IB Biology Topic D1.2: Protein Synthesis Key Definitions

Alternative splicing is a process that enables a single gene to produce multiple protein variants.

An anticodon is a sequence of three nucleotides on a transfer RNA (tRNA) molecule that is complementary to a codon on a messenger RNA (mRNA) strand.

A codon is a sequence of three nucleotides in DNA or RNA that specifies a particular amino acid or a start/stop signal during protein synthesis.

Multiple codons code for the same amino acid, reducing the impact of mutations.

Elongation is the stage where the polypeptide chain grows, one amino acid at a time.

Gene expression is the process of using genetic information to produce functional products like proteins.

A mutation is a change in the DNA sequence, which can alter the instructions for building proteins or regulating cellular processes.

A promoter is a specific DNA sequence located near the start of a gene. It acts as a binding site for RNA polymerase and other proteins needed to initiate transcription.

A proteasome is a large, barrel-shaped protein complex found in the cytoplasm and nucleus of eukaryotic cells.

Transcription is the process by which the genetic information encoded in a DNA sequence is copied into a complementary RNA sequence.

Translation is the synthesis of polypeptides from mRNA, where the base sequence of mRNA is converted into an amino acid sequence.

Nearly all organisms use the same code, allowing for genetic engineering and biotechnology advances.