PROTEIN SYNTHESIS
TRANSCRIPTION
TRANSLATION
Edward V. Ganggang, RN, LPT
Teacher in Biological Science
DNA
and
Genes
2
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 cells
copyright cmassengale 3
Genes & Proteins
Proteins are made of
amino acids linked
together by peptide
bonds
20 different amino acids
exist
4
Amino Acid Structure
5
Polypeptides
• Amino acid
chains are
called
polypeptides
6
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
7
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
8
RNA
9
10
Roles of RNA and DNA
• DNA is the MASTER
PLAN
• RNA is the
BLUEPRINT of the
Master Plan
11
RNA Differs from DNA
• RNA has a sugar ribose
DNA has a sugar deoxyribose
12
Other Differences
• RNA contains the
base uracil (U)
DNA has thymine (T)
• RNA molecule is
single-stranded
DNA is double-
stranded
DNA 13
Structure of RNA
14
15
.
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
16
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 )
17
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
18
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
19
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
20
The Genetic Code
•Use the code
by reading
from the
center to the
outside
•Example: AUG
codes for
Methionine
21
Name the Amino Acids
• GGG?
• UCA?
• CAU?
• GCA?
• AAA?
22
Remember the
Complementary Bases
On DNA:
A-T
C-G
On RNA:
A-U
C-G
23
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
24
Transfer RNA
amino acid
attachment site
U A C
anticodon 25
Codons and Anticodons
• The 3 bases of an
anticodon are
complementary to
the 3 bases of a
codon
UGA
• Example: Codon ACU
Anticodon UGA
ACU
26
Transcription
and
Translation
27
Pathway to Making a
Protein
DNA
mRNA
tRNA (ribosomes)
Protein
28
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
29
DNA RNA Protein
Nuclear
DNA membrane
Transcription
Pre-mRNA
Eukaryotic RNA Processing
Cell mRNA
Ribosome
Translation
Protein
30
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
31
Template Strand
32
Question:
What would be the
complementary RNA strand
for the following DNA
sequence?
DNA 5’-GCGTATG-3’
33
Answer:
• DNA 5’-GCGTATG-3’
• RNA 3’-CGCAUAC-5’
34
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
35
Transcription
• Promoters are regions on
DNA that show where RNA
Polymerase must bind to
begin the Transcription of
RNA
• TATA box
• Termination signal
36
RNA Polymerase
37
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
38
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 leave the nucleus
39
Result of Transcription
New Transcript Tail
CAP 40
mRNA Transcript
•mRNA leaves the nucleus
through its pores and goes to
the ribosomes
41
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
42
Transcription
Translation
43
Ribosomes
• Made of a large and small
subunit
• Composed of rRNA (40%)
and proteins (60%)
• Have two sites for tRNA
attachment --- P and A
44
Step 1- Initiation
• mRNA transcript
start codon AUG
attaches to the
small ribosomal
subunit
• Small subunit
attaches to large
ribosomal subunit
mRNA transcript
45
Ribosomes
Large
subunit
P A
Site Site
mRNA
A U G C U A C U U C G
Small
subunit 46
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
47
Initiation
aa2
aa1
2-tRNA
1-tRNA
G A U
anticodon U A C
hydrogen A U G C U A C U U C G A
bonds codon mRNA
48
Elongation
peptide bond
aa3
aa1 aa2
3-tRNA
1-tRNA 2-tRNA G A A
anticodon U A C G A U
hydrogen A U G C U A C U U C G A
bonds codon mRNA
49
aa1 peptide bond
aa3
aa2
1-tRNA
U A C 3-tRNA
(leaves)
2-tRNA G A A
G A U
A U G C U A C U U C G A
mRNA
50
Ribosomes move over one codon
peptide bonds
aa1 aa4
aa2 aa3
4-tRNA
2-tRNA 3-tRNA G C U
G A U G A A
A U G C U A C U U C G A A C U
mRNA
51
peptide bonds
aa1 aa4
aa2
aa3
2-tRNA
4-tRNA
G A U
(leaves) 3-tRNA G C U
G A A
A U G C U A C U U C G A A C U
mRNA
Ribosomes move over one codon 52
peptide bonds aa5
aa1
aa2
aa4
aa3
5-tRNA
U G A
3-tRNA 4-tRNA
G A A G C U
G C U A C U U C G A A C U
mRNA
53
aa1 peptide bonds aa5
aa2
aa3
aa4
5-tRNA
3-tRNA U G A
G A A 4-tRNA
G C U
G C U A C U U C G A A C U
mRNA
54
Ribosomes move over one codon
aa5
aa4 aa199
Termination
aa3 primary aa200
structure
aa2 of a protein
aa1
terminator
200-tRNA
or stop
codon
A C U C A U G U U U A G
mRNA
55
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 aa200
56
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
peptide bonds 57
