Flashcard 1-Unit 5-Codon Chart

Front

What is the role of mRNA in protein synthesis?

Back

mRNA (messenger RNA) carries the genetic information from DNA to the ribosome, where it serves as a template for protein synthesis.

Front

What is a codon?

Back

A codon is a sequence of three nucleotides in mRNA that corresponds to a specific amino acid or a stop signal during protein synthesis.

Front

How is the mRNA sequence transcribed from a DNA template?

Back

The mRNA sequence is transcribed by pairing complementary RNA nucleotides with the DNA template strand, replacing thymine (T) with uracil (U).

Front

What is the significance of the codon chart?

Back

The codon chart is a reference tool that shows the relationship between codons and the amino acids they encode, helping to translate mRNA sequences into protein.

Front

What amino acid does the codon AUG represent?

Back

AUG codes for Methionine, which is also the start codon for protein synthesis.

Front

How many nucleotides are needed to code for one amino acid?

Back

Three nucleotides (one codon) are needed to code for one amino acid.

Front

What is the process of translation in protein synthesis?

Back

Translation is the process where ribosomes read the mRNA sequence and assemble amino acids into a polypeptide chain based on the codons.

Front

What is the difference between DNA and RNA?

Back

DNA is double-stranded and contains thymine (T), while RNA is single-stranded and contains uracil (U) instead of thymine.

Front

What is the function of tRNA in protein synthesis?

Back

tRNA (transfer RNA) transports specific amino acids to the ribosome and matches them to the corresponding codon on the mRNA.

Front

What does the term 'stop codon' refer to?

Back

A stop codon is a codon that signals the termination of protein synthesis, indicating that the polypeptide chain is complete.