Reading: Transcription and Translation

Vocabulary

Central Dogma of Molecular Biology: Doctrine that genetic instructions in DNA are copied by RNA, which carries them to a ribosome where they are used to synthesize a protein.

Protein synthesis: Process in which cells make proteins that includes transcription of DNA and translation of mRNA.

Genetic Code: Universal code of three-base codons that encodes the genetic instructions for the amino acid sequence of proteins.

Codon: Group of three nitrogen bases in nucleic acids that makes up a code "word" of the genetic code and stands for an amino acid, start, or stop.

Transcription: Process in which genetic instructions in DNA are copied to form a complementary strand of mRNA.

RNA Polymerase: An enzyme that helps produce RNA during transcription.

Promoter Site: Region of a gene where a RNA polymerase binds to initiate transcription of the gene.

Introns: Non-coding regions of mRNA that are removed by splicing.

Extrons: Coding regions.

Translation: Process in which genetic instructions in m RNA are "read" to synthesize a protein.

Types of RNA

Messenger RNA (mRNA): Type of RNA that copies genetic instructions from DNA in the nucleus and carries them to ribosomes in the cytoplasm.

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA): Type of RNA that helps form ribosomes and assemble proteins.

Transfer RNA (tRNA): Type of RNA that brings amino acids to ribosomes where they are joined together to form proteins.