Translation

Question 1

Translation

Answer 1

Occurs when the code for mRNA is read and converted into an amino acid sequence.

Question 2

Step 1.

Answer 2

After the mRNA has left the nucleus and moved into the cytoplasm… A ribosome binds to a 5’ end of mRNA, it scans along until it finds a particular sequence of bases - AUG (Start codon).

Question 3

Step 2.

Answer 3

The ribosome allows the tRNA molecule with an anticodon that is complementary to Aug to bind to the mRNA.

Question 4

Step 3.

Answer 4

This first tRNA molecule will always have the amino acid Methionine attached to it. The ribosome takes hold of this amino acid.

Question 5

Step 4.

Answer 5

The ribosome then moves on to the next ‘codon’ (series of 3 bases) and allows a complementary tRNA molecule to bind to it.

Question 6

Step 5.

Answer 6

The ribosome joins the amino acid from this tRNA molecule to the one before it using a peptide bond.

Question 7

Step 6.

Answer 7

It then repeats steps 4 and 5 until it reaches a ‘stop codon’ at which there are no more amino acids added to the sequence and the protein is complete.

Question 8

Step 7.

Answer 8

tRNA molecules are released from the mRNA after the amino acid is removed. They are free to pick up a replacement amino acid and be reused.