Protein Synthesis Flashcards
What is a polypeptide?
A string if unfolded amino acids
What is the central dogma of MoBio?
DNA -> RNA -> PROTEIN
What is a protein?
A folded polypeptide
What are the two phases of protein synthesis?
Transcription, Translation
What are the three steps of transcription?
Initiation, elongation, termination
What happens in initiation?
The sense strand has the gene in question, and the two strands are separated by enzymes
What happens in Elongation?
RNA Polymerase binds to the sense strand and locates start signal (codon), it adds complementary RNA nucleotides to match the DNA sequence, creating an RNA strand with 5’ -> 3’ polarity
What happens in termination?
When the polymerase reaches the stop signal, the transcription ends, and the primary transcript is released.
Outline mRNA processing:
A cap is added to the 5’ end, aiding in translation and prevents degradation, and allows the transcript to leave the nucleus.
A tail is added to the 3’ end to prevent degradation.
Introns are removed to make it more functional.
What are introns:
DNA that does not code
What are extrons:
Coding DNA (extrons are expressed)
What characteristics does the genetic code have?
Triplet code
Universal
Redundant (not ambiguous)
Degenerate
What happens in translation initiation?
mRNA enters the protein.
What happens in translation elongation?
tRNA brings in amino acids depending on the anticodon, and constructs the polypeptide
What happens in translation termination?
The stop codon is read and the polypeptide dissociates from the ribosome.
