per Amino Acid?

Answer 1

Transfer RNA and at least one present per Amino Acid

• Bacterial cells have 60 different tRNAs
• Mammalian cells have 100–110 different tRNAs

Question 2

What shape is tRNA?

Answer 2

Cloverleaf Shaped

Question 3

What is a group of three bases of tRNA that recognize three complementary bases on mRNA?

Answer 3

Anticodon

Question 4

Things to note about tRNA that are on the slides but don’t seem monumentally important.

Answer 4

• Specific for both a codon and its cognate amino acid
• tRNA and amino acid brought together by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases
• ATP is required to attach amino acid to tRNA

• Fidelity of recognition process between tRNA and
aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase is critical (Figure 4.35)

• Incorrect amino acid could result in a faulty or
nonfunctioning protein