Q. 17.55 - An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry

Question

The following sequence is a portion of the DNA template strand: $GCT ATA CCA AAA$

a. Write the corresponding mRNA segment.

b. What are the anticodons of the tRNAs?

c. Write the three-letter and one-letter abbreviations for this segment in the peptide chain.

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

Part a. mRNA - $CGA UAU GGU UUU$

Part b. tRNA - $GCU AUA CCA AAA$

Part c. Peptide - $Ala lle Pro Lys$

Step 1: Introduction (Part a )

Nucleic acids are organic macromolecules that are present all over the cell. They were first discovered in the nuclei of cells. The nucleic acids DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid) are found in all known forms of life. The creation of protein using RNA is known as translation. The information on the RNA is transformed to protein in this process. Protein is the end result of translation.

Step 2: Explanation (part a)

Adenine (A) partners with thymine (T) and guanine (G) couples with cytosine (C) in DNA (C). Thymine is replaced with uracil $\left(U\right)$ in RNA, which pairs with adenine $\left(A\right)$.

Step 3: Given information part(a)

DNA template - $GCT ATA CCA AAA$

Step 4: Explanation part(a)

The mRNA segment that corresponds is

DNA template - $GCT ATA CCA AAA$

mRNA - $CGA UAU GGU UUU$

Step 5: Given information part(b)

DNA template - $GCT ATA CCA AAA$

Step 6: Explanation part(b)

mRNA - $CGA UAU GGU UUU$

tRNA - $GCU AUA CCA AAA$

Step 7: Given information part(c)

DNA template - $GCT ATA CCA AAA$

Step 8: Explanation part(c)

tRNA - $GCU AUA CCA AAA$

Peptide - $Ala lle Pro Lys$

$Ala-lle-Pro-Lys, AIPK$ is the peptide structure which matches to a codon on mRNA.