Translation
Definition
In the context of organic chemistry, particularly within the study of biomolecules and nucleic acids, translation is the process by which the genetic code carried by messenger RNA (mRNA) is decoded to produce a specific sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain, leading to protein biosynthesis. It occurs in the ribosome, where tRNA molecules match amino acids to the corresponding codons on the mRNA strand.
Analogy
Imagine translation as a construction site where the blueprint (mRNA) guides workers (tRNAs) to select the correct building blocks (amino acids) from a supply yard and assemble them into a structure (protein) following specific instructions. Just as each section of the blueprint corresponds to a particular part of the structure, each codon on the mRNA matches an amino acid that contributes to building a protein.
Related terms
Messenger RNA (mRNA): A type of RNA that carries genetic information from DNA to the ribosome, where it serves as a template for protein synthesis.
Transfer RNA (tRNA): Small RNA molecules that transport amino acids to the ribosome for incorporation into a growing polypeptide chain during translation.
Ribosome: A cellular organelle composed of rRNA and proteins that is the site of protein synthesis in all living cells, facilitating the assembly of amino acids into proteins according to mRNA sequences.
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