PROTEIN

SYNTHESIS

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DNA and
Genes

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 DNA
• DNA contains genes, sequences
of nucleotide bases
• These Genes code for
polypeptides (proteins)
• Proteins are used to build cells
and do much of the work inside
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 Genes & Proteins
▪Proteins are made of amino
acids linked together by
peptide bonds.
▪20 different amino acids
exist
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 Genes & Proteins
▪There are how many
essential Amino Acids?
▪Name the essential Amino
Acids?
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 • Amino acid chains
are called
polypeptides/ Protein

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 DNA Begins the Process
• DNA is found inside the nucleus
• Proteins, however, are made in
the cytoplasm of cells by
organelles called ribosomes
• Ribosomes may be free in the
cytosol or attached to the
surface of rough ER
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 Starting with DNA
• DNA ‘s code must be copied and
taken to the cytosol
• In the cytoplasm, this code must be
read so amino acids can be
assembled to make polypeptides
(proteins)
• This process is called PROTEIN
SYNTHESIS copyright cmassengale 8
RNA (Ribonucleic
Acid)
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Roles of RNA and DNA
• DNA is the
MASTER PLAN
• RNA is the
BLUEPRINT of the
Master Plan
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RNA Differs from DNA

RNA has a DNA has a sugar

sugar ribose deoxyribose
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Other Differences:

• RNA contains the base Uracil (U)

DNA has thymine (T)
• RNA molecule is single-stranded
DNA is double-stranded

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Structure of
RNA

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Three Types of RNA
.

• Messenger RNA (mRNA) copies DNA’s

code & carries the genetic information
to the ribosomes
• Ribosomal RNA (rRNA), along with
protein, makes up the ribosomes
• Transfer RNA (tRNA) transfers amino
acids to the ribosomes where proteins
are synthesized
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Messenger RNA
• Long Straight chain of Nucleotides
• Made in the Nucleus
• Copies DNA & leaves through
nuclear pores
• Contains the Nitrogen Bases A, G,
C, U ( no T )
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 Messenger RNA (mRNA)
• Carries the information for a specific
protein
• Made up of 500 to 1000 nucleotides
long
• Sequence of 3 bases called codon
• AUG – methionine or start codon
• UAA, UAG, or UGA – stop codons
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 Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
• rRNA is a single strand
100 to 3000 nucleotides
long
• Globular in shape
• Made inside the nucleus of
a cell
• Associates with proteins to
form ribosomes
• Site of protein Synthesis
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 The Genetic Code
• A codon designates an amino acid
• An amino acid may have more
than one codon
• There are 20 amino acids, but 64
possible codons
• Some codons tell the ribosome to
stop translating
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The Genetic Code
•Use the code
by reading
from the
center to the
outside
•Example: AUG
codes for
Methionine
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Figure 17.5
Second mRNA base
U C A G
UUU UCU UAU UGU U
Phe Tyr Cys
UUC UCC UAC UGC C
U Ser
UUA UCA UAA Stop UGA Stop A
Leu

Third mRNA base (3 end of codon)

First mRNA base (5 end of codon)
UUG UCG UAG Stop UGG Trp G

CUU CCU CAU CGU U

His
CUC CCC CAC CGC C
C Leu Pro Arg
CUA CCA CAA CGA A
Gln
CUG CCG CAG CGG G

AUU ACU AAU AGU U

Asn Ser
AUC Ile ACC AAC AGC C
A Thr
AUA ACA AAA AGA A
Lys Arg
Met or
AUG start
ACG AAG AGG G

GUU GCU GAU GGU U

Asp
GUC GCC GAC GGC C
G Val Ala Gly
GUA GCA GAA GGA A
Glu
GUG GCG GAG GGG G
Name the Amino Acids

• AUG? • CCA
• UCA? • AAU
• CAU? • CGU
• GCA? • UGA
• AAA? • UAA
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 Transfer RNA (tRNA)
• Clover-leaf shape
• Single stranded molecule with
attachment site at one end for an
amino acid
• Opposite end has three nucleotide
bases called the anticodon
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 Transfer RNA
amino acid
attachment site

U A C
anticodon
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 Codons and Anticodons
• The 3 bases of an
anticodon are
complementary to
the 3 bases of a
codon UGA

• Example: Codon ACU

ACU
Anticodon UGA

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Transcription and
Translation

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Pathway to Making a
Protein
DNA

mRNA

tRNA (ribosomes)

Protein
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 Protein Synthesis
▪ The production or synthesis of
polypeptide chains (proteins)
▪ Two phases:
Transcription & Translation
▪ mRNA must be processed before it
leaves the nucleus of eukaryotic
cells
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DNA → RNA → Protein

Eukaryotic
Cell

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 Transcription
• The process of copying the
sequence of one strand of DNA,
the template strand
• mRNA copies the template strand
• Requires the enzyme RNA
Polymerase
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Template Strand

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 Question:
▪ What would be the
complementary RNA strand
for the following DNA
sequence?

DNA 5’-GCGTATG-3’
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 Answer:
• DNA 5’-GCGTATG-3’
• RNA 3’-CGCAUAC-5’

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 Transcription
• During transcription, RNA polymerase
binds to DNA and separates the DNA
strands
• RNA Polymerase then uses one strand
of DNA as a template to assemble
nucleotides into RNA

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Transcription
• Promoters are regions on DNA that
show where RNA Polymerase must bind
to begin the Transcription of RNA
• Called the TATA box
• Specific base sequences act as signals
to stop
• Called the termination signal
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 mRNA Processing
• After the DNA is transcribed
into RNA, editing must be done
to the nucleotide chain to make
the RNA functional
• Introns, non-functional
segments of DNA are snipped
out of the chain
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 mRNA Editing
• Exons, segments of DNA that code for
proteins, are then rejoined by the
enzyme ligase
• A guanine triphosphate cap is added to
the 5” end of the newly copied mRNA
• A poly A tail is added to the 3’ end of
the RNA
• The newly processed mRNA can then
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 mRNA Transcript
•mRNA leaves the nucleus
through its pores and goes
to the ribosomes

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 Result of
Transcription

New Transcript 46
 Translation
• Translation is the process of
decoding the mRNA into a
polypeptide chain
• Ribosomes read mRNA three
bases or 1 codon at a time and
construct the proteins
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• Genetic information flows
from mRNA to protein through
the process of translation

• A cell translates an mRNA

message into protein with the
help of transfer RNA (tRNA)

• tRNAs transfer amino acids to

the growing polypeptide in a
ribosome copyright cmassengale 48
 Ribosomes
Ribosomes facilitate specific
•

coupling of tRNA anticodons with

mRNA codons in protein synthesis.

The two ribosomal subunits (large

•

and small) are made of proteins and

ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
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 Ribosomes
• Composed of
rRNA (40%) and
proteins (60%)

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 – The P site holds the
tRNA that carries the
growing polypeptide
chain
– The A site holds the
tRNA that carries the
next amino acid to be
added to the chain
– The E site is the exit
site, where
discharged tRNAs
leave the ribosome

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 Building a Polypeptide
• The three stages of
translation
– Initiation
– Elongation

– Termination

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Step 1- Initiation

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Step 1- Initiation

The initiation stage of translation brings

together mRNA, a tRNA with the first
amino acid, and the two ribosomal
subunits.
First, a small ribosomal subunit binds
with mRNA and a special initiator tRNA
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 Step 1- Initiation

• Then the small subunit moves along the

mRNA until it reaches the start codon
(AUG)

• Proteins called initiation factors bring

in the large subunit that completes the
translation initiation complex
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 Step 2 - Elongation
• As ribosome moves, two tRNA with their
amino acids move into site A and P of the
ribosome
• Peptide bonds join the amino acids

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 End Product –The Protein!
• The end products of protein
synthesis is a primary structure
of a protein
• A sequence of amino acid
bonded together by peptide
bonds
aa5
aa3 aa4
aa2 aa199

aa1 copyright cmassengale aa200 58

 Messenger RNA (mRNA)
start
codon

mRNA A U G G G C U C C A U C G G C G C A U A A

codon 1 codon 2 codon 3 codon 4 codon 5 codon 6 codon 7

protein methionine glycine serine isoleucine glycine alanine stop

codon

Primary structure of a protein

aa1 aa2 aa3 aa4 aa5 aa6

peptidecopyright
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