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Ch.11 Nucleic Acids Big Molecules with a Big Role
Frost - General, Organic and Biological Chemistry 4th Edition
Frost4th EditionGeneral, Organic and Biological ChemistryISBN: 9780134988696Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 7, Problem 32b

Provide the three-letter amino acid sequence expected from each of the following mRNA segments:
b. 5'UUU|CCC|UUU|CCC3'

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1
Identify the codons in the mRNA sequence by dividing the sequence into groups of three nucleotides. For the given sequence 5'UUU|CCC|UUU|CCC3', the codons are UUU, CCC, UUU, and CCC.
Use the genetic code table to determine the amino acid corresponding to each codon. For example, UUU codes for phenylalanine (Phe) and CCC codes for proline (Pro).
Convert the full amino acid names into their three-letter abbreviations. Phenylalanine becomes 'Phe' and proline becomes 'Pro'.
Write the amino acid sequence in the order of the codons from the mRNA segment. For this sequence, it would alternate between Phe and Pro.
Ensure the sequence is written in the correct format, with the three-letter abbreviations separated by hyphens or spaces, depending on the convention used (e.g., Phe-Pro-Phe-Pro).

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

mRNA Translation

mRNA translation is the process by which ribosomes synthesize proteins by decoding the messenger RNA (mRNA) sequence. Each set of three nucleotides, known as a codon, corresponds to a specific amino acid. Understanding this process is crucial for determining the amino acid sequence from an mRNA strand.
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Introduction to Translation Concept 1

Codons and Amino Acids

Codons are sequences of three nucleotides in mRNA that specify a particular amino acid during protein synthesis. The genetic code is universal, meaning that the same codons correspond to the same amino acids across different organisms. For example, the codon 'UUU' codes for the amino acid phenylalanine.
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Reading Frame

The reading frame refers to the way nucleotides in mRNA are grouped into codons for translation. It is essential to start reading from the correct nucleotide to ensure that the resulting amino acid sequence is accurate. In the given mRNA sequence, the reading frame starts from the 5' end and continues in triplets until the 3' end.
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Introduction to Translation Example 1