Protein Synthesis
Definition
The process by which cells build proteins using the instructions encoded in DNA. It involves two main steps: transcription, where the information from DNA is transcribed into RNA, and translation, where the RNA is used to assemble amino acids into a protein.
Analogy
Think of protein synthesis as a recipe for making a cake. Transcription is like copying the recipe from a cookbook onto a piece of paper, while translation is like following the recipe step-by-step to mix ingredients and bake the cake.
Related terms
Ribosomes: Cellular structures that serve as the site of protein synthesis. They read the instructions provided by RNA and help assemble amino acids into proteins.
Transcription: The first step of protein synthesis where an RNA molecule is synthesized using DNA as a template.
Translation: The second step of protein synthesis where amino acids are assembled into a polypeptide chain based on the sequence of mRNA.
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