Answer to Question #174521 in Genetics for Fortune Aidoo

Question

•  Write a brief outline of the mechanisms in which DNA is used to generate protein. You do not need to provide a fine level of detail, but ensure you reflect on the key points in the process and mention any major differences between the mechanism in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells

Answer 1

To generate protein, at first, we will generate RNA from the DNA by the process of transcription.

And transcription is the first step of gene expression which involves copying a gene's DNA sequence to make an RNA molecule. Transcription is performed by enzymes called RNA polymerase that link nucleotides to form an RNA strand (by using a DNA strand as a template). Transcription has three stages: initiation, elongation, and termination.

Transcription is controlled separately for each gene in the genome.

Then protein is synthesized from RNA which occurs in five major steps: 1. Activation of amino acids; 2.Transfer of amino acid to tRNA; 3. Initiation of the polypeptide chain; 4. Chain termination; 5. Protein translocation.

In the first step, the required enzyme is amino acyl RNA synthetase.

Within all cells, the translation machinery resides within ribosomes and in eukaryotes, mature mRNA molecules must leave the nucleus and travel to the cytoplasm where the ribosomes are located while in prokaryotic organisms ribosomes can attach to the mRNA.