Medicine is transforming rapidly. During this era of human history, scientists are forever changing lives, because for the first time humans are not powerless against their genes! We now have the power to not only predict, but also alter our very future. The Genetic Revolution is here!
With the power of gene therapy, scientists now have a new tool that enables them to change a patient's DNA. Medical treatments usually counteract the symptoms of a disease. But with gene therapy, doctors can cure diseases. Click to learn more
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Medicine is transforming rapidly. During this era of human history, scientists are forever changing lives, because for the first time humans are not powerless against their genes! We now have the power to not only predict, but also alter our very future. The Genetic Revolution is here!
Proteins
Genes code for proteins, a very important molecule in the body. Proteins have a multitude of purposes, and are responsible for determining the characteristics of a cell. Some proteins are hormones, regulating bodily functions; while others have structural functions like making hair, cartilages, and nails.
Small molecules called amino acids join together in order to make polypeptides. All proteins are made up of at least one polypeptide. There are 20 different types of amino acids, and the combination of them joining determines the type of protein. All types of amino acids have the same backbone structure, which helps attach amino acids together. Each amino acid also has a different side group, which determines its characteristics and type.
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One of the most important properties of DNA is to make proteins. The type of protein depends mostly on the type of cell that is making the protein. It is essential that DNA is copied correctly, and the right proteins are created, otherwise problems will occur. To learn more about genetic mutations, click here.
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The first step is called Transcription. In this step, DNA inside the nucleus is transcribed into mRNA. Enzymes called RNA polymerase synthesizes and builds a strand of RNA that is complementary to the original DNA. For example, if the first three bases on the DNA were G,C,C; then the RNA strand will have the bases C,G,G. The only big change is that instead of having a thymine(T) base complementary of Adenine(A), there is a Uracil (U) base instead. So if the original DNA bases were C,G,A; then the RNA strand would have G,C,U.
The single strand of RNA containing the complementary bases of DNA will then travel out of the nucleus and into the ribosomes. Ribosomes are cell organelles made up of rRNA molecules and proteins. Ribosomes are located in a part of the cell called the cytosol.
Translation is the process where proteins are made. DNA is made up of smaller pieces called nucleotides, just like how proteins are made up of small pieces called amino acids. Each sequence of 3 mRNA bases (codon) will code for one amino acid. For example, the codon AGC is the mRNA codon for serine.
During translation, transfer RNA (tRNA) is responsible for carrying amino acids to the ribosomes during synthesis. tRNA molecules are able to match each amino acids with each codons of mRNA. When amino acids are coded, rRNA molecules will then stitch the amino acids together in order to make a huge chain, creating a protein molecule.
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