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How are proteins built using the information provided by a molecule of RNA?

User Toby Jackson
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Answer:

A cell's messenger RNA molecules contain instructions that are read by the ribosome, which then uses these mRNAs to assemble amino acids into proteins in the precise order specified by the mRNA.

How are proteins formed?

In essence, proteins are very long sequences of chemicals known as amino acids. A protein's specific amino acid arrangement defines the form it will take, which in turn affects what it will accomplish. For instance, certain proteins have the ideal structure to grasp two more molecules and smush them together in order to combine them (these proteins are called enzymes). Other proteins have the ideal structure to transport significant substances (like hemoglobin, which is a protein that carries oxygen around your blood). Your DNA is also a long chain of molecules, but these molecules are called nucleotides. There are four main nucleotides that make up the chain, and each is represented by a letter (A, C, T, and G). The sequence of "letters" in DNA contains all the information to make proteins in your body. Scientists represent DNA by writing out the sequence of "letters," like ATCTGCCATCCCGT. Now here's the important bit: these letters are arranged in 3-letter words that "mean" an amino acid. For example, "ATC" in DNA corresponds with an amino acid called glutamine. A long chain of these three letter words will match perfectly the chain of amino acids in a protein. So if a protein has amino acids 1, 2, and 3, the DNA corresponding to that protein will have the 3-letter words that mean amino acids 1, 2, and 3 in order. A sequence of DNA that matches a protein is called a gene. When it's time to make a protein, your body unravels the DNA and makes a copy of the gene on a different, very similar molecule called messenger RNA (mRNA). This copying is called transcription--like you're transcribing your notes from your notebook to your computer. This mRNA flies out to a thing in your cells called a ribosome, which actually goes through and READS the RNA sequence and attaches amino acids in the right order. So it will go "okay, these 3 letters mean this amino acid, the next 3 letters mean this amino acid, etc." and just attach all the amino acids in a row.* So you end up with a long long chain (hundreds, even thousands!) of amino acids in the exact sequence of the DNA letters that you had originally. This process of matching DNA "words" to amino acids is called translation--like you're translating from the "language" of DNA to the "language" of proteins/amino acids. This long chain of amino acids then detaches itself from the ribosome, folds itself up, and voila! You have a protein! This is happening millions of times constantly all around your body as all your cells make all the proteins they need to function. Now in reality, it's actually a lot more complicated than that--the DNA isn't always in the right order, the protein can get "cut" and shaped by other things after it detaches, etc. But this is the basic process and is what you need to know!

How does DNA/RNA store information?

Adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine/uracil are the four bases that make up the quaternary code, which is the sort of coding used by DNA and RNA to store information. Ribonucleic acid (more particularly, messenger RNA) is introduced when a cell needs to code for a protein. Temporarily attaching to the DNA bases, the mRNA bases duplicate the DNA's instructions. The mRNA next exits the nucleus and enters the ribosomes. Then transfer RNA, or tRNA, enters the picture. It has a three-base region (a codon) that binds to the mRNA and an amino acid linked to the end. The amino acid is then released once the tRNA attaches to the mRNA. After that, it joins a protein or polypeptide chain.

User Tundey
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Answer:

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) associates with a set of proteins to form ribosomes. These complex structures, which physically move along an mRNA molecule, catalyze the assembly of amino acids into protein chains. They also bind tRNAs and various accessory molecules necessary for protein synthesis.

Step-by-step explanation:

Fatty acids, in particular, essential fatty acids alpha-linolenic and linoleic acid are intimately related to managing inflammation in the body.

User Ahmad Sultan
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