WEEK 2 - RIBOSOMES, PROTEIN SYNTHESIS, ENDOPLASMIC R. Flashcards
RIBOSOMES, PROTEIN SYNTHESIS, ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM
ribosomes
- All living cells - role in protein synthesis
- Two main subunits, comprised of RNA and
proteins - Small subunit 40s– decodes genetic information from mRNA
- Large subunit 60s-catalyses formation of
peptide bonds between amino acids to form a polypeptide chain. - large and small ribosome subunits are assembled in the nucleolus, where newly transcribed and modified rRNAs are brought into association with the ribosomal proteins that have been transported into the nucleus after their synthesis in the cytoplasm
- Ribosome - highly ordered, with rRNA molecules forming a scaffold that positions the proteins in the correct orientation to carry out their functions
why do ribosome sizes have s e.g. 40s, 60s
- to do with their sedimentation coefficient
- when you separate them out, when you look at them biologically, you can you can basically sediment the different proteins.
- s stands for Svedberg unit
- measure of how fast a substance sediments during centrifugation
more about ribosomes
- rRNA molecules direct the catalytic steps of protein
synthesis - Active cells (rapidly growing = high protein synthesis) – more ribosomes
- Ribosomes are complexes of rRNA molecules and
proteins - Although only a few rRNA molecules are present in
each ribosome, these make up ~ 50% ribosomal mass - The remaining mass consists of a over 80 different proteins
- To maintain correct reading frame (codon) and ensure accuracy (1 error every 10,000 aa) protein
- Takes ~1 minute to synthesise a protein
ribosomes - roles of the subunits
- when subunits are not in use they are separate, large and small separate and join together only when we get a messenger RNA molecule (mRNA)
- Two subunits join on mRNA near 5’ end
- Ribosome has 4 binding sites for RNA – one for mRNA and three (A,P,E) for tRNA
- mRNA pulled through ribosome – 3 nucleotide sections at a time
- tRNA molecule is held tightly at the A and P sites only if its anti-codon form base pairs with a complementary codon (allowing it to wobble)
- tRNAs - adaptors to add each amino acid in the correct sequence
- Stop codon – two subunits separate again
- 4 aa per second (bacteria faster)
translating mRNA
- ribosome subunits come together, tRNA binds and a growing polypeptide chain which the A site is getting the chain to move down
- carboxyl end of the polypeptide chain is released from the tRNA at the P site and joined to the free amino group of the aa linked to the tRNA at A site, forming a new peptide bond
- eventually we don’t need the tRNA anymore since that’s what was localising the bases in the right position so is ejected
- large and small ribosome subunit translocate resulting in the entire ribosome to three nucleotides along the mRNA
- new tRNA is inserted and shortly after its bound it is also ejected
protein synthesis translation - key points
- Translation - in cytosol on ribosome and process by which protein is created
- Each amino acid attached to tRNA
- Nucleotides read in sets of three
- Initiated via a start codon recognised by initiator tRNA
- Reaction driven by elongation factors, using
GTP hydrolysis - Process continues until it reaches a stop codon
- Release factor binds to the ribosome – terminates translation and polypeptide is released
- Folding of newly synthesised proteins assisted by chaperone proteins
- Control mechanisms to destroy incorrectly folded proteins, since it could destroy the cell or lead to uncontrolled cell growth
DNA replication
- semi-conservative replication
- most genes contain information to make
proteins. - For minority of genes, final product is the RNA
molecule itself – generally encoded by RNA
polymerase I or III.
protein synthesis
Protein Synthesis – 2 stages:
* Transcription –DNA copied into strand of
mRNA
* Translation –formation of a chain of amino
acids
- DNA is transcribed into mRNA in the nucleus
- The mRNA leaves the nucleus and enters the cytoplasm
- The protein is translated from the mRNA sequence using the tRNA and amino acid
From DNA to RNA
- Many identical RNA copies can be made
from the same gene - Genes can be transcribed and translated with different efficiencies – different amounts of proteins so can make one or many
TRANSCRIPTION AND TRANSLATION –
KEY POINTS
- Nucleotide sequence “spells out” sequence of amino acids in a protein
- Properties/function of protein determined by 3D structure – depends
on linear sequence of the amino acids - 4-letter alphabet of DNA translates to 20-letter amino acid alphabet
Transcription
- DNA transcription - single-strand RNA molecule
complementary to one strand of the DNA double helix - Sequence of bases in RNA molecule - same as sequence of bases in the non-template DNA strand, except that a U replaces every T base in the DNA
Transcription - content
- DNA unzips: enzymes split apart base pairs and unwind the DNA
double helix - Bases pair up: Free nucleotides attach to complementary bases
along the new strands using RNA polymerase
New backbone formed: The sugar-phosphate backbone is assembled to complete the RNA strand
Three classes of RNA
- Messenger RNA (mRNA) - carry the coding sequences for protein synthesis and are called transcripts – carries message from DNA to cytoplasm
- Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) - forms the core of cell’s
ribosomes - Transfer RNA (tRNA) - carry amino acids to the ribosomes during protein synthesis
In eukaryotic cells, each class of RNA has its own polymerase - polymerase I, II, and III
RNA molcules
- single stranded
- Sugar – ribose
- Contain (U)racil not (T)hymine
- don’t form helices - fold into complex structures - stabilised by internal complementary base-
pairing
TRANSCRIPTION – COMPLETION AND
EDITING
- Once termination complete, mRNA molecule peels away from DNA template
- A nucleotide is added to 5’ end – capping (an N7-methylated guanosine)
- Noncoding nucleotide sequences (introns),
removed from mRNA strand – splicing - Sequence of adenine nucleotides called
a poly-A tail added to the 3’ end of the mRNA
molecule – polyadenylation - Poly-A tail signals that mRNA ready to leave
the nucleus – enters cytoplasm
mRNA
- Most variable class of RNA
- RNA polymerase II synthesises mRNA – requires transcription factors, signal, to initiate transcription
- mRNA cap - highly methylated modification of the 5′ end of RNA pol II-transcribed RNA.
- Protects RNA from degradation
- Recruits complexes involved in RNA processing, export and translation initiation
- Marks cellular mRNA as “self” - avoid recognition by innate immune system
- Many different mRNA molecules in a cell at any given time - some mRNA abundant, others rare
- Variable life-span
- transcripts for signalling proteins degraded in <10 mins
- transcripts for structural proteins may remain intact for >10 hrs
- Transcriptome - spectrum of mRNA molecules in a cell
- Each cell carries same DNA but transcriptome varies according to cell type and function.
* E.g. insulin-producing cells of the pancreas contain transcripts for insulin, but bone cells do
not. Even though bone cells carry the gene for insulin, this gene is not transcribed.
how is transcription regulated
- Initiation
RNA polymerase and transcription factors bind to the DNA strand at a specific
area that facilitates transcription - promoter region.
Promoter Region often includes specialised nucleotide sequence, TATAAA, (aka - TATA box) - Elongation
RNA polymerase moves down the DNA template strand in 3’ to 5’ direction,
adding complimentary nucleotides.
Remember – complimentary base pairing - Termination and editing
Elongation process needs to end and mRNA to separate from DNA template -
termination. Termination can occur as soon as the polymerase reaches the termination sequence, but in some cases a termination factor (protein) is also needed
translation
Every amino acid is represented by a three-
nucleotide sequence (codon) along the mRNA
molecule
e.g. AGC codon for serine, and UAA is a signal to
stop translating a protein (stop codon).
transcription content
- Each 3-letter combination “codes” for an amino acid
- An RNA sequence can be translated in any one of three different reading frames, depending on where the decoding process begins
- BUT, only one of the three possible reading encodes the required protein
transfer DNA (tRNA)
*nTranslation of mRNA into protein - adaptor
molecules that recognise and bind codon
and amino acid - tRNA
* Each tRNA ~ 80 nucleotides long
* Four short segments of each folded tRNA are
double-helical, producing a molecule - a cloverleaf
* The cloverleaf - further folding to form a
compact L-shape held together by hydrogen
bonds between different regions of the
molecule
* tRNAs contain some unusual bases -
produced by chemical modification after
the tRNA has been synthesized.
* e.g. bases Ψ (pseudouridine) and D
(dihydrouridine) are derived from uracil.
* The anticodon is the sequence of three
nucleotides that base-pairs with a codon
in mRNA
tRNA summary
- Matches amino acids with the appropriate codons in mRNA, pulls everything together
- Has two distinct ends - one binds to a specific amino acid, and the other binds
to the corresponding mRNA codon - During translation, tRNAs carry amino acids to the ribosome and join with their
complementary codons - Assembled amino acids are joined together as the ribosome, with its and
RNAs, move along the mRNA molecule in a ratchet-like motion - Resulting protein chains can be hundreds of amino acids in length – energy
dependent
tRNAs are covalently modified before they exit from the nucleus
- tRNAs are covalently modified before they are allowed to exit the nucleus by RNA polymerase III
- some tRNA precursors contain introns that must be spliced
HOW DOES A tRNA MOLECULE LINK TO THE CORRECT AMINO ACID?
- correct aa depends on enzymes called aminoacyl-tRNA-synthetases which covalently couple each aa to its appropriate set of tRNA molecules
- carboxyl end of the amino acid forms an ester bond to ribose – bc the hydrolysis of this ester bond is associated with a large favourable change in free energy an aa held in this way is said to be activated
- Aa linked to nucleotide at 3’ end of tRNA
- Two classes of synthetase – catalyses reaction so one links aa to 3’OH of ribose, other links to 2’-OH – esterification shifts as to 3’ position
- one enzyme for each aa
how amino acids join together
- formation of a peptide bond between the carboxyl group at the end of a growing polypeptide chain and a free amino group on an incoming aa
- protein is synthesised from its N-terminal end to its C-terminal end, one aa at a time
- growing carboxyl end of the polypeptide chain remains activated by its covalent attachment to a tRNA molecule.
- each addition disrupts this high-end covalent linkage but immediately replaces it with an identical linkage on the most recently added aa