Heredity:

Inheritance and
Variation
 PROTEIN
SYNTHESIS
PROTEIN
• Proteins are the final product in the
central dogma of molecular biology.
• They are called the building blocks of
life because they have diverse
functions in the body.
• Proteins aid in transporting molecules
around the body
• Proteins act as enzymes.
• Proteins act as passageway of
molecules and substances into and out
of the cell.
 PROTEIN
SYNTHESIS
• The process of protein synthesis
occurs when DNA produces an
RNA template which then
directs the amino acids to be
introduced into the growing
protein chain in the proper
sequence. A specific transfer-
RNA (tRNA) attaches to each
specific amino acid and brings
the amino acid to the RNA for
incorporation.
PROCESSES IN
PROTEIN
SYNTHESIS
 TRANSCRIPTION
• Transcription is the first
part of the central dogma
of molecular biology:
DNA → RNA.
• It is the transfer of
genetic instructions in
DNA to mRNA.
• During transcription, a
strand of mRNA is made
to complement a strand
of DNA.
 STEPS OF
TRANSCRIPTION
• Initiation is the beginning of transcription. It occurs when the
enzyme RNA polymerase binds to a region of a gene called the
promoter. This signals the DNA to unwind so the enzyme can
“read” the bases in one of the DNA strands. The enzyme is ready
to make a strand of mRNA with a complementary sequence of
bases.
• Elongation is the addition of nucleotides to the mRNA strand.
• Termination is the ending of transcription. The mRNA strand is
complete, and it detaches from DNA.
TRANSCRIPTION
 TRANSLATION
• Translation is the second part of the central dogma of molecular biology:
RNA → Protein.
• It is the process in which the genetic code in mRNA is read to make a protein.
• After mRNA leaves the nucleus, it moves to a ribosome, which consists of rRNA and
proteins. The ribosome reads the sequence of codons in mRNA, and molecules of tRNA
bring amino acids to the ribosome in the correct sequence.
TRANSLATION
 GENETIC CODE
• It is the language of instructions in
mRNA.
• It is the code for each piece of
genetic information in DNA (which
specifies in one amino acid) which
is transcribed to mRNA to be
decoded during translation.
GENETIC CODE
 CODON AND
ANTICODON
• A triplet code (codon) is a code in which a sequence of three
nucleotides in DNA and later in RNA specifies one amino acid.
• Anticodon is the triplet code on tRNA which recognizes and
complements the codon on mRNA during translation.
– A start codon (code for methionine) initiates all
polypeptide synthesis.
– A terminator (stop) codon terminates the elongation of
polypeptide chain.
 ESSENTIAL AND
NON-ESSENTIAL
AMINO ACID
Essential amino acids
• Histidine Isoleucine
Non – essential amino
• Alanine acidsArginine
• Leucine Lysine • Asparagine Aspartic acid
• Methionine • Cysteine Glutamic acid
Phenylalanine • Glutamine Glycine
• Threonine Tryptophan • Proline Serine
• Valine • Tyrosine
Exercises: Determine the mRNA, anticodons in
tRNA and the corresponding amino acids based on
the given mRNA molecules.

1. 5’ GAT CGG CAT CTA GCG 3’

mRNA: CUA GCC GUA GAU
_________________________
CGC_________________________
Anticodons: GAU CGG CAU CUA
Amino acids:GCG
LEU ALA VAL ASP ARG
________________________
2. 5’ TGC GGA ATA CCA GCT 3’
ACG CCU UAU GGU
mRNA: _________________________
CGA
Anticodons: UGC GGA AUA CCA
_________________________
GCUPRO TYR GLY
Amino acids: THR
________________________
ARG