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True or false:

On an aminoacyl-tRNA, the amino acid is linked to the 5'-phosphate of the tRNA molecule

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The statement about aminoacyl-tRNA is false because the amino acid is linked to the 3' end of the tRNA, not the 5'-phosphate. This process, known as tRNA 'charging,' involves aminoacyl tRNA synthetases specific to each amino acid.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement concerning an aminoacyl-tRNA is false: on an aminoacyl-tRNA, the amino acid is not linked to the 5'-phosphate of the tRNA molecule. Instead, the amino acid is linked to the 3' end of the tRNA. The attachment of an amino acid to a tRNA molecule is a process known as 'charging' or 'aminoacylation.' This critical process involves a group of enzymes called aminoacyl tRNA synthetases. Each amino acid has at least one specific aminoacyl tRNA synthetase that facilitates its attachment to the appropriate tRNA molecule.

In the process of tRNA 'charging,' the aminoacyl tRNA synthetase catalyzes the binding of an amino acid to adenosine monophosphate (AMP), forming an enzyme-AMP-amino acid complex. This charged intermediate then allows the transfer of the amino acid from the enzyme to the tRNA molecule at its 3' end. The result is a 'charged' tRNA ready to participate in protein synthesis during translation at the ribosome.

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