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Related Concept Videos

Translation

Translation

Lesson: Translation
Translation is the process of synthesizing proteins from the genetic information carried by messenger RNA (mRNA). Following transcription, it constitutes the final step in the expression of genes. This process is carried out by ribosomes, complexes of protein and specialized RNA molecules. Ribosomes, transfer RNA (tRNA), and other proteins produce a chain of amino acids—the polypeptide—as the end product of translation.
Translation Produces the Building Blocks of Life

The Central Dogma

The Central Dogma

From DNA to Protein

From DNA to Protein

The flow of genetic information in cells from DNA to mRNA to protein is described by the central dogma, which states that genes specify the sequence of mRNAs, which in turn specify the sequence of amino acids making up all proteins. The decoding of one molecule to another is performed by specific proteins and RNAs. Because the information stored in DNA is so central to cellular function, it makes intuitive sense that the cell would make mRNA copies of this information for protein synthesis...

The Central Dogma

The Central Dogma

The central dogma explains the flow of genetic information from DNA nucleotides to the amino acid sequence of proteins.
RNA is the Missing Link Between DNA and Proteins
In the early 1900s, scientists discovered that DNA stores all the information needed for cellular functions and that proteins perform most of these functions. However, the mechanisms of converting genetic information into functional proteins remained unknown for many years. Initially, it was believed that a single gene is...

Translation

Translation

Lesson: Translation
Translation is the process of synthesizing proteins from the genetic information carried by messenger RNA (mRNA). Following transcription, it constitutes the final step in the expression of genes. This process is carried out by ribosomes, complexes of protein and specialized RNA molecules. Ribosomes, transfer RNA (tRNA), and other proteins produce a chain of amino acids—the polypeptide—as the end product of translation.
Translation Produces the Building Blocks of Life

The Central Dogma

The Central Dogma

The central dogma explains the flow of genetic information from DNA nucleotides to the amino acid sequence of proteins.
RNA is the Missing Link Between DNA and Proteins
In the early 1900s, scientists discovered that DNA stores all the information needed for cellular functions and that proteins perform most of these functions. However, the mechanisms of converting genetic information into functional proteins remained unknown for many years. Initially, it was believed that a single gene is...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Residue-specific Incorporation of Noncanonical Amino Acids into Model Proteins Using an Escherichia coli Cell-free Transcription-translation System

Residue-specific Incorporation of Noncanonical Amino Acids into Model Proteins Using an Escherichia coli Cell-free Transcription-translation System

Published on: August 1, 2016

The influence of codon context on genetic code translation

L Bossi, J R Roth

|July 10, 1980

Summary

Mutations affecting mRNA sequences near amber codons enhance suppressor tRNA efficiency. This discovery reveals that mRNA regions beyond the codon itself influence tRNA-mRNA interactions during translation.

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Genetics
Biochemistry

Background:

Transfer RNA (tRNA) plays a crucial role in protein synthesis by decoding messenger RNA (mRNA) codons.
Amber codons (UAG) are stop signals in mRNA, but suppressor tRNAs can sometimes translate them, leading to readthrough.
Understanding the factors that modulate suppressor tRNA efficiency is vital for gene expression studies.

Purpose of the Study:

To characterize mutations that alter the efficiency of suppressor tRNA in translating a specific amber codon.
To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the increased efficiency of suppressor tRNA.
To investigate the influence of mRNA sequences on tRNA-mRNA interactions.

Main Methods:

Genetic analysis of mutations affecting amber codon translation.

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De novo Identification of Actively Translated Open Reading Frames with Ribosome Profiling Data

De novo Identification of Actively Translated Open Reading Frames with Ribosome Profiling Data

Published on: February 18, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Residue-specific Incorporation of Noncanonical Amino Acids into Model Proteins Using an Escherichia coli Cell-free Transcription-translation System

Residue-specific Incorporation of Noncanonical Amino Acids into Model Proteins Using an Escherichia coli Cell-free Transcription-translation System

Published on: August 1, 2016

Optical Tweezers to Study RNA-Protein Interactions in Translation Regulation

Optical Tweezers to Study RNA-Protein Interactions in Translation Regulation

Published on: February 12, 2022

De novo Identification of Actively Translated Open Reading Frames with Ribosome Profiling Data

De novo Identification of Actively Translated Open Reading Frames with Ribosome Profiling Data

Published on: February 18, 2022

Biochemical assays to measure suppressor tRNA efficiency.

mRNA sequence analysis to identify critical nucleotide changes.

Main Results:

A class of mutations was identified that significantly increases suppressor tRNA deficiency at a specific amber codon.
The increased efficiency was linked to a mutation altering the mRNA nucleotide immediately downstream (3') of the UAG triplet.
This finding demonstrates that mRNA sequences outside the immediate codon influence tRNA binding and translation.

Conclusions:

mRNA sequences flanking the codon, particularly the nucleotide 3' to the UAG triplet, play a significant role in regulating suppressor tRNA efficiency.
The interaction between tRNA and mRNA is not solely determined by the codon-anticodon pairing within the triplet.
These findings provide new insights into the complexities of translational control and codon recognition.