Final answer:
During the initiation of translation, the initiator tRNA binds to the start codon (usually AUG) on the mRNA, not directly to the minus strand used in RNA synthesis. The initiator tRNA carries a special methionine which allows it to play a pivotal role at the start of polypeptide synthesis. This process is guided by Kozak's rules in eukaryotes.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the process of protein synthesis, the transfer RNA (tRNA) performs a crucial role during translation by bringing specific amino acids to the ribosome to be added to a growing polypeptide chain. For the initiation of minus strand synthesis, or more precisely, the initial binding of tRNA during the translation process, the tRNA does not directly address minus strand synthesis. Instead, the initiator tRNA interacts with the start codon, typically AUG, found on the messenger RNA (mRNA).
During the initiation phase of translation, the complex consisting of the small ribosomal subunit and initiator tRNA, which carries a special methionine (called tRNAMet in prokaryotes and tRNAi in eukaryotes), scans the mRNA. In eukaryotes, this scanning begins from the 7-methylguanosine cap at the 5' end until it reaches the AUG start codon, according to Kozak's rules.
Upon locating the start codon, the initiator tRNA binds directly to the ribosome's P site, allowing the translation to commence and the polypeptide chain to start forming. It is important to note that the minus strand being referred to is likely in the context of a virus or a double-stranded DNA process, where the 'minus' strand serves as the template for the synthesis of RNA, but this does not directly influence where the initiator tRNA initially binds, as that occurs at the ribosome and involves mRNA.