Protein Synthesis And Codons Practice Answers

Introduction

Protein synthesis is the process by which cells build proteins. This process involves decoding the genetic information in DNA and using it to create proteins. Codons are the three-letter sequences in DNA that code for specific amino acids. Understanding how codons work is essential to understanding protein synthesis.

What are Codons?

Codons are the three-letter sequences in DNA that code for specific amino acids. There are 64 possible codons, but only 20 different amino acids. This means that some amino acids are coded for by more than one codon. For example, the amino acid leucine can be coded for by six different codons.

How do Codons Work?

Codons work by specifying which amino acid should be added to the growing peptide chain during protein synthesis. Each codon codes for a specific amino acid or tells the ribosome to stop adding amino acids. The ribosome reads the codons in order and adds the corresponding amino acids to the growing peptide chain.

Practice Questions

1. What is the function of codons in protein synthesis? Answer: The function of codons is to specify which amino acid should be added to the growing peptide chain during protein synthesis. 2. How many possible codons are there? Answer: There are 64 possible codons. 3. How many different amino acids are there? Answer: There are 20 different amino acids. 4. Can one amino acid be coded for by more than one codon? Answer: Yes, one amino acid can be coded for by more than one codon. 5. What happens when a ribosome encounters a stop codon? Answer: When a ribosome encounters a stop codon, it stops adding amino acids to the growing peptide chain and releases the protein.

Conclusion

Understanding how codons work is essential to understanding protein synthesis. Codons specify which amino acids should be added to the growing peptide chain during protein synthesis. There are 64 possible codons, but only 20 different amino acids. By practicing with codons, you can gain a better understanding of how protein synthesis works, and how different amino acids are coded for.