Protein Synthesis

By Nathan Lingenfelter

In Transcription, RNA polymerase unwinds a small portion of the DNA. Then, mRNA matches the bases of the DNA. The mRNA breaks away from the DNA and passes through the nuclear pores to get to the ribosomes.

Ribosome

Nucleus

ThymineAdenineGuanineCytosine

PromoterOperator DNA Strand

ThymineAdenineGuanineCytosine

DNA StrandPromoterOperator

ThymineAdenineGuanineCytosine

DNA StrandPromoterOperator

ThymineAdenineGuanineCytosine

DNA Strand

DNA Polymerase

PromoterOperator

ThymineAdenineGuanineCytosine

DNA Strand

DNA Polymerase

PromoterOperator

ThymineAdenineGuanineCytosine

DNA Strand

DNA Polymerase

PromoterOperator

ThymineAdenineGuanineCytosine

DNA Strand

DNA Polymerase

PromoterOperator

ThymineAdenineGuanineCytosine

DNA Strand

DNA Polymerase

PromoterOperator

ThymineAdenineGuanineCytosine

DNA Strand

DNA Polymerase

PromoterOperator

ThymineAdenineGuanineCytosine

DNA Strand

DNA Polymerase

PromoterOperator

ThymineAdenineGuanineCytosine

DNA Strand

DNA PolymerasePromoterOperator

ThymineAdenineGuanineCytosine

DNA Strand

DNA Polymerase

PromoterOperator

Coding Region TerminationSequence

ThymineAdenineGuanineCytosine

DNA Strand

Uracil

Coding Region TerminationSequence

DNA Strand

ThymineAdenineGuanineCytosine

Uracil

DNA Strand

ThymineAdenineGuanineCytosine

Uracil

DNA Strand

ThymineAdenineGuanineCytosine

Uracil

DNA Strand AdenineGuanineCytosine

Uracil

DNA Strand AdenineGuanineCytosine

Uracil

mRNA

Ribosome

Nucleus

Cytoplasm

Ribosome

Nucleus

Cytoplasm

Ribosome

Nucleus

Cytoplasm

through nuclear pore

Ribosome

Nucleus

Cytoplasm

Ribosome

Nucleus

Cytoplasm

mRNA

In Translation, the mRNA comes in contact with the ribosomes. The ribosome then reads the mRNA and translates it. Then, tRNA anticodons are created for each codon. These anticodons code for a specific amino acid. The tRNA finds the correct amino acid and all the amino acids are strung together to form a protein.

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

mRNA

Peptide Bond

mRNA

Peptide Bond

mRNA

Peptide Bond

mRNA

Peptide Bond

mRNA

Peptide Bond tRNA (anticodon)

mRNA

Peptide Bond tRNA (anticodon)

mRNA

Peptide Bond tRNA (anticodon)

mRNA

Peptide Bond tRNA (anticodon)

mRNA

Peptide Bond tRNA (anticodon)Amino acid

mRNA

Peptide Bond tRNA (anticodon)Amino acid

mRNA

Methionine (start)

mRNA

Methionine (start) Stop

mRNA

mRNA

Completed Protein