translation - begins when mRNA binds to rRNA
- tRNA w/ complementary 3-nucleotide sequence (anticodon)
- 45 different tRNA molecules (some tRNA recognize more than 1 codon)
- activating enzymes - pairs 3-nucleotide sequences w/ amino acids
- aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase - 1 exists for each of 20 common proteins, attaches tRNA to amino acids
- corresponds to an amino acid and 1-6 different anticodons
- nonsense codons - UAA, UAG, UGA
- has no complementary anticodon
- used as “stop signals
- methionine - AUG, “start” signal
- initiation - begins w/ initiation complex formation
- initiation factors - proteins that position tRNAfMet(in prokaryotes) or methionine (in eukaryotes) at P site, where peptide bonds form
- A (aminoacyl) site - where successive amino-acid-bearing tRNA will bind
- E (exit) site - where empty tRNA exit ribosome
- positioning of mRNA determines reading frame
- leader sequence - marks beginning of each mRNA
- prokaryotes include several genes on a single mRNA (polycistronic mRNA)
- eukaryotes include 1 gene per mRNA (monocistronic mRNA)
- elongation - elongation factor proteins bind tRNA to mRNA at A site
- ribosome catalyzes reaction that removes amino acid from tRNA and creates peptide bond w/ next amino acid
- translocation - ribosome moves amino acids out, through E site
- termination - nonsense codons recognized by release factors (proteins that release polypeptides from ribosome)