Biochemistry - Ch 27 - Translation (Vocab)

Front 1

Define:

Genetic code

Back 1

The correspondence between the sequence of nucleotides in a nucleic acid and the sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide.

A series of three nucleotides (a codon) specifies an amino acid.

Front 2

Define:

Codon

Back 2

The sequence of three nucleotides in DNA or RNA that specifies a single amino acid.

Front 3

Define:

Degenerate code

Back 3

A code in which more than one "word" encodes the same entity.

As it relates to Biochem:
How more than one codon can be used for synthesizing an amino acid.

Front 4

Define:

Triplet code

Back 4

How combinations of 3 bases specifies an amino acid.

Front 5

Define:

Reading frame

Back 5

The grouping of nucleotides in sets of three whose sequence corresponds to a polypeptide sequence.

Front 6

Define:

Anticodon

Back 6

The sequence of three nucleotides in tRNA that recognizes an mRNA codon through complementary base pairing

Front 7

Define:

Synonymous codons

Back 7

Codons that specify the same amino acid

Front 8

Define:

Stop codon

Back 8

A sequence of three nucleotides that does not specify an amino acid but instead causes the termination of translation.

Also called a nonsense codon.

Front 9

Define:

Acceptor stem

Back 9

The base-paired region of a tRNA molecule that contains the 5' end and the 3' end, to which an amino acid is attached.

Front 10

Define:

D arm

Back 10

A conserved stem-loop structure in a tRNA molecule that usually contains the modified base dihydrouridine.

Front 11

Define:

Anticodon arm

Back 11

The conserved stem-loop structure in a tRNA molecule that includes the anticodon.

Front 12

Define:

TψC arm

Back 12

A conserved stem-loop structure in a tRNA molecule that usually contains the sequence TψC, where ψ is pseudouridine.

Front 13

Define:

aaRS

Back 13

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase

An enzyme that catalyzes the ATP-dependent esterification of an amino acid to a tRNA with high specificity for the amino acid and the tRNA molecule.

Front 14

Define:

aa-tRNA

Back 14

Aminoacyl-tRNA

The covalent ester complex between an "activated" amino acid and a tRNA molecule.