Can You TRANSLATE That Into English Please?

If you were having trouble understanding RNA transcription, please see my posting addressing that issue. If you are good on that topic but stuck on translation, hopefully I can help you out with that.

By the way, Biology is not meant to sound like another language. While the terms and concepts are difficult, Biology does make sense if you just take time with the material.

Translation is the process where messenger RNA (mRNA), made from RNA transcription is used to make proteins. Translation occurs in the cytoplasm of a cell on a ribosome. Remember, ribosomes are the cell organelles used to make proteins. I will explain what happens during translation now, but PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, watch this video in addiction to reading, because this video is VERY helpful in allowing you to actually see translation occur.

During translation, the mRNA molecule moves through the cytoplasm and eventually sits on a ribosome. A transfer RNA molecule (tRNA) goes to meet up with the mRNA molecule. The tRNA molecule looks like this:



The tRNA molecule carries an amino acid on one side and has an anticodon on another side. OK, let's break this down. Think about a pearl necklace. Each pearl on that necklace is like an amino acid, and the entire necklace would be a protein (not literally, of course). So when a bunch of amino acids are bonded together, they form a protein. That means that many tRNA molecules are involved in making one protein. Now an anticodon is just a fancy word for a three-nucleotide sequence that complementary base pairs to an mRNA codon or three-nucleotide sequence. For example: If I had an mRNA codon that was AGC, then a tRNA molecule carrying the anticodon UCG would bind to the mRNA strand.

Once that bond takes place, the tRNA releases the amino acid and the process is complete. Remember, the number of codons on the mRNA molecule determines the number of tRNA molecules needed to bring amino acids. That also determines how long the protein will be. WATCH THE VIDEO! I promise, it will help!


And finally, once our proteins are expressed or "turned on" so many great things can happen. For example, the pigments in your eyes and skin are the results of proteins being expressed. Cool, huh? That is how you get your phenotype.