Biology Lec 8 D ‫اول بصريات‬ ‫حسن عبد الهادي الجابري‬

RNA, DNA Transcription and RNA Translation

RNA (RiboNucleic Acid): are long single-strand macromolecules that transfer the
genetic code need for the creation of proteins from the nucleus to the ribosome, it involve
in protein synthesis.

DNA RNA
Double- stranded molecule Single-stranded molecule
Found in nucleus Found in Nucleolus, cytoplasm and
ribosome
Sugar is deoxyribose which has -H Sugar is ribose which has -OH
attached to the second (2') carbon in attached to the second (2') carbon in
the ring the ring
Bases are A,T,C,G Bases are A,U,C,G
A-T (Adenine-Thymine) A-U (Adenine-Uracil)
G-C (Guanine-Cytosine) G-C (Guanine-Cytosine)
Genetic information Protein synthesis
Longer Shorter

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 Biology Lec 8 D ‫اول بصريات‬ ‫حسن عبد الهادي الجابري‬
Q/ There are three main types of RNA:
 Messenger RNA (mRNA) transcribes genetic information from the DNA found in
nucleus, and then carries this information to the cytoplasm and ribosome.
 Transfer RNA (tRNA) is found in cytoplasm and is closely related to mRNA as
helper. tRNA transfers amino acids, the building block of proteins, to the mRNA in a
ribosome.
 Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is take mRNA and tRNA to translate the information that
provide to synthesize, a polypeptide or protein.

DNA Transcription: is the process in which a gene's DNA sequence is copied (transcribed)
to make an RNA molecule by RNA polymerase, which is the main transcription enzyme.
RNA polymerase: is the main transcription enzyme.

DNA Transcription steps:

1. Initiation: The DNA molecule unwinds and separates to form a small open complex.
RNA polymerase binds to the promoter sequence near the beginning of a gene of the
template strand.

2. Elongation: RNA polymerase moves along one of the DNA strands (template strand) as
a template to make a new, complementary RNA molecule.

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 Biology Lec 8 D ‫اول بصريات‬ ‫حسن عبد الهادي الجابري‬

3. Termination: It is the process of transcription ends that results in the release of the newly
synthesized mRNA.
Rho-dependent termination: is protein factor that responsible for disrupting the complex
involving the template strand, RNA polymerase and RNA molecule.

Rho-independent termination: is loop forms at the end of the RNA molecule, causing it
to detach itself.

4. Processing: After transcription the RNA molecule is processed in a number of ways:

introns are removed and the exons are spliced together to form a mature mRNA molecule
consisting of a single protein-coding sequence. RNA synthesis involves the normal base
pairing rules, but the base thymine is replaced with the base uracil.

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 Biology Lec 8 D ‫اول بصريات‬ ‫حسن عبد الهادي الجابري‬
RNA Translation: During translation, a cell “reads” the information in a messenger RNA
(mRNA) and uses it to build a protein.

RNA Translation steps:

1. Initiation: The small subunit of the ribosome binds at the 5' end of the mRNA molecule
and moves in a 3' direction until it meets a start codon (AUG). It then forms a complex with
the large unit of the ribosome and tRNA molecule.

2. Elongation: tRNAs move through the A, P, and E sites of the ribosome. This process
repeats many times as new codons on the mRNA are read and new amino acids are added
to the chain, producing a chain of amino acids.

P site (peptidyl site): is bind to the tRNA holding the growing polypeptide chain of amino
acids.

A site (acceptor site): is bind to the next tRNA, which holds the new amino acid to be added
to the polypeptide chain.

E site (exit site): is the final transitory step before a tRNA now bereft of its amino acid is
let go by the ribosome.

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 Biology Lec 8 D ‫اول بصريات‬ ‫حسن عبد الهادي الجابري‬
3. Termination: Translation in terminated when the ribosomal complex reached one of stop
codons (UAA, UAG, UGA) and the ribosome releases the polypeptide.

4. Post-translation processing of the protein

Central Dogma of Molecular Biology

5' – ACGACTTGC – 3' Coding strand

DNA
3' – TGCTGAACG – 5' Non-coding strand(template)

5' – ACGACTTGC – 3' First strand

3' – TGCTGAACG – 5'

DNA Replication

5' – ACGACTTGC – 3'

3' – TGCTGAACG – 5' Second strand

3' – TGCTGAACG – 5' DNA

DNA Transcription
5' – ACGACUUGC – 3' mRNA

5' – ACGACUUGC – 3' mRNA RNA Translation

protein