Protein Synthesis: A Stepwise Description

Protein synthesis occurs inside

every living cell. Your DNA
contains the code for many
different proteins. Proteins, or
peptide chains, are long chains of
amino acids.

Empty tRNA will be

refilled with its
corresponding amino
acid by an enzyme.

A peptide bond is the bond

between two amino acids. A
peptide chain is a long chain
of bonded amino acids.
Because all proteins are
peptide chains, the terms are
often used interchangeably.

Step 2: Elongation
A tRNA strand makes its way to the ribosome. If
its codon complements the mRNA codon, it is
accepted. This process repeats. With two tRNA
strands now next to each other, a bond forms
between their amino acids. The first tRNA is
discarded, and the ribosome continues to bond a
new tRNA to the next mRNA codon.

Step 1: Initiation
A strand of mRNA is picked up and read by a
ribosome. When the ribosome reads a certain
codon on the mRNA (3 letters: AUG), it knows
to begin accepting tRNA strands carrying amino
acids. A tRNA strand binds to the
complementary section of mRNA, the first
codon after the start codon.

Transfer RNA, or tRNA, carries

amino acids. Each molecule of tRNA
has a section called a codon at one
end, a structure composed of a 3-letter
code made of A, C, G, and U. Each
different amino acid will bind to a
particular code, or set of codes.

Messenger RNA, or mRNA, is a copy

of a segment of DNA. This copy
guides the synthesis of a particular
protein coded for by that segment of
RNA.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped
ia/commons/0/0f/Peptide_syn.png

Step 3: Termination
When the protein coded within the mRNA is
completed, the mRNA conveys that fact with a stop
codon. A stop codon is one of 4 3-letter codes that
signifies to the ribosome to stop building the
protein, and discharge it into the cell. An enzyme
will uptake the protein and transport it to another
area as necessary.