What is protein synthesis?
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 Image:
K.G. Murti, Visuals Unlimited, Inc.
DNA replication fork.
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Protein synthesis is the transcription and translation of specific
parts of DNA
to form proteins.
The following is a brief overview of how a gene (a section of the
DNA molecule) serves as a template for the synthesis of a protein.
The process can be split into two phases. Transcription occurs first,
followed by translation.
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Transcription
Transcription starts with an enzyme called polymerase copying the
DNA sequence to a similar molecule called messenger RNA (mRNA).
It replaces T with U (Uracil), a helper base, making it clear that
the mRNA is a copy. The bases (A, T, G, C) on one strand of the
DNA specify the order of bases on the new strand of mRNA (A, U,
G, C). The DNA stays inside the nucleus, but the mRNA travels out
into the cytoplasm.
Translation
Translation is the part of protein synthesis where the ribosomes
in the cytoplasm use transfer RNA (tRNA) to attach to the mRNA and
translate the bases into amino
acids. tRNA molecules bring the specified amino acids that the
ribosome links together to make a protein.
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