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Ch.17 Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis
Timberlake - Chemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry 13th Edition
Timberlake13th EditionChemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological ChemistryISBN: 9780134421353Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 17, Problem 65a

Consider the following segment of mRNA produced by the normal order of DNA nucleotides:
ACA UCA CGG GUA
a. What is the amino acid order produced from this mRNA?

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1
Identify the codons in the given mRNA sequence. A codon is a sequence of three nucleotides. For the given mRNA sequence 'ACA UCA CGG GUA', the codons are: ACA, UCA, CGG, and GUA.
Use the genetic code table to determine the amino acid corresponding to each codon. For example, ACA corresponds to threonine (Thr), UCA corresponds to serine (Ser), CGG corresponds to arginine (Arg), and GUA corresponds to valine (Val).
Write the amino acid sequence in the order determined by the codons. The sequence will be Thr-Ser-Arg-Val.
Ensure that the sequence is written in the correct N-terminus to C-terminus direction, as this is the standard convention for representing amino acid sequences.
Double-check the codon-to-amino acid translation using the genetic code table to ensure accuracy in the amino acid sequence.

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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 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 universal among most organisms, maps each codon to its corresponding amino acid. For example, the codon 'ACA' codes for threonine, while 'UCA' codes for serine.
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Genetic Code

The genetic code is a set of rules that defines how sequences of nucleotides in DNA and RNA are translated into proteins. It consists of 64 codons that encode 20 amino acids, along with start and stop signals for protein synthesis. Familiarity with the genetic code is essential for interpreting mRNA sequences and predicting the resulting amino acid chains.
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