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To make a protein, a cell goes through two processes, the first one is transcription and the second is translation.

In the first stage, DNA helicase unwinds and unzips the two strands of a DNA double helix. Then DNA polymerase comes in and helps make a complementary strand called messenger RNA of mRNA. this mRNA is then cut up to the bare essentials, thus containing pretty much only the nucleotides coding for genes. Splicosomes are the molecules that do this cutting, known as splicing, which then makes the mRNA ready for action. The mRNA then travels outside of the nucleus, and finds a transfer RNA of tRNA molecule.

The next step is translation, in which the actual building of the protein takes place. First off, the mRNA molecule is floating around, until it meets a ribosome. This ribosome is the site at which this mRNA will meet a tRNA molecule, containing a nucleotide sequence complementary to that of the mRNA. This tRNA has this nucleotide sequence at one end, and an amino acid on the other end. This amino acid is then put into the ribosome, into the A site of the ribosome. It then moves to the P site, where the polypeptide chain, or building of the protein is actually taking place. This amino acid is then adjoined to the chain, and is then part of the protein molecule. Once all of the necessary amino acids are joined in, the protein moves to the E site, where it exits the ribosome. This molecule is then complete, and will then proceed to the part of the cell where it is needed, and will start to function.

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13y ago

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