CELLULAR RESPIRATION

INTRODUCTION
After learning about DNA, have you ever wondered, how can the DNA actually result in a trait?
Let's take an example - like eye color. Yes, your DNA has the genetic information that codes for
the color of your eyes. Your eye color is based on a pigment that is inside the eyes. But, in order
to have that pigment, you have genes, which are portions of DNA, that can code for proteins
which help make that pigment. So, what we’re going to talk about is how your DNA can lead to
the making of a protein. This process is called protein synthesis.
DEFINITION
Synthesis essentially means to “make something” so protein synthesis means to make protein.
IMPORTANCE OF PROTIENS
1. Proteins are involved in transport
2. In structure
3. In acting as enzymes that make all kinds of materials
4. In protecting the body…and so much more.
You've got to make proteins - it’s essential for you to live. It’s happening in your cells. They’re
making proteins.
DNA’S ROLE
All of your cells have DNA---well a few exceptions---and that DNA is in the nucleus.
Some DNA is noncoding DNA. Some DNA makes up genes that are not activated.
But we’re going to talk about genes that are coding for active proteins. So how are we going to
get the information from these genes out of the nucleus so that the cell can start producing the
proteins that it needs to make?
INTRODUCTION TO RNA
Well let us introduce you to the amazing work of RNA.
RNA is a nucleic acid like DNA. But it has a few differences. Its role in protein synthesis also is
HUGE.
PROCESS
In protein synthesis, we can look at two major steps. One is transcription and the other is
translation.
TRANSCRIPTION

 is when we’re going to transcribe the DNA into a message.

 In your cells, the DNA is in the nucleus, so therefore, we’re doing transcription in the
nucleus.
 In the step of transcription, an enzyme called RNA polymerase will connect
complementary RNA bases to the DNA.
 These RNA bases are bonded together to form a single stranded mRNA.
 The m in mRNA stands for messenger. Messenger RNA consists of a message made of
RNA that has been based on the DNA.
 This mRNA is not usually ready to go right away. There's usually a significant amount of
mRNA editing that occurs ---it’s critical for the process to work correctly.
 The mRNA can go out of the nucleus into the cytoplasm where it’s going to attach to a
ribosome.
 Ribosomes make protein. The ribosome is made of rRNA, and the “r” stands for
ribosomal RNA.
 The ribosome is going to build our protein in the next step called translation.
TRANSLATION

 In the cytoplasm, you have all these tRNA molecules available. tRNA stands for transfer
RNA. They carry an amino acid on them.
 An amino acid is the monomer for a protein; it's a building block for protein. Since we’re
making proteins, we’re going to need those amino acids to build it. If you have a bunch
of amino acids together, you can build a protein.
 So, it’s the tRNA that is going to bring those amino acids together to make that.
How does the tRNA know which amino acids to bring?

 That’s why the mRNA, the message, is so important because it’s going to direct which
tRNAs come in and therefore which amino acids are transferred.
 All of these tRNAs are looking for complementary bases. When they find the
complementary bases on the mRNA, they transfer their amino acid
 When tRNA is bringing in the amino acids, it reads the bases---represented by these
letters here on the mRNA--- in threes. So, it doesn’t read one letter at a time; it reads it in
triplets. That’s called a codon.
 So, for example, in this mRNA, the tRNA would read the codon AUG.

 One of these tRNAs contains a complementary anticodon---which in this case is UAC.

 All tRNAs that have the anticodon UAC will be carrying an amino acid called methionine.
 A tRNA with the UAC anticodon comes in to pair with the complementary AUG codon on
the mRNA.
 It transfers the amino acid it carries, methionine.

 The tRNA will transfer that amino acid and eventually leave where it can go pick up
another amino acid, but it will leave behind its amino acid.
 That’s the first amino acid before looking at the next codon.
 AUG is also considered a start codon as methionine is typically going to be your first
amino acid in proteins.
 There are many types of amino acids in the codon chart, but there are even more
possible codon combinations. That means there can be more than one codon that code
for the same amino acid.
 These amino acids are held together by a peptide bond. And it will keep on growing.
 Typically, at the very end of the mRNA, there is a stop codon. Stop codons do not code
for an amino acid, but when the ribosome reaches it, it indicates that the protein building
is finished.
 So, the result of translation is that you built a chain of amino acids that were brought in
certain sequences based on the coding of the mRNA.
 But remember that mRNA was complementary to the DNA. So, the DNA ultimately was
the director of the entire protein building, of course, it couldn’t have done it without some
serious help from mRNA, rRNA, and tRNA.
 Protein folding and modification may occur and the protein may need to be
transported---this can all vary based on the protein's structure and function.