Translation And Protein Synthesis

Question 1

How many nucleotides code for an amino acid and what is it called

Answer 1

3 - a codon

Question 2

How many codons code for an amino acid and why do some codons not code?

Answer 2

61 out of 64 code for amino acids and codons that don’t code for amino acids are stop codons

Question 3

What is an open reading frame

Answer 3

The sequence of codons that runs from a specific start codon to a specific stop codon

Question 4

What codon is typically the start codon

Answer 4

AUG - Methionine (No degeneracy for this amino acid)

Question 5

How are amino acids joined onto tRNAs and why is this process important

Answer 5

Using aminoacyl-tRNA synthases, it is specific with 20 separate aminoacyl tRNA synthase enzymes which acts as the main point of specificity of mRNA

Question 6

How does ‘wobble’ create degeneracy

Answer 6

Binding of anticodon to codon does not necessarily need to match 100%, the third base of the codon and the first base of the anticodon don’t necessarily need to match

Question 7

How does inosine give more wobble (purine or pyrimidine?)

Answer 7

Inosine can bind to A, C and U (Inosine is a purine)