​Learning Objective

​Understand the process and purpose of protein synthesis via transcription and translation.

DNA is the genetic code for life, but what does the code actually do?

​DNA is a series of nucleotides that tells your body which proteins to make. The code is transcribed then translated in the process of protein synthesis

​The Basics

• DNA stores genetic code

• a copy of a gene is made and this copy is called mRNA

• mRNA is read by a ribosome

• tRNA brings in amino acids

• the amino acids chain together to create a protein

​DNA is kept safe inside of the nucleus of the cell (except for mitosis and meiosis)

​To keep DNA safe in eukaryotic cells (cells with a nucleus) a copy of the gene is made in the nucleus and then the copy exits the nucleus into the cytoplasm of the cell. This copy is called mRNA, or messenger RNA.

​RNA is different than DNA

​DNA

​RNA

​Both

• Ribose Sugar

• Nitrogenous Base Uracil

• Single Strand

• Deoxyribose Sugar

• double stranded (usually)

• Nitrogenous base Thymine

• Phosphate group - backbone of DNA

​mRNA moves into the cytoplasm and is picked up by the ribosome. Ribosomes are protein building machines.

​Each group of three nucleotides makes up a CODON. The codons tell the tRNA which amino acid to connect in the protein chain (polypeptide). The nucleotides that "match" on the tRNA are called the anti-codon.

Using these charts we can translate the mRNA into amino acids, and then a protein chain.