Final answer:
A cell responding to a signal to produce a specific protein undergoes a series of signaling, transcriptional, and translational steps involving the binding of a ligand to a receptor, the activation of transcription factors, transcription of mRNA, translation by ribosomes and tRNAs, and the folding of the protein with the assistance of chaperones.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a cell receives a signal to produce a protein that metabolizes a unique sugar, several steps are involved in the signaling, transcriptional, and translational mechanisms. Firstly, an external ligand binds to the receptor's extracellular domain, triggering a conformational change that affects the receptor's intracellular domain. This change initiates signal transduction within the cytoplasm, leading to the activation of a transcription factor which will move into the nucleus.
Inside the nucleus, the transcription factor facilitates the binding of RNA polymerase to DNA, beginning the transcription of mRNA. This mRNA then exits the nucleus and associates with a ribosome, where tRNA molecules bring the appropriate amino acids to build the protein chain. Throughout this process, chaperones assist in properly folding the protein into its functional conformation.
The entire process from the ligand binding to the receptor until the fully functional protein begins metabolizing the sugar epitomizes how cells respond to external stimuli by producing necessary proteins through complex intracellular pathways.