Protein Synthesis

Proteins make up over half of the dry mass of a cell. Protein synthesis is therefore central to the maintenance, growth and development of the cell.

In preparation for protein synthesis, a specific transfer RNA molecule must be attached to each of the 20 common amino acid and the ribosomal subunits must be preloaded with supplementary molecules. During protein synthesis, these components are brought together in the cell cytoplasm in a ribosome complex. At this point a single mRNA molecule is transported step by step into a ribosome. In doing so, its sequence of nucleotides can be translated into its subsequent amino acid sequence to make a unique protein chain.

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Using the Central Dogma of Biology:

DNA         transcription        RNA         translation                        Protein

protein synthesis can be broken down into two major processes: transcription and translation.

Transcription

In transcription the genetic material of an organism (the DNA) acts as a template on which an mRNA polynucleotides chain is formed. The reaction is necessary for the transfer of information from DNA to protein. It is catalysed by the enzyme RNA polymerase.

RNA polymerase binds to the promoter, a specific DNA sequence that indicates when RNA synthesis should begin. After binding to the promoter, the RNA ...

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