Translation Tutorial

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Start from the beginning

Transcription review

The Genetic Code

Transfer RNA

Performing the Process

Review Questions

Translation

Translation takes place at the ribosome and it’s the process of the ribosomes creating proteins from smaller amino acids. How did we get to the ribosome? Let’s review.

ribosome

ribosomeribosome

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Transcription Review

A process called transcription starts in the nucleus, where an enzyme called RNA polymerase splits the DNA molecule.

CELL NUCEUS

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ribosome

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Transcription Review

A process called transcription starts in the nucleus, where an enzyme called RNA polymerase splits the DNA molecule.

Next, free floating mRNA nucleotides bond to the open DNA molecule.

Once finished, the mRNA breaks away and exits the nucleus. The mRNA will then join a ribosome. Now, the process of translation will begin.

CELL NUCEUS

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ribosome

AUG CCA UAU GGC UAA GCA

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Translation Process

The ribosome will read 3 mRNA nucleotides at a time. The 3 mRNA nucleotides are called a codon. Each codon will match for the delivery of a specific amino acid.

Remember that amino acids link together to create a single protein.

ribosome

Click to see the codons

It took scientists many years of experimentation to learn which codon creates which amino acid.

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The Genetic Code

This table is the same for almost every organism on Earth. In the chart above, click on the “AUG” codon.

BACK Find AUG… This code calls for the delivery of the amino

acid called methionine. Give it a click.

AUG codon

Correct! Whenever an AUG codon is read by the ribosome, the amino acid called METHIONINE will be delivered to the ribosome. Notice how the chart says “start codon” below methionine? This also means that the codon AUG will activate the ribosome to start the process of making a protein.

Click on the CCA codon.

BACK Find CCA… This code calls for the delivery of the

amino acid called proline. Give it a click.

CCA codon

Correct! Whenever a CCA codon is read by the ribosome, the amino acid called PROLINE will be delivered to the ribosome. This process will continue until a “Stop codon” is read by the ribosome. This is how the ribosome knows that a protein is finished.

Click on any of the STOP CODONS.

BACK Find the Stop Codons… These codes tells the

ribosome to stop making a protein. Give one a click.

Transfer RNACorrect! Stop codons tell

the ribosome to stop making a protein.

So who…or what…is delivering these amino acids? In the cytoplasm, there are countless amino acids and other molecules called transfer RNA (tRNA). tRNA will pick up the proper amino acid and deliver it to the ribosome.

Amino Acidmethionine

Amino Acidserine

Amino acidproline

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Watching the ProcessThe mRNA enters the ribosome. The ribosome will begin to read the mRNA one codon

at a time. Click on the amino acid that will be 1st delivered to the ribosome? Hint: Examine the Genetic Code chart on your handout to find the 1st codon.

ribosome

phenylalanine

leucine

isoleucine

methionine

valine

serine

proline

threonine

alanine

tyrosine

histidine

glutamine

asparagine

lysine

Aspartic acid

Glutamic acid

cysteine

tryptophan

arginine

glycine

Amino acidmethionine

Now that methionine is delivered, tRNA drops off methionine and the ribosome moves to the next codon.

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Stop codon

choices

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1st codon

Examine the chart on your handout. Find the AUG code.

AUG = methionine

Watching the ProcessThe mRNA enters the ribosome. The ribosome will begin to read the mRNA one codon

at a time. Click on the amino acid that will be 1st delivered to the ribosome? Hint: Examine the Genetic Code chart on your handout to find the 1st codon.

ribosome

phenylalanine

leucine

isoleucine

methionine

valine

serine

proline

threonine

alanine

tyrosine

histidine

glutamine

asparagine

lysine

Aspartic acid

Glutamic acid

cysteine

tryptophan

arginine

glycine

Amino acidmethionine

Now that methionine is delivered, tRNA drops off methionine and the ribosome moves to the next codon.

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Stop codon

choices

BACK

Watching the ProcessThe mRNA enters the ribosome. The ribosome will begin to read the mRNA one codon

at a time. Click on the amino acid that will be 1st delivered to the ribosome? Hint: Examine the Genetic Code chart on your handout to find the 1st codon.

ribosome

phenylalanine

leucine

isoleucine

methionine

valine

serine

proline

threonine

alanine

tyrosine

histidine

glutamine

asparagine

lysine

Aspartic acid

Glutamic acid

cysteine

tryptophan

arginine

glycine

Amino acidmethionine

Now that methionine is delivered, tRNA drops off methionine and the ribosome moves to the next codon.

Click on the next amino acid to be delivered.

Stop codon

choices

2nd codon

Examine the chart on your handout. Find the CCA code.

CCA = proline

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Watching the ProcessCorrect! CCA is the codon for the amino acid proline. Transfer RNA will deliver

proline to the ribosome.

phenylalanine

leucine

isoleucine

methionine

valine

serine

proline

threonine

alanine

tyrosine

histidine

glutamine

asparagine

lysine

Aspartic acid

Glutamic acid

cysteine

tryptophan

arginine

glycine

ribosome

Amino acidmethionine

Amino Acidproline

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Again, tRNA will drop off the amino acid and exit. The ribosome will move to the next codon.

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Stop codon

choices

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Watching the ProcessCorrect! CCA is the codon for the amino acid proline. Transfer RNA will deliver

proline to the ribosome.

phenylalanine

leucine

isoleucine

methionine

valine

serine

proline

threonine

alanine

tyrosine

histidine

glutamine

asparagine

lysine

Aspartic acid

Glutamic acid

cysteine

tryptophan

arginine

glycine

ribosome

Amino acidmethionine

Amino Acidproline

Again, tRNA will drop off the amino acid and exit. The ribosome will move to the next codon.

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Stop codon

choices

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Watching the ProcessClick on the amino acid which will be the 3rd delivered to the ribosome.

phenylalanine

leucine

isoleucine

methionine

valine

serine

proline

threonine

alanine

tyrosine

histidine

glutamine

asparagine

lysine

Aspartic acid

Glutamic acid

cysteine

tryptophan

arginine

glycine

ribosome

Amino acidmethionine

Amino Acidproline

Amino Acidtyrosine

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Once again, the tRNA exits and the ribosome moves down a notch.

Stop codon

choices

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Examine the chart on your handout. Find the UAU code.

UAU = tyrosine

Watching the ProcessClick on the amino acid which will the 3rd delivered to the ribosome.

phenylalanine

leucine

isoleucine

methionine

valine

serine

proline

threonine

alanine

tyrosine

histidine

glutamine

asparagine

lysine

Aspartic acid

Glutamic acid

cysteine

tryptophan

arginine

glycine

ribosome

Amino acidmethionine

Amino Acidproline

Amino Acidtyrosine

Once again, the tRNA exits and the ribosome moves down a notch.

Click on the amino acid that will be 4th delivered.

Stop codon

choices

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Examine the chart on your handout. Find the GGC code. GGC = glycine

Watching the ProcessYep… GGC is the codon for the amino acid GLYCINE. Transfer RNA will deliver

glycine to the ribosome.

phenylalanine

leucine

isoleucine

methionine

valine

serine

proline

threonine

alanine

tyrosine

histidine

glutamine

asparagine

lysine

Aspartic acid

Glutamic acid

cysteine

tryptophan

arginine

glycine

ribosome

Amino acidmethionine

Amino Acidproline Amino Acid

tyrosine

Amino Acidglycine

Now what happens? next

Stop codon

tRNA exitsmRNA readsthe DNA

DNA helix splits

choices

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This already

happened.

This already happened.

Watching the ProcessYou got it!

phenylalanine

leucine

isoleucine

methionine

valine

serine

proline

threonine

alanine

tyrosine

histidine

glutamine

asparagine

lysine

Aspartic acid

Glutamic acid

cysteine

tryptophan

arginine

glycine

ribosome

Amino acidmethionine

Amino Acidproline Amino Acid

tyrosine

Amino Acidglycine

Examine the next codon and click the proper choice from the table below.

Stop codon

choices

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Examine the chart on your handout. Find the UAA code.

UAA = stop codon

Watching the ProcessSTOP! This protein is finished. The ribosome and mRNA will break apart. How

many amino acids long is this finished protein?

phenylalanine

leucine

isoleucine

methionine

valine

serine

proline

threonine

alanine

tyrosine

histidine

glutamine

asparagine

lysine

Aspartic acid

Glutamic acid

cysteine

tryptophan

arginine

glycine

ribosome

Amino acidmethionine

Amino Acidproline Amino Acid

tyrosine

Amino Acidglycine

Stop codon

One

Four

Two

Three

Five

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Just count em up. Methionine, proline, tyrosine, glycine

Just count em up. Methionine, proline, tyrosine, glycine

Just count em up. Methionine, proline, tyrosine, glycine

Just count em up. Methionine, proline, tyrosine, glycine

This protein is only 4 amino acids in length. In reality, they are often thousands of amino acids in size. This finished protein will now by used by the cell or exported by which organelle of the cell?

Amino acidmethionine

Amino Acidproline Amino Acid

tyrosine

Amino Acidglycine

mitochondria

Golgi body

Rough ER

Chloroplast

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Creates ATP molecules

Transports ribosomes around the cell

Performs photosynthesis to make sugar

Final ReviewGood memory.

Review #1: Which process creates the mRNA that is read by the ribosome?

Replication Transcription Translation

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This process creates more DNA

This process creates proteins

Final Review

Correct!

Review #2: What does tRNA deliver to the ribosome?

mRNA DNA ProteinsAmino acids

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Proteins are the final product. What are their smaller parts called?

DNA holds the information to make a protein

mRNA contains the codes needed to make a protein

Final ReviewCorrect!

Review #3: Which molecule directly determines which amino acid transfer RNA delivers to the ribosome?

Messenger RNA DNA RNA Polymerase The Nucleus

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This molecule indirectly holds the code to make an amino acid

This enzyme splits DNA during transcription

The nucleus only stores the DNA

Final ReviewCorrect!

Review #4: Where does the process of translation take place?

At theribosome

Inside thenucleus

Inside theGolgi body

Inside thevacuole

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This is where transcription happens

This is where proteins go before they are exported from the cell

The vacuole holds food and water

Final ReviewCorrect!

Review #5: If the DNA code was TTC-AAT-GGC, perform transcription to determine the mRNA code.

AAG-UUA-CCG

AAG-TTA-CCG

TTC-AAT-GGC

UUG-TTA-UCG

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DNA A with RNA UDNA T with RNA ADNA C with RNA GDNA G with RNA C

DNA A with RNA UDNA T with RNA ADNA C with RNA GDNA G with RNA C

DNA A with RNA UDNA T with RNA ADNA C with RNA GDNA G with RNA C

Final ReviewCorrect!

Review #6: If the mRNA code is AAG-UUA-CCG, which three amino acids are going to be delivered to the ribosome?

LYSINE – LEUCINE - PROLINE

SERINE – METHIONINE - GLUTAMIC ACID

LEUCINE - PROLINE - VALINE

LYSINE – CYSTEINE - ASPARAGINE

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Correct!

I hope this tutorial was helpful. Turn in your handout. Feel free to start over if you would like to do some review.

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-UUA-CCG

I will help you get started. The first codon is AAG. Find AAG on the mRNA codon chart. AAG codes for lysine. This is the amino acid that tRNA will deliver.

AAG