Transcription takes place in the nucleus and involves splitting DNA into two strands. One strand is used as a template to create a complementary mRNA strand. The mRNA strand exits the nucleus through nuclear pores. Translation takes place in the cytoplasm where ribosomes use the mRNA to assemble amino acids brought by tRNAs into a protein chain based on the mRNA codons. tRNAs match their anticodons to mRNA codons and add amino acids to form the protein.

1. Transcription
Nucleus – where this
process takes place

20. Transcription
Inside the nucleus
DNA strand
Key:
Guanine Adenine
Hydrogen
Cytosine Thymine Bond

31. DNA Helicase

32. Transcription
Splitting of the DNA

43. Stand 2
Stand 1

44. Stand 2
Stand 1

45. Stand 2
Stand 1

46. Transcription
Splitting of the DNA Stand 2
Stand 1

47. Stand 2
Stand 1

48. Stand 2
Stand 1

49. Stand 2
Stand 1

50. Stand 2
Stand 1

51. Stand 1

52. Stand 1

53. Stand 1

54. Stand 1

55. Stand 1

56. Stand 1

62. The mRNA strand will then wined together

79. Nuclear Pore

80. Nuclear Pore

81. Nuclear Pore

82. Nuclear Pore

83. Nuclear Pore

84. Nuclear Pore

85. Nuclear Pore

86. Nuclear Pore

87. Nuclear Pore

88. Nuclear Pore

89. Nuclear Pore

90. Nuclear Pore

91. Nuclear Pore

92. Nuclear Pore

93. Nuclear Pore

94. Nuclear Pore

95. Nuclear Pore

96. Nuclear Pore

97. Nuclear Pore

98. Nuclear Pore

99. Nuclear Pore

100. Nuclear Pore

101. Nuclear Pore

102. Nuclear Pore

103. Translation
Nucleus
Cytoplasm– where the
process takes place

116. Transcription
Strand 1

117. Transcription
Strand 1

118. Transcription
Strand 1

119. Transcription
Strand 1

120. Transcription
Strand 1

121. Transcription
Strand 1

122. Transcription
Strand 1

123. Transcription
Strand 1

124. Transcription
Strand 1

126. Amino Acid
tRNA
Anti-Codons

130. Peptide Bond

131. Peptide Bond

132. Peptide Bond

137. This process can go on for a
long time.

138. End Product
Protein

139. Transcription
Strand 1
In the mRNA stand, the thymine
bases will become uracil bases
mRNA strand
Codons: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10

140. Transcription
Codon Decoding
Promoter Region Codon 1 Methionine
Codon 2 Threonine
Codon 3 Phenylalanine
Codon 4 Glutamic Acid
Codon 5 Glutamine
Coding Region
Codon 6 Cysteine
Codon 7 Arginine
Codon 8 Aspartic Acid
Codon 9 Cysteine
Termination Sequence Codon 10 Stop

141. Summary
The first step of transcription is that the DNA must unwind to
make a single-strand with the double helix. Then the DNA will
split into two identical strands. Then the DNA makes two
identical copies. Finally, the mRNA stand will wind together
again and exit out the nuclear pore. In translation, the
ribosome will attach to the mRNA then the tRNA will attach
to the free amino acid. Then, tRNA carries the amino acid to
the ribosome. Then, tRNA pairs up an anticodon with a codon
from the mRNA. After, the enzyme puts the amino acid on the
end to form a peptide bond. Finally, the protein chain will
continue to grow while each tRNA adds an amino acid to the
chain.