Protein Synthesis and Control Flashcards
Define anti-codon
A sequence of three adjacent nucleotides on a molecule of transfer RNA (tRNA) that is complimentary to a particular codon on a messenger RNA molecule
Define codon
A sequence of three adjacent nucleotides in messenger RNA (mRNA) that codes for one amino acid.
Define deletion mutation
A nucleotide is lost from the normal DNA sequence. This results in all the nucleotide after this point being read in the incorrect order This is known as a Frame shift.
Define DNA helicase
An enzymes that acts on a specific region of the DNA molecule to break the hydrogen bonds between the bases causing the two strands to separate and expose the nucleotide bases.
Define DNA replication
The process when the double helix of a DNA molecule unwinds and each strand acts as a template on which a new strand is constructed.
Describe messenger RNA
The RNA that transfers the DNA code from the nucleus through the nuclear pore to the cytoplasm. The code it contains is used by ribosomes to determine the order in which the amino acids should be bound to form a protein.
Define mis-sense mutation
The base change results in in a different amino acid being coded for. The polypeptide produced will differ in a single amino acid. The consequence will depend on where the amino acid was.
Define mutation
A change in the sequence of bases in DNA
Define non-sense mutation
A base change that has resulted in the formation of a stop codon. The production of the polypeptide will be stopped prematurely leading to a non functional protein.
Define nucleotides
Complex chemicals made up of an organic base, a sugar and a phosphate. They are the basic units of DNA and RNA.
Define RNA polymerase
Enzyme that joins together nucleotides to form messenger RNA during transcription.
Define silent mutation
A substituted base that still codes for the same amino acid. There is no effect on the order of amino acids so no alteration of the polypeptide formed.
Define transcription
Formation of messenger RNA molecules from the DNA that makes up a particular gene. This is the first stage of protein synthesis
Describe transfer RNA
A small singe stranded chain of RNA folded into a clover leaf shape with one end of the chain extending beyond the other. Each molecule carries a single amino acid whose codon binds to its Anticodon.
Describe translation
When mRNA is used as a template by ribosomes to which complementary tRNA molecules attach and the amino acids they carry are linked to form a polypeptide chain.
Define double helix
DNA nucleotides join together between the phosphate group and the sugar creating a sugar phosphate backbone. 2 DNA polynucleotides join by hydrogen bonding between the bases by complementary base pairing. 2 strands wind to form the double helix.
Give the process of transcription
- DNA helicase breaks hydrogen bonds
- One strand used as a template for mRNA
- RNA polymerase adds complementary base pairs
- mRNA moves out of the nuclear pore and to the ribosome
Give the process of translation
- tRNA carry amino acids to the ribosome
- tRNA with a complementary anticodon attaches itself to the mRNA
- The second tRNA attaches itself to the next codon in the same way
- the 2 amino acids join via peptide bonds
- the 1st tRNA leaves and so on until a stop codon is reached
How do you control protein synthesis
By altering the rate of transcription of genes
Define operon
A section of DNA controlling structural genes, control elements and a regulatory gene
Define regulatory gene
A protein which binds to DNA and switches genes on or off by increasing or decreasing the rate of transcription