Nucleic Acids and the Genetic Material Problem Set 1

Problem 10: Protein amino acids from translated mRNA

A messenger acid is 336 nucleotides long, including the initiator and termination codons. The number of amino acids in the protein translated from this mRNA is:

A summary of translation

This animation of protein synthesis shows that the initiator codon on mRNA is AUG, and codes for methionine. Each three nucleotides in sequence after the initiation codon also specify an amino acid. The termination codons, UAA, UAG, UGA lack a corresponding tRNA, and bind release factors. Thus, for 336 coding nucleotides of a mRNA, three determine "stop" or release and the remaining 333 code for amino acids in groups of three.

Thus, 333/3 = 111 amino acids.

The Biology Project
University of Arizona
Thursday, October 3, 1996
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