PROTEIN SYNTHESIS

- involves two process on DNA:

transcription and translation.

 Having two strands render DNA is too large to fit

through the pores of the nuclear membrane.

 The nuclear membrane encloses the nucleus,

protecting and separating chromosomes from the
rest of the cell. It is full of pores through which
materials can pass through.

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RNA (Ribonucleic Acid)
 Another nucleic acid and also made up of
nucleotides, can leave the nucleus as it is only
a single strand and can squeeze through the
nuclear membrane’s pores.

 Different from DNA in that its sugar molecule

is ribose, and it contains Uracil (U) instead of
thymine.

2 DNA process
 The structure of DNA is a double-stranded
helix, meaning it is composed of two
polynucleotides twisted around each other.
 DNA can store and transmit information
because of its double helix structure.
 The genetic information in DNA is transmitted
or copied into the RNA.
 This process is called transcription.

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 RNA falls into three major categories:
Messenger RNA (mRNA)
copies the genetic code from the into a form
that can be read and used to make proteins.
transmits genetic information from the
nucleus to the cell’s cytoplasm.

Transfer RNA (tRNA)

situated in the cytoplasm of a cell, where we
can find the ribosomes.
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 transfers amino acids to the ribosome that
matches to each three-nucleotide codon of
rRNA.

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)

leads the translation of mRNA into proteins.
The amino acids then can be combined
together and processed to make
polypeptides and proteins.

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DNA & RNA COMPARISON
Basis of
DNA RNA
Comparison
Number of Strands

Location in the cell

Type of Sugar

Nitrogenous bases
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DNA TRANSCRIPTION
 is the process where RNA is made from the
DNA by copying the base sequence of the
double stranded DNA into a piece of a single
stranded nucleic acid.
 this takes place in the cell’s nucleus.

 The process is catalyzed by the enzyme

RNA polymerase.

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 RNA POLYMERASE – an enzyme
(proteins the speed up chemical reactions in
cells) that unzipped the DNA by breaking the
hydrogen bonds that hold the two strands.
 With the open strands, one is considered as
the template strand (anti-sense strand) and
this will be used to generate the messenger
RNA or mRNA.
 The other is called the non-template strand
(sense strand).
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 After reading the bases, the RNA polymerase
enzyme is now ready to make a strand of
mRNA with a complementary sequence of
bases.
 The DNA code determines the order the
nitrogenous bases are copied to the mRNA.
 During this process, an Adenine (A) in the
DNA binds to an Uracil (U) in the RNA.
 When the stop sequence or stop codon is
reached, the enzyme detaches from the gene.

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 The mRNA strand is now produced and it
detaches from DNA.
 Essentially, mRNA copies and carries the
instructions/information encoded in the gene
from the DNA in the nucleus to the ribosome.
 Example:
DNA Coding: A T G A T C T C G T A A
DNA Template: T A C T A G A G C A T T
mRNA: A UG A UCUCGUAA

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DNA TRANSLATION
- the process of converting the
information in messenger RNA
(mRNA) into a sequence of amino
acids that make a protein.

 The mRNA goes to the ribosomes,

and the ribosome reads the code in
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 mRNA to produce an amino acid
chain.
 This amino acids are gathered and
carried by transfer RNA (tRNA) in the
cytoplasm to the ribosomes to make
proteins.

 Remember, there are 20 amino acids.

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 Proteins such as enzymes are mostly
amino acids chained together in a
certain order.
 Ribosomes reads the mRNA three
nucleotide bases at a time known as
codon in a DNA or mRNA that
corresponds to a specific amino acid
or a start/stop signal.

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 This code is picked up by the mRNA
and is carried from the nucleus to the
cytoplasm.
 Each codon is read by an anticodon,
the complementary sequence to the
codon trio.

17 DNA process
 The anticodon allows the tRNA to
deliver the corresponding amino acid,
adding onto the chain.

 A third kind of RNA, ribosomal RNA

or rRNA ensures that the mRNA,
tRNA, and the ribosomes are properly
aligned for protein synthesis.

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 It helps translate the information in
the mRNA into protein.

 So, three nucleotides (codon) = one

amino acid.
 Essentially, the ribosome translated
the code in the mRNA in order to
make an amino acid chain.
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 Proteins are amino acid chains!
 Protein has now been made.

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 CODON CHART
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The DNA directs the production of proteins
and determines the formation of mRNA.
The order of the bases of mRNA
determines the protein synthesized.

Proteins control the activities of the cell, as

well as so the life of the entire organism.

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