Glossary - Protein Synthesis

A piece or section of DNA which codes for the making of a protein

• Gene

• DNA

• Triplet

• Codon

The name of the three consecutive bases on the DNA

• Triplet

• Codon

• Anticodon

• Peptide

The process of decoding a strand of mRNA to produce a particular sequence of amino acids.

• Translation

• Transcription

• Replication

• Mutation

A protein which acts as a biological catalyst to speed up the rate of a chemical reaction in an organism

• Enzyme

• Hormone

• Substrate

• Receptor

The start signals on the mRNA which initiates translation. Always AUG

• Start codon

• Stop codon

• Anticodon

• Codon

Ribonucleic acid. There are three types of RNA: tRNA, mRNA and rRNA

• RNA

• DNA

• Protein

• Amino acid

The process of making an RNA copy of a gene's DNA sequence. It occurs in the nucleus and is controlled by the enzyme RNA polymerase

• Transcription

• Translation

• Replication

• Mutation

Messenger RNA. Made during transcription in the nucleus. Carries the instructions to the ribosome to make a polypeptide chain (protein).

• tRNA

• mRNA

• rRNA

• DNA

A substance made up of many amino acids joined together to form a polypeptide chain, which gets folded into a functional protein.

• Amino acid

• Polypeptide

• Gene

• Enzyme

These 3 codons on the mRNA (UUA, UAG, UGA) do not code for an amino acid therefore telling the ribosome where to stop translation

• Stop codon

• Start codon

• Anticodon

• Codon