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Project Gallery: tRNA translation

Project description

Created July 2004. Download tRNA translation (325k zip file)
Client: Scott Cooper, Ph.D., Department of Biology, UW-La Crosse

A series of three flash animations was created to demonstrate the process of RNA translation:
1) an animation of the entire process
2) an interactive animation where the student must place the first pieces of the translation into their correct starting locations, and
3) an interactive animation where the student must place the correct pieces of the translation into the correct locations at every stage of the translation.

The three animations are intended to demonstrate exactly the same process, but can be used in a sequence to understand the process in a step by step manner.

Animation 1 - tRNA translation video

Animation 2 - Start the process by dragging the correct pieces into the correct starting locations

To play the animation, drag the RNA strand with the letters "UAG" on the bottom, and the letters "Met" on the top down to the space immediately above the letters "AUG" on the left. Then drag the smaller, rounded gray object below the letters "AUG".

Animation 3 - Complete the translation by dragging each piece into its correct location

The first two pieces to be dragged in this sequence are the same as in the previous animation. To complete the animation, drag the following pieces to the following locations: Pro-GGU to CCA, Glu-CUC to GAG, Thr-UGG to ACC, Arg-GCA to CGU, Arg-UCC to AGG, Lys-UUU to AAA, Set-UCG to AGC, Met-UAC to AUG and finally Val-CAA to GUU.

Transcript

This transcript was provided by the instructor as alternate text for the first flash animation so that students who browse with the aid of a screen reader can hear a description of the process as it occurs.

The small subunit of the ribosome with the UAC tRNA will attach to the start codon (AUG).
The small subunit of the ribosome with the UAC tRNA will attach to the start codon (AUG).
Next then the large subunit of the ribosome will bind, forming a complete ribosome.
The complete ribosome will then move along the mRNA, translating it into protein. At each step, a new tRNA will bind to the next codon in the mRNA, and the amino acids will be joined to form a growing polypeptide (protein).
When the ribosome reaches a stop codon, a termination factor will cause the ribosome to dissociate into the small and large subunits, and the newly formed protein will be released. The process will then be repeated many times.