Protein Synthesis - Week 2

Question 1

What are two types of nucleic acids?

Answer 1

1. DNA - Deoxyribonucleic acid
2. RNA - Ribonucleic acid

Question 2

What are the components of DNA?

Answer 2

DNA is a genetic code and it is the recipe for every protein we make.

DNA is made up of two strands of nucleotide molecules

Arranged in a helix structure.

The nucleotides in DNA are
1. A - Adenine
2. C - Cytosine
3. G - Guanine
4. T - Thymine

Question 3

What are Genes?

Answer 3

Sections of DNA strands that specify the amino acids that are required to make a specific protein.

A segment of DNA that stores the specific information for a single protein.

Each gene has multiple forms, or versions called alleles and are inherited from your parents.

DNA stores genetic information as sets of three nucleotides; each set is called a base triplet.

Question 4

What is RNA?

Answer 4

RNA is the template that is produced by DNA to inform the ribosomes which amino acids to add to the polypeptide chain of the protein.

RNA is a chain of nucleotide molecules but it consists of only one strand

It uses the same nucleotides with the exception of thymine, which is replaced by uracil, or U.

Question 5

What are the nucleotides in DNA?

Answer 5

1. A - Adenine
2. C - Cytosine
3. G - Guanine
4. T - Thymine

Question 6

What are the nucleotides in RNA?

Answer 6

1. A - Adenine
2. C - Cytosine
3. G - Guanine
4. U - Uracil

Question 7

What are the differences in structure between DNA and RNA?

Answer 7

RNA contains only one strand of nucleotides and
The nucleotide T - thymine is replaced with U - uracil in RNA.

Question 8

What is Protein Synthesis?

Answer 8

DNA is the recipe instructions for protein.

Protein Synthesis is the production of the Proteins (the cooking)

Question 9

What is Transcription in Protein Synthesis?

Answer 9

It’s the first step in protein synthesis

It’s the conversion of DNA to mRNA in the nucleus

Genetic instructions for making a protein are copied from DNA onto a single-stranded messenger mRNA molecule

Question 10

What is the process of Transcription?

Answer 10

A segment of the DNA molecule is opened, and an enzyme called RNA polymerase uses the genetic information represented by the sequence of base triplets (genes) in DNA as a template to create a complementary sequence of codons that form the mRNA strand.

Question 11

What is Translation in Protein Synthesis?

Answer 11

The reading of mRNA by ribosomes, with corresponding amino acids added to form a peptide chain.

Question 12

What is the process of Translation?

Answer 12

mRNA leaves the nucleus via nuclear pores and travel to a ribosome in the cytoplasm.

Information in the mRNA is then used to construct a protein from building block elements called amino acids.

Question 13

What is the Protein Synthesis (creating a protein) process?

Answer 13

1. Transcription – conversion of DNA to mRNA
2. mRNA transported out of the nucleus into the cytosol
3. Translation - mRNA is read by the ribosomes and amino acids added to form a peptide chain.
4. Proteins are packaged ready for release. They are either:
   - Free ribosomes synthesize proteins that are released into the cytosol
   - Fixed ribosomes on rough endoplasmic reticulum synthesize proteins that are t
   then passed to the rough endoplasmic reticulum.

Question 14

What is the Protein Synthesis and distribution process of Fixed ribosomes on Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum?

Answer 14

1. As proteins travel along the rough endoplasmic reticulum they are processed and
   modified.
2. They are then passed towards the Golgi apparatus through a transport vesicle.
3. The modified proteins and glycoproteins then enter the Golgi apparatus where further modification and packaging occur.
4. The vesicles will then collect the proteins from the Golgi apparatus, and carry them away to be released.