An in-depth explanation of ribosome mRNA to protein transcription?

Question

I'm having trouble wrapping my head around this one. I know that ribosomes are responsible for protein transcription but I don't get how they do it.

Can someone either explain in simple terms how exactly they do it (not something like "they just do") and I do mean HOW they do it, or point me in the direction of a page that does?

The bit that I'm having trouble with is HOW exactly the ribosome does what it does, how does it know to work 3 codons at a time starting with AUG, is it purely by chemical reaction?

Most of the information I've read uses analogies to describe the process, that's not what I want.

Answer 1

this is where wikipedia is your friend
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcription_%28genetics%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Translation_%28biology%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribosome

don't forget to read the part on mRNA and tRNA + look for amino acids as well

more on this later i forgot what i learnt just less than a year ago

i've just organised some information on protein synthesis

note that the text in " ", are quoted straight form the textbook

"Transcription of DNA generates a single-stranded RNA molecule that is identical in
sequence with one of the strands of the double helix but with one difference. Instead
of the base thymine pairing with adenine, the base uracil (U) does"
From what i learnt in biology, Transcription is the process of mRNA formation where DNA unwinds and mRNA polymerase enzyme read a DNA strand and taking nucleotides, form mRNA.


"The synthesis of proteins from mRNA is known as translation – the process by which
a ribosome assembles amino acids in a particular sequence to synthesise a specific
polypeptide coded by the mRNA."
Translation is where the ribosome reads a codon ( a nucleotide triplet , -A,C,G,U) of mRNA and sends signals to tRNA (transfer RNA) which take up amino acids and to bring it to the ribosome which attaches it together with the other amino acids, which join together with a peptide bond, to form a polypeptide chain which is used in a protein, ( thus protein synthesis/not really transcription)

"Ribosomes consist of protein combined with ribosomal RNA. The
nucleolus is responsible for the manufacture of ribosomes and
abnormal cells lacking nucleoli fail to manufacture rRNA and are
thus unable to make ribosomes."
Well we know how proteins have a myriad of functions : / so thus they are able to do it : /


Ok i've located the pdf for my VCE unit 3/4 biology textbook and the chapter on "From DNA to Proteins"
i can email it to you if you'd like, drop me an email at [e-mail]

i've sent the email first thing when i woke up