atwork.gif Under Construction (Fatherhood comes first :)

The Components of Translation


Eukaryotic and prokaryotic translation mechanisms are essentially the same, however, there are significant differences in both the ribosomal structure and the details of the translational mechanism, generally reflecting the greater complexity of the eukaryotic genome. As the concepts rather than the details are of more importance at this point, the prokaryotic mechanism is the default; significant eukaryotic variations or differences will be noted.

Structure of mRNA

There are three basic elements necessary for the function of mRNA - sequences to align the message correctly on the ribosome, to initiate translation and to terminate translation. (insert figure)

The region 5' to each gene contains sequences rich in A and G, known as Shine-Dalgarno sequences, that serve to align the mRNA correctly on the ribosome such that translation begins at the correct place and in the proper reading frame. (Eukaryotic: a 5' cap structure is used to align the mRNA to the 40S subunit)

tRNA Structure


[Go Back] [Go Forward]

[VSNS-PPS Index] Garry Myers
garry@menzies.su.edu.au