Final answer:
Chemically-modified bases in tRNA can influence the translation process, and affect the stability and function of proteins. These modifications can also alter gene expression and protein regulation in response to external stimuli.
Step-by-step explanation:
Chemically-Modified Bases in tRNA
Chemically-modified bases in transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules can affect several aspects of protein synthesis, including the stability and function of both the RNA and the protein itself. Transfer RNAs are crucial because they are responsible for reading the information encoded in the mRNA and transferring the appropriate amino acid to the growing polypeptide chain. Modifications such as phosphorylation can prevent proper translation by altering the protein initiator complex that must assemble on the RNA. Additionally, these modifications can induce changes in expression of various genes by affecting different biological processes such as epigenetic accessibility, transcription, mRNA stability, or translation in response to external stimuli.
The phosphorylation of a protein can also influence other critical regulatory mechanisms within the cell, including accessibility to the chromosome, nuclear shuttling, and post-translational modifications, which all ultimately affect the protein's role and lifespan within the cell.