The end result is a polypeptide whose amino acid sequence mirrors the sequence of codons in the mRNA. That's the big picture of translation. But what about the nitty gritty of how …

To see how cells make proteins, let's divide translation into three stages: initiation (starting off), elongation (adding on to the protein chain), and termination (finishing up).

In transcription, the DNA sequence of a gene is transcribed (copied out) to make an RNA molecule.

Replication creates identical DNA strands, while transcription converts DNA into messenger RNA (mRNA). Translation then decodes mRNA into amino acids, forming proteins essential for life …

That means translation can't start until transcription and RNA processing are fully finished. You can learn more about these steps in the transcription and RNA processing video.

Translation takes place inside structures called ribosomes, which are made of RNA and protein. Ribosomes organize translation and catalyze the reaction that joins amino acids to make a …

So, how does a cell know which of these protein to make? The start codon is the key signal. Because translation begins at the start codon and continues in successive groups of three, the …

Transcription and translation Google Classroom Microsoft Teams A sequence of RNA is shown below:

Test your knowledge on the process of translation!

How does the DNA sequence of a gene specify a particular protein? Many genes provide instructions for building polypeptides. How, exactly, does DNA direct the construction of a …