The biological blueprint: How your body builds proteins from DNA
In short: Every protein in your body begins as a set of instructions hidden in your DNA. This video explains the two-stage process of transcription and translation, showing how cells read genetic code to build the physical structures of life.
The process starts with transcription, where an enzyme called RNA polymerase copies a single gene into a strand of messenger RNA (mRNA). While DNA is the permanent storage, mRNA is a portable copy. These two molecules differ structurally: mRNA is a single strand and uses Uracil instead of Thymine.
Next, translation occurs. The cell reads the mRNA in groups of three bases called codons, each corresponding to a specific amino acid. Transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules act as the bridge, bringing the correct amino acids to be linked into a chain. Finally, this chain folds into a specific shape to become a functional protein.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: How are Proteins Made? Transcription & Translation
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