Translation (biology)

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/translation-biology

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the mrna codons?Genetic information is read in three-nucleotide sequences called codons
2. What is the adaptor molecules?Transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules link mRNA codons to specific amino acids
3. What is translation in biology?Translation is the step where the cell reads the message on mRNA and builds a protein out of amino acids.
4. Where does translation happen in a cell?In prokaryotic cells it happens in the cytoplasm, while in eukaryotic cells it happens on the endoplasmic reticulum or freely in the cytoplasm.

Ribosome: A cellular organelle responsible for protein synthesis, composed of rRNA and proteins.
Codon: A sequence of three nucleotides in mRNA that codes for a specific amino acid or signals termination.
Anticodon: A sequence of three nucleotides on tRNA that is complementary to an mRNA codon.
Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetase: Enzymes that attach the correct amino acid to its corresponding tRNA molecule.