Question

During translation, nucleotide base triplets (codons) in mRNA are read in sequence in the 5’ → 3’ direction along the mRNA. Amino acids are specified by the string of codons. What amino acid sequence does the following mRNA nucleotide sequence specify?

Answer 1

Answer:

The question is incomplete, it lacks the mRNA sequence. The sequence is as follows:

5′−AUGGCAAGAAAA−3′

The answer is Met-Ala-Arg-Lys

Explanation:

Gene expression in living organisms involves the process of transcription and translation. Transcription is the synthesis of a complementary strand of mRNA from a DNA template while translation involves using the transcibed mRNA as a template to synthesize amino acid sequence (proteins).

In the RIBOSOME, where the synthesis of protein occurs, the mRNA nuceleotide sequence is read in a group of three nucleotides called CODON. Each codon specifies a particular amino acid. The collection of all codons is the genetic code. Hence, for a specific mRNA sequence that reads 5′−AUGGCAAGAAAA−3′. The nucleotides will be read three at a time starting with AUG which is a codon that encodes METHIONINE.

Next, GCA is a codon that encodes ALANINE

Next, AGA is a codon that encodes ARGININE

Finally, AAA is a codon that encodes LYSINE.

Hence, the amino acid sequence using the above mRNA sequence, will read: Met-Ala-Arg-Lys