Translation Flashcards
What is translation catalysed by?
A ribozyme (the ribosome)
Is translation accurate?
Yes, theres a 1/10,000 error rate
What happens to DNA before translation?
- The genetic message (DNA) is first TRANSCRIBED into mRNA
- Transcribed from the alphabet of nucleotides in DNA, remains in the nucleotide “language” in mRNA [TRANSCRIPTION]
What is translation?
- TRANSLATION is the process by which the genetic message, encoded in the sequence of the four RNA bases A, U, C and G is expressed in the form of an amino acid sequence in a protein using the 20 amino acids.
- Translated from the language of nucleic acids into the language of proteins [TRANSLATION]
What does the amino acid sequence of a protein specify?
The amino acid sequence of a protein specifies the folding, structure and properties of the protein and is therefore dependent on the original DNA base sequence
What do we need for protein synthesis?
- A template that has clues on where to start decoding
- A supply of building blocks
- Something to assemble the building blocks into chains
- A way to supply the correct building block at the appropriate time
- Rules to define HOW to decode (including where to start and stop)
- Energy to drive the process
Tell me about the energy requirements for translation and where this energy comes from?
- Ribosomes are the synthetic machinery (rRNA and protein components)
- The template is a mature mRNA (capped and tailed in eukaryotes)
- All 20 amino acids are activated as aminoacyl-tRNAs
- Requires a large number of other enzymes/proteins (factors) and energy in the form of GTP and ATP
- Adding each amino acid ‘costs’ 4x ATP
What is the general ribosome structure?
- Small and large subunits have to join otherwise no translation
- Association creates three sites for tRNA to occupy
- mRNA slides through a channel which is on small subunit
What is each subunit in the ribosome for?
- P= for peptidyl, is the second binding site for tRNA (holds a tRNA that carries a growing polypeptide)
- A= aminoacyl, the first binding site for the ribosome (accepts incoming tRNA bound to AA)
- E= exit (the tRNA goes here after its empty)
Whats the template for translation and what is it composed of?
mRNA
ribonucleotides (A, C, G and U)
What do mRNAs contain?
Non-coding or untranslated regions (NCRs, UTRs) at their 5’- and 3’- ends
What does the template of mRNA need to define?
Exactly where to start (determines ORF)
How many RNAs does the genetic code use and what for?
The genetic code uses three RNA bases to specify one AA (triple code)
Each of the 20 AA is specified by one or more triplets
What is the protein synthesised from?
The protein is synthesised from a continuous sequence of non-overlapping Codons running from an initiation codon to a termination codon
Whats are the stages to translation?
What does each stage require?
- initiation
- elongation
- termination
- recycling
Each stage requires other protein factors
Tell me about the initiation stage of translation?
Initiation (IFs/eIFs)
- positioning of the small ribosomal subunit (and first aminoacyl-tRNA) at the initiation codon
- joining of large ribosomal subunit to make whole ribosome
- Initiation is the slowest step therefore limits rate of translation and is the step where most translational control occurs
Tell me about the elongation stage of translation?
Elongation (EFs- PROKARYOTES/eEFs- EUKARYOTES)
- ensures correct amino acid is added sequentially to the growing protein chain by base pairing of transfer RNA (tRNA) with mRNA
- decodes 10 – 40 aa per sec with only 1 in 10,000 error rate
- Bring in the next tRNA
- Join the second amino acid onto the first
- Move along to the next triplet
- Expel the first tRNA
- Keep doing these cycles until…
Tell me about the termination stage of translation?
Termination (RFs/eRFs)
- release of completed polypeptide when the stop codon is reached
- No tRNA corresponding to the stop/termination codon
- Bring in a factor to release the completed polypeptide
Tell me about the recycling stage of translation
Recycling (RRF in prokaryotes, ABCE1 in eukaryotes)
- ribosomal subunits detach and are kept separated to allow new round of translation
Tell me about initiation in the protein synthesis in bacteria…
- what does mRNA bind to?
- Whats produced from this?
- mRNA binds a special formylmethionine-tRNAf (only AA-tRNA to enter ribosome at P [peptidyl]-site + the 30S subunit at the P-site using initiation factors IF1, IF2 and IF3 and GTP.
- This gives the “initiation complex”
Tell me about the initiation factors used in the initiation stage of protein synthesis in bacteria?
- IF1 – binds in A site, prevents elongator tRNAs entering
- IF2 – binds the GTP and the fMet-tRNAf
- IF3 – prevents association with 50S, helps ensure fidelity of initiation codon selection (not present in all bacteria)
What do the sequences in bacteria mRNA help the ribosome do?
locate the initiation codon
What does prokaryotic mRNA possess?
What does this do?
- A shine-dalgarno sequence that base pairs to the 3’ end of the 16s rRNA
- This places the start codon AUG at the ribosome P-site about 10 bases 3’ of the S-D sequence
- This is followed by the binding of the 50S subunit and dissociation of IF1 and IF3.
In protein synthesis in bacteria in the initiation stage, what happens to the IF1 and IF3 once the 30s is at the initiation codon?
What is this accompanied by?
- it dissociates
- This is accompanied by the binding of the 50S subunit and hydrolysis of the GTP bound to IF2, causing IF2 to also dissociate
- This gives the 70S ribosome (50s + 30s) for elongation with the first tRNA in the P site, and an empty A site ready for the next tRNA
There are differences between eukaryotic and prokaryotic mRNA. Tell me some things that eukaryotic mRNAs contain?
- a cap (made from a modified G nucleotide) and a poly(A) tail
- No Shine-Dalgarno sequence
- 5’ and 3’ UTRs may contain several features (sequence or structure-based) that help regulate protein expression/mRNA stability/localisation
In the initiation stage in eukaryotes, whats the role of the 5’- cap?
- eIF3 equivalent to IF3, but 13 subunits
- Binds eIF4G and the 40S subunit
- PABP = poly(A)-binding protein
Eukaryotic initiation different considerably from bacterial initiation, how…?
- Eukaryotic initiation differs considerably from bacterial initiation
- eIF2 + the small 40S ribosome subunit + methionyl-tRNAimet + GTP bind to each other
- The 40S subunit binds to mRNA with other initiation factors (eIFs) bound to the cap and poly A tail regions
- The 40S ribosome then “scans” the mRNA looking for the AUG initiation codon usually uses first AUG it encounters
- More efficient if this AUG is within the Kozak Consensus
- eIFs then dissociate and the 60S subunit binds
- Intact cap and tail regions are essential for initiation
What are the similarities between prokaryotic and eukaryotic initiation and the key differences?
- 48S pre-initiation complex (PIC) formation and mRNA circularisation
- 40s ribosomal subunit
- 48s is the whole unit
mRNA transcribed in vivo is in combination with or without what?
Synergism between 5’ and 3’ ends
- mRNA transcribed in vitro, in combinations with or without m7G cap or poly(A) tail
- Added to rabbit reticulocyte lysate (contains ribosomes and other factors required for translation) in presence of radioactive methionine
- Products of in vitro translation separated by SDS-PAGE and visualized with autoradiography
Without the eIF4E:eIF4G interaction, how can the ribosome attach to the mRNA?
Without the first tRNA, how do you start synthesising the polypeptide?
Function and control of the eLF2
Name some of the eLF2alpha kinases?
Activation of PKR in response to viral RNA…
What does this cause?
Protein targeting and export
Protein processing for secretion
How do many proteins fold?
- Many proteins can fold spontaneously using only the primary amino acid sequence information
- Other proteins require assistance from chaperones
Name some chaperones for protein folding?
Chaperones – e.g., heat shock proteins – prevent illicit liaisons between proteins (e.g., interactions between exposed hydrophobic regions)
What happens to malfolded proteins?
They are (hopefully) rapdily degraded
What does PERK exist for?
Protein misfolding in the ER can be a serious problem, and PERK exists to couple protein folding to protein synthesis
Tell me about the role of PERK in ER stress
- Normally, BiP binds to PERK and keeps it in an inactive monomeric state
- Can elicit ER stress using brefeldin A (blocks protein processing) or thapsigargin (interferes with ER Ca2+)
- BiP dissociates to bind to unfolded proteins, activating PERK dimers
When PERK mice develop diabetes, what does this suggest?
Suggests important role for PERK in cells that secrete a lot of protein e.g. pancreatic b-cells
Whats Wolcott-Rallison disease [recessive]?
Loss of PERK function – patients develop Type I diabetes, growth retardation, multiple other effects
summary of first lecture
- Translation is the synthesis of chains of amino acids into protein by decoding the message that was stored in the DNA (therefore change of “language”
- mRNA is the intermediate, produced by transcription (nucleotide language remains similar)
- Initiation is the positioning of the small ribosomal subunit at the initiation codon, and the joining of the large ribosomal subunit
- Prokaryotic initiation uses rRNA:mRNA base pairing to define the start point, eukaryotic uses a sequence consensus
- Eukaryotic initiation is more complex but more tightly controlled
- Eukaryotic translation initiation is controlled by multiple mechanisms
- Availability of cap-binding protein
- Availability of ternary complex (contains first Met-tRNAi)
- Proteins are sometimes also transported during translation
- Accumulation of misfolded proteins causes activation of PERK
- Next lecture – how amino acids are added to the correct tRNA
What are the building blocks for proteins?
What are the 20 proteinogenic amino acids?
What are the two types of amino acids and their subgroups?
There are polar and non-polar amino acids.
Polar- hydrophilic
- Acidic: COO- provides the -ve charge
- Basic: N+ provides the +ve charge
- Uncharged polar: OH provides polarity
Non-polar- hydrophobic
- R group usually contains just C and H
The 20 AA give properties that are essential for the formation of proteins
The genetic code is universal with some minor variations. What does this suggest?
This indicates that life arose from one original ancestor
Organisms exhibit codon usage bias. What is this and why is it important?
A preference to decode certain codons and not others
Important if making e.g. human protein in E. Coli
The genetic code is described as being what…?
triplet
continuous
non-overlapping
Given the nature of the genetic code, if one RNA base specified one amino acid, how many amino acids could be encoded?
If one RNA base specified one amino acid, only 4 amino acids could be encoded- one amino acid for each base
Given the nature of the genetic code,
if a pair of any of the four RNA bases specified one amino acid, how many amino acids could be encoded?
If a pair of any of the four RNA bases specified one amino acid, then only 16 amino acids (42) could be encoded.
Given the nature of the genetic code, a triplet of any of the four bases can specify how many combinations?
A triplet of any of the four bases can specify 64 combinations (43), therefore provides more than sufficient triplets to specify each of the 20 amino acids.
Why does the genetic code have to be continuous?
Addition or deletion of single nucleotide bases changes the frame downstream, therefore the code has to be continuous
Why can’t the genetic code be overlapping?
The continued contact of tRNAs with the mRNA template during elongation steps means that the code cannot be overlapping
The genetic code is degenerate, what does that mean?
That more than one codon may specify a given amino acid
3 of the AA have 6 codons each, what are these AA?
S, L and R
5 of the AA have 4 codons each, what are these AA?
G, P, A, T and V
Each of the four for any one AA starts with the same how many bases?
2
What have 3 codons each?
Isoleucine (I) and “stop”
9 AA have 2 codons each, what are these AA?
F, D, N, E, Q, H, C, Y and K
each pair either ‘ends’ with purines or pyrimidines
What is Methionine (M) specified by?
AUG
What is Tryptophan (W) specified by?
UGG
The degeneracy of the genetic code, allows for what?
silent mutations in DNA/mRNA (usually the third position of a codon)
What allows for conservative mutations to occur?
The arrangement of the code
question to think about: What is the consequence of a cytosine deamination mutation in each of the three bases?
codons
D614G missense mutation in SARS-CoV-2
Most tRNAs contain between how many bases?
70 and 90 bases
What do all tRNAs have?
highly conserved tertiary structures (L-shape) with much internal base pairing