Serving as adaptors, specific tRNAs bind to sequences on the mRNA template and add the corresponding amino acid to the polypeptide chain. Of the 64 possible mRNA codons—or triplet combinations of A, U, G, and C—three specify the termination of protein synthesis and 61 specify the addition of amino acids to the polypeptide chain. Each tRNA anticodon can base pair with one of the mRNA codons and add an amino acid or terminate translation, according to the genetic code.
Mature tRNAs take on a three-dimensional structure through intramolecular hydrogen bonding to position the amino acid binding site at one end and the anticodon at the other end Figure 2. The anticodon is a three-nucleotide sequence in a tRNA that interacts with an mRNA codon through complementary base pairing.
At least one type of aminoacyl tRNA synthetase exists for each of the 20 amino acids. Did you have an idea for improving this content? Improve this page Learn More. Skip to main content. Each codon represents a particular amino acid, and each codon is recognized by a specific tRNA.
The tRNA molecule has a distinctive folded structure with three hairpin loops that form the shape of a three-leafed clover. One of these hairpin loops contains a sequence called the anticodon, which can recognize and decode an mRNA codon.
Each tRNA has its corresponding amino acid attached to its end. When a tRNA recognizes and binds to its corresponding codon in the ribosome, the tRNA transfers the appropriate amino acid to the end of the growing amino acid chain. Further Exploration Concept Links for further exploration gene expression frameshift mutation nonsense mutation RNA intron exon codon amino acid chromosome mutation protein genetic code gene tRNA proteome ribosome peptide cytoplasm splicing transcription.
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