What is the difference between transcription and translation?
Transcription - involves making mRNA from DNA. It happens inside the nucleus
Translation - using the mRNA as a set of instructions to make a polypeptide. Happens at the ribosome.
More in depth transcription. -> RNA polymerase uses DNA as a template to produce mRNA, bases of RNA match up with the DNA bases to make an RNA copy of the DNA. The base pairing is as follows
DNA mRNAA UT AC GG C
The RNA strand is made in the 5'-3' direction.
Translation - Three bases of mRNA represent a codon - this relates directly to an amino acid. mRNA binds to the ribosomes and there are two sites in which the codons can bind- the mRNA is passed through these sites and 'read' by the tRNA with anticodons to the codon in the site.
The ribosome catalyses the formation of a peptide bond between the amino acids on the ends of the tRNA and then moves along to the next codon (in a process called translocation.
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