Answer:
Protein synthesis is the process by which cells create new proteins, which are essential for various cellular functions. The process of protein synthesis involves two main stages: transcription and translation.
Transcription:
1. DNA double helix is unzipped by the enzyme helicase to expose the nucleotide bases.
2. RNA polymerase binds to a specific site on the DNA strand called the promoter region.
3. RNA polymerase adds complementary RNA nucleotides to form a single-stranded mRNA molecule.
4. mRNA molecule is created by reading the template strand of DNA (non-coding) in the 5' to 3' direction.
Translation:
1. mRNA molecule is transported out of the nucleus and into the cytoplasm of the cell.
2. Ribosomes attach to the mRNA molecule and begin translating the sequence of codons into amino acids.
3. Transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules bring the corresponding amino acid to the ribosome.
4. The ribosome reads the codon on the mRNA and matches it with the appropriate amino acid brought by the tRNA.
5. The ribosome forms a peptide bond between the amino acids, and the growing protein chain is elongated.
6. The process continues until a stop codon is reached, and the completed protein is released from the ribosome.
After protein synthesis is complete, the new protein is folded and modified as needed to create a functional protein.
Step-by-step explanation: