Translation Modeling Activity

thingiverse

This activity models the process of translation for standard, honors, or AP biology classes. Transcription leaves off where this activity picks up. We assume that RNA polymerase has created the mRNA transcript and processed it by adding a 5' cap, polyA tail, and removing introns. The mRNA is now in the cytoplasm, ready to be translated. Translation synthesizes a protein (polypeptide) using information encoded in an mRNA molecule. Three types of RNA assemble the protein: Messenger RNA, Transfer RNA, and Ribosomal RNA. Messenger RNA has the information for arranging amino acids in the correct order to make a functional protein. Transfer RNA carries amino acids to the ribosome, while Ribosomal RNA makes up the ribosome. The key to deciphering DNA is called a triplet code, where three adjacent DNA nitrogen bases code for a specific amino acid. Translation of mRNA occurs in groups of three nitrogenous bases called codons. The order of amino acids depends on the sequence of bases in the mRNA. Proteins consist of anywhere from 100 to thousands of amino acids.