PROTEIN SYNTHESIS

TRANSLATION
I. INITIATION

The ribosome binds to the mRNA at the start codon

(AUG) that is recognized only by the initiator tRNA
II. ELONGATION

Complexes, composed of an amino acid linked to tRNA,

sequentially bind to the appropriate codon in mRNA by
forming complementary base pairs with the tRNA
anticodon

The ribosome moves from codon to codon along the

mRNA

Amino acids are added one by one, translated into

polypeptidic sequences dictated by DNA and
represented by mRNA

TRANSLATION
III. TERMINATION
A release factor binds to the stop codon, terminating translation and
releasing the complete polypeptide from the ribosome.

tRNA
At the 3' end, a specific amino acid
can be attached to a specific tRNA
by means of specific enzymes
called aminoacyl-tRNA
synthetases. The resulting complex
of an amino acid and a tRNA is
referred to as an aminoacyl-tRNA
At the bottom loop of the
cloverleaf is a series of three
unpaired tRNA bases called the
anticodon
An anticodon is a series of three
tRNA bases complementary to a
mRNA codon

RNA Codons for Protein Synthesis

UUU = Phe
UUC = Phe
UUA = Leu
UUG = Leu

UCU = Ser
UCC = Ser
UCA = Ser
UCG = Ser

UAU = Tyr
UAC = Tyr
UAA = Stop
UAG = Stop

UGU = Cys
UGC = Cys
UGA = Stop
UGG = Trp

U
C
A
G

CUU = Leu
CUC = Leu
CUA = Leu
CUG = Leu

CCU = Pro
CCC = Pro
CCA = Pro
CCG = Pro

CAU = His
CAC = His
CAA = Gln
CAG = Gln

CGU = Arg
CGC = Arg
CGA = Arg
CGG = Arg

U
C
A
G

AUU = Ile
AUC = Ile
AUA = Ile
AUG = Met

ACU = Thr
ACC = Thr
ACA = Thr
ACG = Thr

AAU = Asn
AAC = Asn
AAA = Lys
AAG = Lys

AGU = Ser
AGC = Ser
AGA = Arg
AGG = Arg

U
C
A
G

GUU = Val
CUC = Val
GUA = Val
GUG = Val

GCU = Ala
GCC = Ala
GCA = Ala
GCG = Ala

GAU = Asp
GAC = Asp
GAA = Glu
GAG = Glu

GGU = Gly
GCG = Gly
GGA = Gly
GGG = Gly

U
C
A
G

AUG = start codon

UAA, UAG, and UGA = stop (nonsense) codons

QUIZ
DNA sequence : A G C T T A C C G T G G
mRNA sequence:
tRNA anticodon:
Amino Acid Sequence:

Characteristics of the genetic code

1.
2.
3.
4.

Specificity specific codons always codes for the same amino

acid
Universality the specificity of the genetic code has been
conserved from the very early stages of evolution
Redundancy (degeneracy) a given amino acid may have more
than one triplet coding for it
Nonoverlapping and commaless

Consequences of altering the

nucleotide sequence
SILENT MUTATION

The codon containing the changed base may code for the same amino acid
Ex.: UCA is for Ser, if the 3rd base is changed (to become UCU), it still codes
for Ser

MISSENSE MUTATION

The codon containing the changed base may code for a different amino acid.
Ex.: UCA for Ser, changing the 1st base to become CCA, it codes for Pro

Consequences of altering the

nucleotide sequence
NONSENSE MUTATION

The codon containing the charged base may become a termination codon
Ex.: UCA for Ser is given a different base (to become, UAA), the new codon is
a stop codon

Codon recognition by tRNA

Antiparallel binding between codon and anticodon

mRNA codon is read 53 by an anticodon pairing in the

flipped (35) orientation
Codon is 5-AUG-3; anticodon is 5-CAU-3

Wobble hypothesis

tRNA can recognize more than one codon for a specific

amino acid
Ex.: 2 codons for arginine, AGA and AGG, can bind to the
same anticodon having a uracil at its 5 end (UCU)
3 codons for glycine GGU, GGC, and GGA can form a base
pair from one anticodon, CCI (I is inosine nucleotide, another
peculiar base in tRNA molecules)

QUIZ
1. New amino acids (other than the initial f-Met) enter at which site?
A) E
B) P
C) A
D) Any of the above
2. At the E site
A) transfer RNA is released
B) anticodons match with codons
C) peptide bonds are formed between amino acids
D) transcription occurs
3. After the ribosome moves to the next codon on the mRNA, the growing
peptide chain is found in which position(s)?
A) A
B) P
C) E
D) A, P and E
4. The codon on tRNA matches up with the complementary anticodon on
mRNA.
A) True
B) False
5. A stop codon codes for an amino acid as well as the signal to stop.
A) True
B) False

QUIZ
6-8. Composition of the initiation complex
9. The ribosomal subunit that binds with the initiation complex is
_____.
10. What was the stop codon shown in the animation?

Translation of mRNA by tRNA:

Formation of the Initiation Complex

GTP provides
energy for the
process

ribosome
binding site

INITIATION
In prokaryotes, three initiation factors: IF-1, IF-2, IF-3
In eukaryotes, there are at least ten eIFs
Initiation in eukaryotes can be divided into 4 steps

Dissociation of the ribosome into 40s and 60 s subunits

Binding of a ternary complex consisting of met-tRNA, GTP,
and eIF-2 to the ribosome to form the preinitiation complex
Binding of mRNA to the 40s preinitiation complexto form 43s
initiation complex
The combination of the 43s initiation complex with the 60s
ribosomal subunit to form the 80s initiation complex

Translation of mRNA by tRNA:

50S Ribosomal Subunit Attaches to the Initiation Complex

Translation of mRNA by tRNA

Elongation is a Multistep Process

A.
B.
C.

Binding of Aminoacyl-tRNA to the A site Elongation factor EF1A

forms a ternary complex with GTP and the entering aminoacyltRNA
Peptide bond formation catalyzed by peptidyltransferase
Translocation deacylated tRNA is on the E site

Translation of mRNA by tRNA

Translation of mRNA by tRNA

Translation of mRNA by tRNA

Translation of mRNA by tRNA

Translation of mRNA by tRNA

Posttranslational modification
Trimmings

Portions of functionally large, inactive precursor molecules

must be removed by endoproteases to release the active
molecule

Covalent alterations

Phosphorylation occurs in the hydroxyl groups of serine,

threonine and less frequently in tyrosine
Glycosylation Ser or Thr (O-linked) and Asparagine (Nlinked)
Hydroxylation Proline and Lysine
Other covalent modification Vitamin biotin must be
covalently bound to carboxylase enzyme to be catalytically
active

ASSIGNMENT
List down antibiotics that selectively inhibit protein synthesis in
bacteria
Antibiotic
Mechanism of action
1.
Tetracycline
2.
Streptomycin
3.
Chloramphenicol
4.
Erythromycin
5.
Puromycin