Proteinkodierende

Proteinkodierende refers to the genetic material, specifically DNA or RNA sequences, that contain the instructions for building proteins. These sequences are called genes. The process of protein synthesis begins with transcription, where the DNA sequence of a gene is copied into a messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule. This mRNA then travels to the ribosome, the cell's protein-making machinery.

At the ribosome, a process called translation occurs. The mRNA sequence is read in three-nucleotide units called codons. Each codon specifies a particular amino acid, the building blocks of proteins. Transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules bring the corresponding amino acids to the ribosome, where they are linked together in the order dictated by the mRNA sequence. This chain of amino acids folds into a specific three-dimensional structure, forming a functional protein.

Not all parts of a gene are protein-kodierende. Eukaryotic genes, for instance, contain both coding regions (exons) and non-coding regions (introns). During transcription, both are copied into pre-mRNA. Introns are then removed through a process called splicing, leaving only the exons to be translated into protein. The precise sequence of nucleotides within a proteinkodierende region determines the order of amino acids in the resulting protein, and thus its function. Mutations in these sequences can lead to altered proteins, which may have significant consequences for the organism.