19. Cytoplasm
AU
G AG
AC
C GU
A G UG A
TACTCTGGCATCACT
RNA
Polymerase
ATGAGACCGTAGTGA
Termination
Sequence
Nucleus
20. Cytoplasm
AU
G AG
AC
C GU
A G UG A
TACTCTGGCATCACT
RNA
Polymerase
ATGAGACCGTAGTGA
Termination
Sequence
Nucleus
21. A
Cytoplasm
Note: The mRNA must leave
the nucleus through the
nuclear pores to reach the
ribosomes.
C C G
U A GU
G A
GCATCACT
CGTAGTGA
Nuclear Pore
Nucleus
58. Summary
First, the enzyme RNA polymerase comes in. It unwinds the double
helix and adds the complementary nucleotides, there is also a
complementary mRNA strand that forms. But, since it is RNA, the
thymine is replaced with uracil. Then, the double helix closes back up
after RNA polymerase goes through. The mRNA exits through the
nuclear pores and travels through the cytoplasm to get to the
ribosomes. Once in the ribosomes, the large and small subunit of the
ribosomes bind with the mRNA. The ribosome begins at the start
codon, that is always AUG. As the ribosome moves down the mRNA
strand, the tRNA molecule, with the correct anti-codon sequence,
then binds onto the codon. As the ribosome keeps on moving, the
amino acids from the previous tRNA falls off and attaches to the next
amino acid. This forms a peptide bond and the tRNA molecule falls
off. This continues until the ribosome reaches the stop codon, the
codon either has a sequence of UAA, UAG, or UGA. The polypeptide
chain, that was formed from the amino acid, then folds into a three
dimensional figure, also known as its tertiary structure.