Topic 11 Flashcards
(55 cards)
The 3 key components of translation are mRNA (information carrying molecule), tRNA (amino acid adaptor molecule) and the ribosome (amino acid linking complex). What is the fourth major translational component?
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases: a set of enzymes that couple each of the 20 amino acids to its appropriate tRNAs (charge the tRNAs)
What is the genetic code?
Information stored in mRNA is read as a triplet code, and each triplet code consists of a 3 nucleotide codon known as the genetic code.
True or false: the genetic code is degenerate
True
- The third nucleotide can wobble, allowing for more than one codon to code for a particular amino acid
Describe the structure of tRNA in general, and what 2 important parts make up the molecule
Single stranded RNA folded into cloverleaf structure by intramolecular base pairing
2 important parts:
- Anticodon loop recognizes and base pairs with the mRNA
- 3’ amino acid attachment site
Prokaryote small and large subunits of ribosome
Small subunit: 30S
Large subunit: 50S
Eukaryote small and large subunits of ribosome
Small subunit: 40S
Large subunit: 60S
Ribosomes are composed of…
One small and one large subunit, that each have: RNAs and proteins
Large subunit of ribosome function
Contains the peptidyl transferase center for peptide bond formation
Small subunit of ribosome function
Contains the decoding centre for decoding the mRNA codon
What are the three sites of the ribosome and describe them
- A (aminoacyl/acceptor) site
- incoming tRNA bound - P (peptidyl) site:
- growing polypeptide chain - E (exit) site:
- releasing tRNA
Define the ORF
A stretch of DNA or RNA sequence between a start codon and a stop codon which can be translated into a protein
Eukaryotic start codon
AUG (methionine/Met/M)
Eukaryotic stop codons
UAA, UGA, UAG
Polycistronic mRNAs
mRNAs containing multiple ORFs
- e.g. prokaryotic mRNAs
Monocistronic mRNAs
mRNAs encoding a single ORF
- e.g. eukaryotic mRNAs
How many possible reading frames are there for each DNA strand?
3
What is required on eukaryotic mRNA for recruiting ribosomes?
The 5’ cap
What does the ribosome do first after binding to the mRNA?
It scans from 5’ to 3’ until it encounters the start codon
Kozak sequence
Purine (A or G) 3 bases upstream of the start codon (AUG) followed by another ‘G’ (5’-G/ANNAUGG-3’) which increases translational efficiency
True or false: translation cannot take place without the Kozak sequence in eukaryotes
False
- Translation can take place without the Kozak sequence but it won’t be as efficient
What does the poly-A tail at the 3’ end of mRNA ensure, other than preventing 3’ to 5’ degradation?
Enhances the translational efficiency by recruiting key translation initiation factors
What are the 3 common features of tRNA?
- 75-95 ribonucleotides in length
- 3’ end terminates with CCA sequence, serving as the site for amino acid attachment
- A subset of tRNAs have modified nucleosides in their primary structure
What are three examples of modified nucleosides in tRNA primary structure?
- Uridine
- Pseudouridine (ΨU)
- Dihydrouridine (D)
Have to do with presence/placement of double bond in base
Draw out a tRNA molecule in secondary structure and label the following regions:
- Acceptor stem
- ΨU loop
- D loop
- anticodon loop
- variable loop