<u>amino acid</u> and <u>RNA (or anticodon)</u>
<u />
tRNA is used in the process of translation, which is when cells create a protein (polypeptide) from a strand of mRNA just came from the nucleus and is floating in the cytoplasm. This process occurs with the help of ribosomes!
A ribosome binds to an mRNA molecule, and tRNA's come swooping in one at a time to add amino acids to a growing polypeptide chain (protein).
On one end of the tRNA is a set of 3 RNA bases (called an <u><em>anticodon</em></u>), that binds perfectly to the opposing next 3 bases on the mRNA strand (called a <em><u>codon</u></em>) as it works it way through the ribosome. On the other side of the tRNA is the <em><u>amino acid</u></em> that the codon on the mRNA codes for, thus allowing the specific protein to grow 1 amino acid at a time.
<u />
<em>***see attached pic***</em>
<u />