Transcription and translation are the two processes by which DNA is converted into functional proteins. During transcription, the DNA code is copied into a messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule. The mRNA then directs protein synthesis during translation, where ribosomes read the mRNA code and link amino acids together to form a protein chain based on the genetic instructions.

1. Transcription
• Tyler Campbell pd.7

2. DNA The whole step of transcription involves
an mRNA copy of the gene is made, it
carries the encoded information to the
mRNA cytoplasm.
Nucleus
RNA polymerase-Reads DNA and build
the mRNA unit.

3. Promoter- turns the
gene on and off.

4. Coding region- This encodes the
information for the protein to
use.

5. Termination sequence-
signals the end of the
gene.

6. Now the promoter turns the genes on. It acts light
electricity and turns them on.

7. CC Now the
GG polymerase
A T recognizes
T A promoter
C
C and
T A produces
G G protein.
A T
C
G G
A T
T A A- adenine, T-
C C Thymine= blue
T A
GG G- Guanine, C-
Cytosine= red
CC
CC
GG
T A
C C
T A
A T
GG
C C
A T
C C
T A

8. CC
G G
The DNA
A T
T A polymerase
binds to the
CC
DNA and
T A
double helix
G G unwinds or
A T
C unzips. It is
G G transferring
A T the DNA
T A code into a
C C mRNA code.
T A
GG
CC
CC
GG A
T C
C
T A
A T
GG T
C
A C
T C C
A

9. CC The
G G coding
A u region
u A
reache
CC s the
u A single
G G strand
A u and
C
builds
G G
A mRNA
u
T A copy
C C of it to
u A read.
G
G The T
CC is now
C a U.
G G
A
u C
C
A
u u
A
GG
A C C
u
CC

10. C RNA polyme
C
G G reads the
A u nucleotides
u A decodes the
CC mRNA code
A nucleotides
u
break free a
G G
A u turns into th
C double helix
G G again.
A u
u A
C C
u A
G G
C C
C C
G G
u A
C C
u A
A u
G G
C C
A u
C C

11. CC
GG The
A u termination
u A sequence
C
C comes in
u A causes the
G G mRNA strand
A u to fall off of
C the DNA
G G strand to
A u stop copying.
u A
C C
u A
GG
CC
CC
GG
u A
C C
u A
A u
GG
C C
A u
C C
u A

12. Translation

13. The mRNA strand is read and amino acids
are linked together into a protein at the first
part of translation.

14. The mRNA strand is read and amino acids
are linked together into a protein at the first
part of translation.
mRNA strand.

15. Now ribosomes read the
sequence of mRNA.

16. The ribosome links together
the amino acid also present
in the cytoplasm.
Amino acid pool

17. Now the individual nucleotides in the
sequence are seen.
G C A A U U G C G G A U U A C G

18. The ribosome attaches to
the mRNA strand and reads
a codon at a time, (which is
3 nucleotides).
A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G

19. A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G

20. A U G G C G G A U U A C G

21. A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G

22. A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G

23. A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G
U A C
tRNA

24. A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G
U A C
Amino acid

25. Anti codon
A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G
U A C
The amino acids
are transferred to
the ribosome by
tRNA molecules.

26. Anti codon
A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G
The anticodon of
tRNA dictates
which amino acid it
carries to the
ribosome.

27. The tRNA structure is coiled up in the A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G
proper shape and now has read the
codes.
UAC
UAA
UGC
GCC

28. The tRNA binds to the mRNA code.
A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G
U A C
UAC
UAA
UGC
GCC

29. The tRNA binds to the mRNA code.
A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G
U A C, A A C,
UAC
UAA
UGC
GCC

30. The tRNA binds to the mRNA code.
A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G
U A C, A A C, G C C,
UAC
UAA
UGC
GCC

31. The tRNA binds to the mRNA code.
A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G
U A C, A A C, G C C, U A A,
UAC
UAA
UGC
GCC

32. The tRNA binds to the mRNA code.
A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G
U A C, A A C, G C C, U A A, U G C
UAC
UAA
UGC
GCC

33. During this process 2
A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G
amino acids come
U A C, A A C, G C C, U A A, U G C together to form a
peptide bond.
UAC
UAA
UGC
GCC
Peptide bond
Peptide bond

34. As the tRNA matches
A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G
each codon and
U A C, A A C, G C C, U A A, U G C binds to the
ribosome, and the
UAC amino acids bond.
UAA
UGC
GCC

35. This process
A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G
continues until it
U A C, A A C, G C C, U A A, U G C reaches the end of
the gene.
UAC
UAA
UGC
GCC

36. The last tRNA falls
A U G U U G C G G A U U A C G
off of the ribosome
U A C, A A C, G C C, U A A, U G C and the ribosome
falls off of the mRNA
UAC strand.
UAA
UGC
GCC

37. Now the amino acid chain folds into a 3-
dimensional figure ran by the order of amino
acids. This structure gives each protein its
own function.

38. The overall process of translation involves
ribosomes reading the mRNA’s code and
turning into tRNA’s code so it can make
protein.

39. The mRNA strand has bases on
it, the ribosome is reading
them.

40. The mRNA strand has bases on
it, the ribosome is reading
them.
AUG

41. The mRNA strand has bases on
it, the ribosome is reading
them.
AUU
AUG
UUA

42. The mRNA strand has bases on
it, the ribosome is reading
them.
GCA AUU AUG
CGA UUA
AAG

43. The mRNA strand has bases on
it, the ribosome is reading
them.
AUU
GCA AUG AAG
GGG UUA CGA
UAU AGC

44. The mRNA strand has bases on
it, the ribosome is reading
them.
AUG AAA UUA AUU
UUU CCC GGG AAG
CGG GCA CGA
UAU AGC
GGG AAG

45. The termination sequence has
stopped the ribosomes from
reading them.
AUG AAA UUA AUU
UUU CCC GGG AAG
CGG GCA CGA
UAU AGC
GGG AAG

46. Summary of steps
In transcription- The DNA code copy for you gets split in half from the DNA
polmerase and gets turned into a double helix again, the ribosome reads it and this
time has the code for an mRNA.
In translation- The mRNA strand is read and amino acids are put together to from a
protein and make a new code for tRNA from mrNA.

47. The process of translation and
transcription is done
The End