Watch these 2 animations and try to explain what is going on.

Animation 1 Animation 2

mRNA is a message that codes for a protein

Proteins are made in the cytoplasm and then work to keep the cell alive

Translation (protein synthesis): Process of making a protein

Proteins are made up of amino acids (small building blocks)

There are 20 different types of amino acids  

1. mRNA moves out of nucleus and into cytoplasm

2. mRNA attaches to a ribosome 

3. Transfer RNA (tRNA) decodes the mRNA and brings amino acids to build up the protein

Anticodon (3 bases on tRNA): Matches up to codons on mRNA

4. Protein (chain of amino acids) detaches from ribosome and goes off to work in the cell

Code that matches codons in mRNA to amino acids on tRNAs

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