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How does the ribosome subunit know when to stop reading the mRNA?

Question

How does the ribosome subunit know when to stop reading the mRNA?

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Solution

The ribosome knows when to stop reading the mRNA sequence during protein synthesis through a process called termination. Here are the steps:

  1. The termination of protein synthesis begins when a stop codon (UAA, UAG, or UGA) enters the A site of the ribosome.

  2. These stop codons are not recognized by any tRNA molecules, so no amino acid is added to the polypeptide chain.

  3. Instead, proteins called release factors recognize the stop codon. They bind to the ribosome and add a water molecule to the end of the polypeptide chain.

  4. This reaction breaks the bond between the polypeptide chain and the tRNA in the P site of the ribosome. As a result, the newly synthesized protein is released.

  5. The ribosome then dissociates into its large and small subunits, and these are available for another round of protein synthesis.

So, in essence, the ribosome stops reading the mRNA when it encounters a stop codon, which is recognized by release factors rather than tRNA molecules.

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