Introduction to DNA Transcription and Translation

So proteins are determined by the chain of amino acids that make them up

But how do our protein makers know which amino acids to add?

We Shall Start the Process of Transcribing the DNA (Genetic Blue Print)

1. Open up and Read the DNA strand

2. Make a copy of the DNA sequence in RNA that we will call Messenger RNA (mRNA)

3. Send the copy out of the Nucleus to be read off of, so that proteins can be made

Let’s make a Template People! We need to copy DNA, but only copy it – how about a messenger version called mRNA

mRNA Leaving Nucleus

This is the end of Transcription – the creation of mRNA!

When mRNA meets tRNA, the message is written, or TRANSLATED! The result is amino acid linking into protein!

Note how the tRNA to the left leaves and donates the amino acid to the neighbor on the right

On mRNA, there are words, composed of 3 letters

3 Letters = 1 Word (a CODON)

Each word = an AMINO ACID

DNA Sentences are Wonderful – okay, I’m lying,

but they’re on the test

Alanine

Valine

Cysteine

Arginine

Glycine

Proline

Amino AcidGCA

GUA

UGU

AGA

GGA

CCA

CODON

STOP construction!UGA

The Ribosome (the Hamburger)

tRNA (the Amino Acid delivery man)

• The ribosome is the site of protein synthesis, one amino acid at a time.

• tRNA is the evil little delivery system, which happens to be made of RNA

mRNA copied off a DNA strand pops out of the nucleus!

tRNA delivering the Amino Acid to the matching mRNA destination

Amino Acid chain growing

And this happens very quickly all at once...And this happens very quickly all at once...

mRNA

Amino Acids to protein