Sie sind auf Seite 1von 2

Evan Bouman Period 1 Protein Synthesis Protein Synthesis is the making of proteins from the information in DNA.

The reason DNA information is made into a protein is so its genotype can be expressed, which also leads to phenotypic traits. DNA contains heritable information which is eventually passed on into phenotypic traits, which are made up of proteins with different functions. The first step leading up to protein synthesis is the replicating of the DNA. DNA contains four different bases called Adenine (A), Cytosine (C), Guanine (G), and Thymine (T). A and T go together as complementary bases, and C and G go together. DNA is in the form of a double helix, resembling a twisted ladder. In order for it to replicate it unravels into two separate strands, while those two strands are being built upon to make two exact copies of the original DNA. For example, if one of the strands that unraveled had rungs that were A, C, G, T, A, G, A, then the other side being built onto it would be made up of T, G, C, A, T, C, T. Notice that the A is pairing up with Ts and likewise Cs with Gs. After the DNA is replicated, it sits inside the cells nucleus. The next step in protein synthesis is called transcription. An enzyme called RNA polymerase transcribes RNA from the DNA. RNA differs from DNA in that the nitrogenous base T is replaced with a base called Uracil (U). RNA polymerase attaches to the DNA and causes the two strands to separate. The enzyme moves along the DNA strand and nucleotides fill in the DNA template with the complementary bases. Eventually the RNA molecule strips away from

the DNA and is called mRNA (m for messenger). The mRNA is further processed until it leaves the nucleus and goes into the cytoplasm. The next step is called translation. This step is where the mRNA is translated into an amino acid sequence of a protein. This requires the use of a transfer RNA (tRNA). The tRNA links each amino acid with the correct codon, which is a triplet of bases. Each tRNA has an enzyme at one end that attaches a specific amino acid, and an anti-codon at the other end, which is complementary to a particular mRNA codon. Ribosomes are the things that make polypeptide chains and where the mRNA is translated. Translation starts when an mRNA and a tRNA attach to a certain mRNA codon called the start codon. The next thing that happens is called elongation, which is the process of adding amino acids to the chain. When the chain finishes it encounters a codon called the stop codon, similar to the start codon that makes the last polypeptide separate from the tRNA and the ribosome. This is the end of protein synthesis. Sickle cell anemia is a hereditary disease that causes red blood cells to form in a sickle shape. The thing that causes sickle cell anemia is most likely a mutation called a substitution, which substitutes one base for a different one. This changes multiple things and potentially causes sickle cell anemia. The mistake probably happened in the DNA because the DNA carries hereditary information to make up the cells genotype and phenotype, which includes the creating of hemoglobin molecules for the bodys red blood cells. In the case of the mutation happening in the DNA, the mutation would cause the new DNA strands to also have the mutation because of how DNA reproduces (makes exact copies). The mutation would mess up the hereditary information, causing the DNA to pass the mutation on, in this case sickle cell anemia, to its daughter strands. This would explain why the disease is hereditary.

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen