Final answer:
tRNAs act as adaptors during the translation process, bridging the genetic code between mRNA and amino acids, ensuring that each amino acid is properly added to the growing polypeptide chain.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the decoding of the information in an mRNA, tRNAs act as adaptors. These transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules are intricately involved in protein synthesis, where their role is critical in translating the genetic information carried by mRNA into a sequence of amino acids to form proteins. These adaptor molecules have to meet certain specific interactions:
- They must be recognized by the correct aminoacyl tRNA synthetases.
- They must be recognized by ribosomes during the process of translation.
- They must bind to the correct sequence in mRNA, ensuring the right amino acid is added to the polypeptide chain.
In the cytoplasm, there are typically 40 to 60 different types of tRNAs, each specific to certain amino acids and corresponding mRNA codons. The process of tRNA 'charging' involves each tRNA molecule being bonded to its correct amino acid, which is then brought to the growing polypeptide chain. This precise mechanism underlines the crucial role of tRNAs in life's fundamental process of protein synthesis.