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Ch.11 Nucleic Acids Big Molecules with a Big Role
Frost - General, Organic and Biological Chemistry 4th Edition
Frost4th EditionGeneral, Organic and Biological ChemistryISBN: 9780134988696Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksFrost 4th EditionCh.11 Nucleic Acids Big Molecules with a Big RoleProblem 39a
Chapter 7, Problem 39a

Consider the following portion of mRNA produced by the normal order of DNA nucleotides:
5'CUU|AAA|CGA|GUU3'
a. Write the amino acid sequence that would be produced from this mRNA.

Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the problem. The mRNA sequence provided is 5'CUU|AAA|CGA|GUU3'. Each group of three nucleotides (codon) corresponds to a specific amino acid based on the genetic code.
Step 2: Use the genetic code chart to decode each codon. Match each codon in the mRNA sequence to its corresponding amino acid. For example, CUU corresponds to Leucine (Leu), AAA corresponds to Lysine (Lys), CGA corresponds to Arginine (Arg), and GUU corresponds to Valine (Val).
Step 3: Write the amino acid sequence in the order the codons appear in the mRNA. The sequence will be Leu-Lys-Arg-Val.
Step 4: Remember that the mRNA sequence is read from the 5' to 3' direction, and the amino acids are synthesized in the same order.
Step 5: Verify your work by double-checking each codon against the genetic code chart to ensure the correct amino acid sequence is derived.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

mRNA Translation

mRNA translation is the process by which ribosomes synthesize proteins based on the sequence of nucleotides in messenger RNA (mRNA). Each set of three nucleotides, known as a codon, corresponds to a specific amino acid. Understanding this process is crucial for determining the amino acid sequence encoded by the mRNA.
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Introduction to Translation Concept 1

Codons and Amino Acids

Codons are sequences of three nucleotides in mRNA that specify a particular amino acid during protein synthesis. The genetic code, which is nearly universal, maps each codon to its corresponding amino acid. For example, the codon 'CUU' codes for leucine, while 'AAA' codes for lysine.
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5' to 3' Directionality

The 5' to 3' directionality of nucleic acids indicates the orientation of the nucleotide chain, which is crucial for both transcription and translation. In mRNA, the 5' end is where the ribosome binds to initiate translation, and the sequence is read in the 5' to 3' direction to assemble the corresponding amino acids into a polypeptide chain.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Why are there at least 20 tRNAs?

Textbook Question

Provide the three-letter amino acid sequence expected from each of the following mRNA segments:

b. 5'UUU|CCC|UUU|CCC3'

Textbook Question

The following portion of DNA is in the template DNA strand: 3'TGT|GGG|GTT|ATT5'

b. Write the anticodons corresponding to the codons on the mRNA.

Textbook Question

Consider the following portion of mRNA produced by the normal order of DNA nucleotides:

5'CUU|AAA|CGA|GUU3'

c. Write the amino acid sequence if a mutation changes CGA to AGA. Is this likely to affect protein function?

Textbook Question

Consider the following portion of mRNA produced by the normal order of DNA nucleotides:

5'CUU|AAA|CGA|GUU3'

e. What happens to the protein sequence if an A is added to the beginning of the chain and the sequence changes to 5'ACU|UAA|ACG|AGU3'?

Textbook Question

Consider the following portion of mRNA produced by the normal order of DNA nucleotides:

5'ACA|UCA|CGG|GUA3'

c. Write the amino acid sequence if a mutation changes CGG to GGG. Is this likely to affect protein function?