Eiwitvertaling

Eiwitvertaling, also known as protein translation, is the fundamental biological process by which cells synthesize proteins. This process occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell and is carried out by ribosomes. Translation is the second major step in gene expression, following transcription. During transcription, the genetic information encoded in DNA is copied into a messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule. Eiwitvertaling then takes this mRNA sequence and uses it as a blueprint to assemble a specific chain of amino acids, which fold into a functional protein.

The process begins when an mRNA molecule binds to a ribosome. Transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules, each carrying a specific amino acid and possessing an anticodon that is complementary to a codon on the mRNA, then bind to the ribosome. The ribosome moves along the mRNA, reading its codons (sequences of three nucleotides) one by one. For each codon, the corresponding tRNA brings its amino acid, and a peptide bond is formed between this new amino acid and the growing polypeptide chain. This continues until a stop codon is reached on the mRNA, signaling the end of translation. The completed polypeptide chain is then released from the ribosome and folds into its three-dimensional, functional protein structure. This intricate mechanism ensures that the genetic instructions from DNA are accurately converted into the proteins essential for all cellular functions and life itself.