Coupled Transcription-Translation Essay

Transcription is the formation of an RNA strand from a DNA template within the nucleus of a cell. There are four nucleotides of DNA. These are adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine. These nucleotides are transcribed to form messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) consisting of nucleotides made of adenine, cytosine, guanine and uracil. This transcription from DNA to mRNA happens by an RNA polymerase II. This newly created mRNA is read in the 5' to 3' direction in sets of 3. These sets are called codons. Each mRNA also has a cap and end. On the 5 prime side is a methylated guanine triphosphate and on the 3 prime is a poly A tail. Messenger RNA then moves to the cells cytoplasm and through the cells ribosomes for translation. Messenger RNA is matched to molecules of transfer RNA (tRNA) in the ribosomes to create amino acids. These amino acids subsequently form an amino acid chain. (Osuri, 2003) A visual representation of this can been viewed in figure 3.

3) As a ribosome moves along the mRNA, the genetic message is translated into a protein with a specific amino acid sequence.

After the DNA has been turned into mRNA a process called translation occurs and it turns the mRNA into tRNA.

Translation is a task that makes ribosomes synthesize proteins utilizing mRNA transcript made during transcription. In the begining of this task mRNA attaches it self to a ribosome so that it can be reveal a codon (three nucleotides).

1. Arrange the following molecules from least to most specific with respect to the original nucleotide sequence: RNA, DNA, Amino Acid, Protein

The virus fuses with the cell’s plasma membrane. The capsid proteins are removed, releasing the viral proteins and RNA. Reverse transcriptase catalyzes the synthesis of a DNA strand complementary to the viral RNA. Reverse transcriptase catalyzes the synthesis of a second DNA strand complementary to the first. The double-stranded DNA is incorporated as a provirus into the cell’s DNA. Proviral genes are transcribed into RNA molecules, which serve as genomes for the next viral generation and as mRNAs for translation into viral proteins. The viral proteins include capsid proteins and reverse transcriptase (made in the cytosol) and envelope glycoproteins (made in the ER). Vesicles transport the glycoproteins from the ER to the cell’s plasma membrane. Capsids are assembled around viral genomes and reverse transcriptase molecules. New viruses bud off from the host cell.

RNA processing: In eukaryotic cells, introns, non-coding regions of RNA, are removed and a tail and a cap is added to RNA to help its movement.

Transcription is a process in which genetic information from DNA is encoded onto messenger RNA, by unwinding the DNA and splicing exons and introns and coding them onto the mRNA so the DNA itself is not used directly. Translation is a process by which ribosomes reads the mRNA to determine the amino acid sequence of the protein.

Proteins are polymeric chains that are built from monomers called amino acids. All structural and functional properties of proteins derive from the chemical properties of the polypeptide chain. There are four levels of protein structural organization: primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary. Primary structure is defined as the linear sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain. The secondary structure refers to certain regular geometric figures of the chain. Tertiary structure results from long-range contacts within the chain. The quaternary structure is the organization of protein subunits, or two or more independent polypeptide chains.

Protein Synthesis Protein Synthesis is the process whereby DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) codes for the production of essential proteins, such as enzymes and hormones. Proteins are long chains of molecules called amino acids. Different proteins are made by using different sequences and varying numbers of amino acids. The smallest protein consists of fifty amino acids and the largest is about three thousand amino acids long. Protein synthesis occurs on ribosomes in the cytoplasm of a cell but is controlled by DNA located in the nucleus.

One of the fundamental discoveries of the 20th century was that DNA was the genetic code’s physical structure (Watson & Crick, 1953) and, since then, many studies have disclosed the complicated pattern of regulation and expression of genes, which involve RNA synthesis and its subsequent translation into proteins.

Finally, all the nucleotides are joined to form a complete polynucleotide chain using DNA polymerase. The two new DNA molecules form double helices.

The formation of a protein begins in the genes, which contain the basic building information for all parts of living organisms. There are four DNA nucleotides that make up genes: A, T, C, and G. A codon is any arrangement of three of these nucleotides. Each triplet of nucleotides codes for one amino acid. First transcription will begin in the nucleus where mRNA will transcribe the DNA template. During both transcription and translation, there are three steps. The first step in transcription is initiation where RNA polymerase separates a DNA strand and binds RNA nucleotides to the DNA. RNA nucleotides are the same as DNA ones except that U replaces the T. The second is just the elongation of the mRNA. The third step of transcription is termination. This occurs when RNA polymerase reads a codon region and the mRNA separates from the

The last stage of the process, joining, involves bonding of complementary nucleotide to each other so as to form new strands. The nucleotides are joined to one another by hydrogen bonds to form a new DNA molecule. This joining continues until a new polynucleotide chain has been formed alongside the old one, forming a new double-helix molecule. This stage of the process also takes place with the assistance of enzymes. The DNA polymerase links the complementary nucleotides

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor http://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/interpreters-and-translators.htm employment for interpreters and translators is projected to grow 46 percent from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average of all occupations. Employment growth reflects increasing globalization and a more diverse U.S. population, which is expected to require more interpreters and translators.