Translation

Unit 3.4
 Learning Objectives

v Explain what is meant by “wobble” in

tRNA binding.

v Predict the anticodon of a tRNA for a

given amino acid using the codon
table.

v Translate a stretch of DNA coding

sequence into its polypeptide
product.
 Gene Expression
1. Transcription
2. Translation
/coding strand

Base pairing
determines the
relationship
between DNA and
mRNA and tRNA
 Gene Expression
1. Transcription
2. Translation
/coding strand

Base pairing
determines the
relationship
between DNA and
mRNA and tRNA
RNA is translated into a protein beginning at the start
codon and ending at the stop codon
Ribosome Binding Site
codons

RNA 5’ RBS START UUU STOP 3’

+1 site 5’ UTR 3’ UTR

Protein N MET PHE C

AA1 AA2 AA3 AA4

UTR = Untranslated region

The genetic code is redundant
Redundant = more than one codon for any amino acid
 tRNA Wobble Effect
Consider the six codons that code for arginine

Codon
sequence
CGU CGC CGA CGG AGA AGG
(on
mRNA)
Anti-
codon
GCA GCG GCU GCC UCU UCC
sequence
(on tRNA)

tRNA and their anti-codons

are anti-parallel to the
codons!

mRNA 5’ – C G U – 3’
Note: the tRNA image
tRNA 3’ – G C A – 5’ anti-codon is shown
5’ ® 3’ = 5’ ACG 3’
 tRNA Wobble Effect

Consider the six codons that code for arginine

Codon 5’ 3’
CGU CGC CGA CGG AGA AGG
(mRNA)

Anti-
3’ 5’
codon GCA GCG GCU GCC UCU UCC
(tRNA)

For the 1st four codons – each share the same 2 bases C and G
i.e. 5’ CG-X 3’

For the next set of codons, they share A and G

Adapted from Jared Taylor

 tRNA Wobble Effect

v The wobble effect means that if the first two

bases of a codon and anti-codon match on the
tRNA, the third one may vary.

v This allows cells to make less than the expected

61 amino acid tRNAs.
v If the wobble effect does not exist, cells will
need to have 61 different tRNAs (anti-codon) to
cover all possible codon sequence combinations.

v 4 bases x 4 bases x 4 bases – 3 stop codons = 61

combos

Adapted from Jared Taylor

 tRNA Wobble Effect
Consider the six codons that code for arginine

Codon 5’CGU3’ CGC CGA CGG AGA AGG

(mRNA)

Anti-
codon 3’GCA5’ GCG GCU GCC UCU UCC
(tRNA)

1 different tRNA anti- 1 tRNA anti-codons

Minimum number codons that begin with that begin with UC
of tRNA required GC can bind mRNA can bind mRNA
in THEORY codons that begin with codons that begin
CG with AG

For all 6 possible codons:

● Need less than 4 tRNAs (anti-codons) to bind to “GC-X” codons
● Need less than 2 tRNAs (anti-codon) to bind to “AGA” or “AGG”

Adapted from Jared Taylor

 tRNA Wobble Effect
v You won’t be tested on the specific combinations
of the wobble effect

v For the exams, you only need to understand the

concept of wobble and how it is used in the cell

v For questions involving the wobble effect, we

will assume that as long as the first two bases
of a codon match, the third one can “wobble”
to anything else

v Please note that wobble and redundancy are not

the same thing – we will discuss this in lecture
Adapted from Jared Taylor
 FYI – the Reality
v Cells typically possess more than the theoretical
minimum required number of tRNAs to maintain
the accuracy and specificity of translation.

v As an example, E. coli cells have about 47 tRNAs.

v If the third codon base can always ”wobble“ to

anything else, problems can occur.
Practice Questions
A gene from an E. coli bacterium cell was sequenced and a
small stretch of this DNA is shown below. Only the start
codon (AUG), plus 3 amino acids, and the stop codon (UAA,
UAG, or UGA) of the protein are represented by this DNA
sequence (i.e. the DNA downstream of the promoter, after
the +1 site)

5’– TTAATATGATCTTCGACTAGCTACAGCATTT – 3’
3’– AATTATACTAGAAGCTGATCGATGTCGTAAA – 5’

a) How many ATG codons are present in both strands?

b) Which strand is the template strand (top or bottom)?

c) Transcribe the mRNA strand and label the directionality

d) Write out the sequence of the 4 amino acids (including

methionine) and label the directionality.
Breakout Groups
Complete the quiz on the BIOL 112 Tutorial
Canvas site in your breakout groups

§ Everyone should be participating in the group discussion

§ Remember you are answering your own Canvas quiz, you do not
have to provide the answer that the group believes is right if
you think it is wrong

§ You will have about 25 minutes for 4 questions (~6 minutes per
question) to complete the quiz before your breakout groups
end

§ After the breakout groups, we can go over anything that

remains unclear
Canvas Quiz