Here's how it works:
1. Transcription: DNA contains the genetic code for a protein. This code is copied into mRNA during transcription.
2. Translation: The mRNA molecule travels to a ribosome, where translation occurs. The ribosome reads the mRNA sequence in codons (groups of three nucleotides).
3. Codon-anticodon pairing: Each codon on the mRNA corresponds to a specific amino acid. Transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules carry specific amino acids and have an anticodon that matches the corresponding codon on the mRNA.
4. Amino acid addition: As the ribosome moves along the mRNA, the matching tRNA molecules bring their amino acids to the ribosome, where they are linked together to form a growing polypeptide chain.
In short: The order of nucleotides in the mRNA dictates the order of codons, which in turn determines the order of amino acids added to the growing polypeptide chain. This process ensures that the protein is synthesized according to the genetic instructions encoded in the DNA.
