Unit 2, part 6 Flashcards
What is translation in the context of genetics?
A step where the genetic information encoded in mRNA is translated into amino acids
Decoding the mRNA to make a protein
What are the basic structures of amino acids and proteins?
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, which have four levels of structure:
* Primary
* Secondary
* Tertiary
* Quaternary
What are the steps of translation?
The steps include:
* Pre-initiation
* Initiation
* Elongation
* Termination
What is the role of the genetic code in protein synthesis?
It determines the protein sequence by specifying which amino acids correspond to which codons.
What is the 5’ untranslated region (UTR) of mRNA?
The first mRNA nucleotides that don’t code for protein, key for mRNA stability & initiation of translation.
What is the protein-coding region of mRNA?
mRNA nucleotides that are translated from the start codon to the stop codon.
What are stop codons?
Codons that do NOT code for amino acids, signaling the end of translation.
What is a codon?
A sequence of 3 mRNA nucleotides that specifies an amino acid.
True or False: There is redundancy in the genetic code.
True
Multiple codons can code for the same amino acid.
What is wobble pairing?
A tRNA that can pair with multiple codons due to relaxed base-pairing rules at the third position.
What is the reading frame in translation?
The starting point for reading codons, determining the sequence of amino acids.
What codon always serves as the start codon?
AUG, which codes for methionine.
What are non-sense codons?
Codons that signal the end of translation, such as UAA, UAG, UGA.
Fill in the blank: The genetic code is read in _______.
codons
What is the consensus sequence for translation initiation?
5’-ACCAUGG-3’
What happens if the reading frame is shifted?
It can lead to different amino acid sequences depending on the starting base.
What is the difference between synonymous and non-synonymous codons?
Synonymous codons code for the same amino acid, while non-synonymous codons code for different amino acids.
True or False: The reading frame is overlapping.
False
The reading frame is non-overlapping.
What are isoaccepting tRNAs?
tRNAs with different anticodons that pick up the same amino acid.
What is the significance of the 3’ untranslated region (UTR)?
It contains the last mRNA nucleotides that don’t code for protein.
How can mutations affect the resulting protein?
Mutations in DNA or errors during transcription or translation don’t always change the resulting amino acid.
What is the amino acid sequence produced by the codon 5’-CUA-3’?
Leucine.
Fill in the blank: The first base on the 5’ end of a coding strand is base number _______.
-13
