Laboratory Report: Protein Synthesis

Abstract

The objective of this lab was to investigate the molecular process of protein synthesis from RNA. We aimed to confirm the hypothesis that RNA governs the sequence of amino acids in proteins and polypeptides through a two-step process: transcription of DNA to mRNA within the nucleus and subsequent translation of mRNA to tRNA in the ribosome within the cytoplasm. This experiment involved transcribing DNA to create mRNA and building a sequence of amino acids through translation.

Introduction

Protein synthesis is a fundamental biological process essential for the functioning of living organisms.

The ribosome, a molecular machinery, reads instructions encoded in messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules and assembles proteins by linking amino acids together. This process, known as translation, relies on the nucleotide sequence of the mRNA.

Materials and Methods

Materials:

• DNA sample
• RNA polymerase enzyme
• Nucleotides (A, U, C, G)
• Ribosome
• tRNA molecules
• Amino acids
• Dehydration synthesis reagents

Methods:

The experiment was divided into several steps:

1. Identify the Antisense Strand: Extract the antisense strand of DNA from the cell nucleus.
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2. Transcribe DNA to Create mRNA: Utilize RNA polymerase enzyme to transcribe the DNA into mRNA.
3. Locate Codons on mRNA: Identify start (AUG), stop (UAA), and other codons on the mRNA.
4. Match Codons to tRNA Anticodons: Pair the mRNA codons with their respective tRNA anticodons and attached amino acids.
5. Perform Dehydration Synthesis: Use dehydration synthesis reagents in the ribosome to build the amino acid chain.

Results

Molecular Process of Protein Synthesis

The molecular process of protein synthesis consists of transcription and translation, as shown in Table 1:

Sequence of Amino Acids

The sequence of amino acids in the protein strand was determined by matching mRNA codons to their tRNA
anticodons. The codons and anticodons are shown in Table 2:

The final protein strand, with the amino acid sequence encoded by the mRNA, is as follows:

Methionine-Histidine-Glutamine-Glycine-Valine-Tyrosine-Threonine-Serine-Tyrosine-Cysteine-Glutamine-Cysteine-Isoleucine-Arginine-Arginine

Discussion

The results of this experiment support the hypothesis that RNA dictates the sequence of amino acids in proteins and polypeptides through a two-step process: transcription in the nucleus and translation in the ribosome. The initial DNA strand was transcribed into mRNA, and this mRNA was then translated into tRNA with the help of the ribosome. The tRNA molecules brought the corresponding amino acids, and dehydration synthesis was performed in the ribosome to construct the protein strand.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this lab experiment successfully demonstrated the process of protein synthesis from RNA. The results confirm that RNA plays a pivotal role in determining the sequence of amino acids in proteins and polypeptides. The experiment involved the transcription of DNA to create mRNA, the identification of codons on the mRNA, and the matching of codons to tRNA anticodons to build a specific amino acid chain. The knowledge gained from this experiment contributes to our understanding of essential biological processes.

References

1. Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K., & Walter, P. (2002). Molecular Biology of the Cell (4th ed.). Garland Science.