(d)++Making+Proteins+(Q+14-19)

Introduction
You can’t do anything without proteins. You have nearly a million different proteins all doing different jobs, like carrying oxygen and contracting muscles. Cells use genes to make proteins, molecules involved in nearly everything a cell does. This information is then used to depict characteristics of the individual.

Translation
Each gene carries a series of coded instructions in the DNA sequence, also known as "coded words" that will create and proteins. When the cell reads the instructions encoded in the DNA sequence, each code word will then be read three bases at a time. Each code word consisting three of these letters is called a triplet or a codon, and these correspond to one amino acid in a protein. There are 20 different types of amino acids, and each has a code name: M (methionine), L (leucine), F (phelylalanine), P (proline), just like DNAs. Some codons don’t code for any of the amino acids, instead provide information such as where the start and end of one protein sequence (for one characteristic).

The tranfer RNA (t-rna) is what links these codons to the correct animo acid. This sequence of codons acts as a template so that they can code corresponding amino acids and produce proteins. The proteins will give a cell or organism a particular characteristic. The relationship between DNA bases and amino acids is called the genetic code.



For more information about triplet codes, watch this video: media type="youtube" key="rW8NKvQQ8P4" height="315" width="560"

Transcription:
All of this coded information is inside the chromosomes, which are inside the nucleus of a cell. But to get this information and form triplets, the genetic information must be copied from a gene containing a section of the original DNA double helix. Using similar rules of DNA replication, a protein called RNA polymerase binds to one of the DNA strands and copies the genetic information on the strand. This process is called transcription. The copy of the genetic information is formed as a single strand called RNA ( "How Do Cells") .

RNA then exits the cell and delivered to ribosomes by a nucleic acid called a messenger RNA (mRNA for short). Ribosomes are located right next to the outside of the nucleus, and they are responsible to manufacturing proteins. Once reaching the ribosomes, the sequence information inside will be translated into the language of amino acids like described above. This process is called translation.

The main difference between these two processes is that RNA has a different base pairing (Thymine - uracil, AKA T-U) than DNA, which is A-T.



1. The message on the DNA is copied onto RNA (mRNA).

2. Then the mRNA leaves the nucleus through small holes in the nuclear membrane and goes to a Ribosome.

3. Inside the Ribosome the message on the mRNA is read and an amino acid is built.



This process can occur very fast, as it only takes about ten seconds for a Ribosome to build up a molecule of Haemoglobin, containing over 600 amino acids. Haemoglobin, which is a protein, gives the characteristic of oxygen transport to red blood cells.

Although translation stage requires lots of energy, this stage happens very fast. For example, in bacteria, it only takes a minute to ribosomes to stitch 20 amino acids up to produce protein (Alison Davis).

Too understand this concept better; we can put it in another way so that we would understand how our body creates protein and where it comes from.
 * Building proteins is like making a cake: **
 * //The recipe book is the DNA which has all of the **instructions for making the cake**/proteins.//
 * //The recipe book is photocopied by the messenger RNA and which is carried to the cytomplasm or endoplasmic reticulum which is the **kitchen.** //
 * //The **cake mixture and ingredients** are the amino acids. //
 * //The **bake**r is the ribosomes and the transfer RNA molecules (How Stuff) //

Summary of making protein process: media type="youtube" key="_qAIE4qMTSQ" height="315" width="420" Another video on the process of making proteins: media type="youtube" key="D3fOXt4MrOM" height="315" width="560"

Works Cited:

DNALearningCenter. "Triplet Code." //YouTube//. YouTube, 22 Mar. 2010. Web. 31 May 2012. . Shadowlabsdotorg. "From DNA to Protein." //YouTube//. YouTube, 14 Jan. 2008. Web. 31 May 2012. [].

"How Do Cells Make Proteins?" // Teachers' Domain //. Exploratorium. Web. 01 June 2012. .

"DNA, Genes and Genomes - General." // YourGenome.org //. Web. 1 June 2012. .

"Cell Structure and Function." // Bio 301 //. Web. 01 June 2012. [].

Codons. 2009. YouTube. Web. 31 May 2012. [].

Alison Davis. Chapter 2: Cells 101: Business Basics. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2012. .