BIO 121

Topic 9
From DNA to Protein

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG7uCskUOrA
 Chapter Overview
The nature of genetic information

Transcription

RNA and the genetic code

Translating the code: RNA to protein

Mutated genes and their protein products

 DNA has the information to build proteins

proteins
cells

DNA gets all the glory,

Proteins do all the work
bodies
How do proteins do all the work
Proteins
proteins run living organisms
enzymes
control all chemical reactions in living organisms
structure
all living organisms are built out of proteins
 RNA vs. DNA

DNA RNA
Double stranded Single stranded
Deoxyribose sugar Ribose sugar
Bases: C,G A,T Bases: C,G,A,U

Both contain a sugar, phosphate, and base.

The nature of genetic information
 aa
aa
From nucleus to cytoplasm aa
aa
aa
aa
aa
transcription
aa
aa
DNA mRNA protein
aa
translation

trait
nucleus cytoplasm
 Chapter Overview
The nature of genetic information

Transcription

RNA and the genetic code

Translating the code: RNA to protein

Mutated genes and their protein products

KEY CONCEPT
Transcription converts a gene into a single-stranded
RNA molecule.
 Matching bases of DNA & RNA
Double stranded DNA unzips

T G G T A C A G C T A G T C A T CG T A C CG T
 Matching bases of DNA & RNA
Double stranded DNA unzips

T G G T A C A G C T A G T C A T CG T A C CG T
 Matching bases of DNA & RNA
A
Match RNA bases to DNA G
C U
bases on one of the DNA G A
G
strands U
U C U
C G
A
A C
U
A
AG
C
U
A
RNA G
A C C
polymerase
T G G T A C A G C T A G T C A T CG T A C CG T
Major players in transcription

mRNA- type of RNA

that encodes
information for the
synthesis of proteins
and carries it to a
ribosome from the
nucleus
 Major players in transcription
RNA polymerase-
complex of
enzymes with 2
functions:
Unwind DNA
sequence
Produce primary
transcript by
stringing together
the chain of RNA
nucleotides
 Transcription is catalyzed by RNA polymerase.
RNA polymerase and other proteins form a
transcription complex.
The transcription complex recognizes the start of
a gene and unwinds a segment of it.

transcription complex
start site

nucleotides
 Nucleotides pair with one strand of the DNA.
RNA polymerase bonds the nucleotides together.
The DNA helix winds again as the gene is transcribed.

DNA

RNA polymerase
moves along the DNA
 The RNA strand detaches from the DNA once the gene
is transcribed.

RNA
Post-transcriptional modifications
Primary transcript is not
mature mRNA
DNA sequence has coding
regions (exons) and non-
coding regions (introns)
Introns must be removed
before primary transcript
is mRNA and can leave
nucleus
This process is called as
alternative splicing
 Chapter Overview
The nature of genetic information

Transcription and translation

RNA and the genetic code

Translating the code: RNA to protein

Mutated genes and their protein products

 There are 3 types of RNA:
mRNA (Messenger RNA)
Carries protein-building message.
rRNA (Ribosomal RNA)
Main component of ribosomes.
Help in synthesis of protein.
tRNA (Transfer RNA)
Small in size.
Delivers different amino acid to ribosomes
during translation.
tRNA (transfer RNA)
tRNA
Transfer RNA
Bound to one amino
acid on one end
Anticodon on the other
end complements
mRNA codon
 rRNA (ribosomal RNA)
A ribosome has one large and one small subunit
The large subunit has three binding sites for tRNA.
The small subunit binds to mRNA.
 Chapter Overview
The nature of genetic information

Transcription

RNA and the genetic code

Translating the code: RNA to protein

Mutated genes and their protein products

Translating the code: RNA to protein
Translation
Protein production in cytoplasm
mRNA is on a ribosome
tRNA brings amino acids to the ribosome
 Matching bases of DNA & RNA
aa
U instead of T is matched to A aa
aa

DNA TACGCACATTTACGTACGCGG
aa
aa

aa
mRNA AUGCGUGUAAAUGCAUGCGCC
aa
aa
aa
aa
ribosome
A C C A U G U C G A U C A G U A G C A U G G C A
How does mRNA code for proteins
mRNA leaves nucleus
mRNA goes to ribosomes in cytoplasm
Proteins built from instructions on mRNA
How?
mRNA
A C C A U G U C G A U C A GU A GC A U G GC A

aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa
 How does mRNA code for proteins?
DNA TACGCACATTTACGTACGCGG

ribosome
mRNA AUGCGUGUAAAUGCAUGCGCC
?
protein Met Arg Val Asn Ala Cys Ala
aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa

How can you code for 20 amino acids with

only 4 DNA bases (A,U,G,C)?
mRNA codes for proteins in triplets
DNA TACGCACATTTACGTACGCGG

codon

mRNA AUGCGUGUAAAUGCAUGCGCC
ribosome

?
protein Met Arg Val Asn Ala Cys Ala

Codon = block of 3 mRNA bases

 The mRNA code

For ALL life!

strongest support for a
common origin for all
life

Start codon
AUG
methionine
Stop codons
UGA, UAA, UAG
How are the codons matched to amino
acids?

DNA TACGCACATTTACGTACGCGG

mRNA AUGCGUGUAAAUGCAUGCGCC
codon
UAC
tRNA GCA
Met CAU anti-codon
amino Arg
acid Val
Anti-codon = block of 3 tRNA bases
 mRNA to protein = Translation
The working instructions mRNA
The reader ribosome
The transporter transfer RNA (tRNA)

ribosome
mRNA
A C C A U G U C G A U C A GU A GC A U G GC A

U GG
tRNA
U A C
A G C
aa tRNA
U AG
aa tRNA
aa aa tRNA
aa
aa
 From gene to protein
aa

aa
transcription translation aa

DNA mRNA protein aa

aa
aa

aa
ribosome
A C CA U GU C G A U C A GU A GC A U GGC A

tRNA
nucleus cytoplasm
aa
trait
 aa
cytoplasm aa
protein aa
aa
aa
transcription translation aa
aa
aa
aa
aa

aa

nucleus
trait
 Translation:
3 stages:
a) Initiation
b) Elongation
c) Termination
 Initiation of Translation
The initiation stage of translation brings together
mRNA, tRNA bearing the first amino acid of the
polypeptide (start codon), and two subunits of a
ribosome Large
ribosomal
P site subunit
3 U A C 5
5 A U G 3

Initiator tRNA
GTP GDP
E A
mRNA
5 3 5 3
Start codon

mRNA binding site Small Translation initiation complex

ribosomal
subunit

1 2
A small ribosomal subunit binds to a molecule of
mRNA. In a prokaryotic cell, the mRNA binding site
on this subunit recognizes a specific nucleotide
sequence on the mRNA just upstream of the start
codon. An initiator tRNA, with the anticodon UAC,
base-pairs with the start codon, AUG. This tRNA
carries the amino acid methionine (Met).
The arrival of a large ribosomal subunit completes
the initiation complex. Proteins called initiation
factors (not shown) are required to bring all the
translation components together. GTP provides
the energy for the assembly. The initiator tRNA is
in the P site; the A site is available to the tRNA
bearing the next amino acid.
 Elongation of the Polypeptide Chain
In the elongation stage, amino acids are added
one by one to the preceding amino acid
1 Codon recognition. The anticodon
TRANSCRIPTION DNA
Amino end of an incoming aminoacyl tRNA
mRNA
of polypeptide base-pairs with the complementary
Ribosome
TRANSLATION mRNA codon in the A site. Hydrolysis
Polypeptide
of GTP increases the accuracy and
E efficiency of this step.
mRNA 3
Ribosome ready for P A
next aminoacyl tRNA 5 site site
2 GTP
2 GDP

E E

P A P A

2 Peptide bond formation. An

GDP
3 Translocation. The ribosome rRNA molecule of the large
GTP
subunit catalyzes the formation
translocates the tRNA in the A
of a peptide bond between the
site to the P site. The empty tRNA
new amino acid in the A site and
in the P site is moved to the E site, E
the carboxyl end of the growing
where it is released. The mRNA
polypeptide in the P site. This step
moves along with its bound tRNAs,
P A attaches the polypeptide to the
bringing the next codon to be
tRNA in the A site.
translated into the A site.
 Termination of Translation
The final stage is termination when the ribosome
reaches a stop codon in the mRNA

Release
factor
Free
polypeptide

5
3 3
3
5 5
Stop codon
(UAG, UAA, or UGA)
1 When a ribosome reaches a stop 2 The release factor hydrolyzes 3 The two ribosomal subunits
codon on mRNA, the A site of the the bond between the tRNA in and the other components of
ribosome accepts a protein called the P site and the last amino the assembly dissociate.
a release factor instead of tRNA. acid of the polypeptide chain.
The polypeptide is thus freed
from the ribosome.
 Chapter Overview
The nature of genetic information

Transcription

RNA and the genetic code

Translating the code: RNA to protein

Mutated genes and their protein products

 MUTATIONS
a permanent changes in DNA
(nucleotide sequence) that affect
genetic information
 Mutated genes and their protein
products

Common mutation include:

Deletions
Insertions
Substitutions
 Gene Mutations
Substitution
THE FAT CAT ATE THE RAT
THE FAT HAT ATE THE RAT
Insertion
THE FAT CAT ATE THE RAT
THE FAT CAT XLW ATE THE RAT
Deletion
THE FAT CAT ATE THE RAT
THE FAT ATE THE RAT
 Deletion:
Loss of a particular nucleotide
This causes the reading frame of mRNA
codons to shift
Exp: beta thalassemia
Insertion:
Extra bases get inserted into a gene
This causes frameshifts
Base-pair substitution:
A nucleotide and its partner are replaced by a
different base pair
Deletion
 Substitution
Sickle Cell disease is
the result of one
nucleotide substitution
Substitution of valine
for glutamic acid in beta
globin of haemoglobin

Occurs in the
hemoglobin gene
 What causes mutations?
Transposable element:
Segment of DNA that can spontaneously
move to a new location in a chromosome
It can be hundreds or thousands of base
pairs long, so when one interrupts a gene it
becomes a major insertion that changes the
genes product
Insertion mutation also caused by
transposable elements

The transposable elements (DNA) can insert

themselves anywhere in a chromosome.
Example of Transposable elements
 How do mutations arise?
Causes:
a) Harmful environmental agents X-rays
b) Non-ionizing radiation UV light
c) Natural or synthetic chemicals cigarette
smoke
d) DNA polymerase errors during replication
Some mutations even make it on TV!
Tutorial 9