Transcription and Translation

Front

What is transcription?

Back

Transcription is the process of copying a segment of DNA into RNA. It occurs in the nucleus and involves the synthesis of messenger RNA (mRNA) from a DNA template.

Front

What is translation?

Back

Translation is the process by which ribosomes synthesize proteins using the mRNA sequence as a template. It occurs in the cytoplasm and involves tRNA bringing amino acids to the ribosome.

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

What is an anticodon?

Back

An anticodon is a sequence of three nucleotides in tRNA that is complementary to a codon in mRNA, allowing for the correct amino acid to be added during translation.

Front

What is the start codon?

Back

The start codon is the first codon of a messenger RNA (mRNA) transcript that is translated by a ribosome. It is usually AUG, which codes for the amino acid methionine.

Front

What is the role of tRNA in translation?

Back

Transfer RNA (tRNA) transports specific amino acids to the ribosome during translation, matching its anticodon with the corresponding codon on the mRNA.

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What is the difference between DNA and RNA?

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DNA is double-stranded and contains the sugar deoxyribose, while RNA is single-stranded and contains the sugar ribose. DNA uses thymine (T), whereas RNA uses uracil (U) instead.

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What is the significance of the stop codon?

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A stop codon signals the termination of protein synthesis. It does not code for any amino acid and causes the ribosome to release the newly formed polypeptide chain.

Front

What is the process of RNA splicing?

Back

RNA splicing is the process of removing introns (non-coding regions) from the pre-mRNA and joining exons (coding regions) together to form mature mRNA.

Front

What are introns and exons?

Back

Introns are non-coding sequences in a gene that are removed during RNA splicing, while exons are coding sequences that remain in the final mRNA.