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Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding

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First<br />

base U<br />

U<br />

UUU<br />

UUC<br />

UUA<br />

UUG<br />

(exons) to produce the mRNA, which is typically about<br />

25% <strong>of</strong> the original length <strong>of</strong> the pre-mRNA. After<br />

removing the introns, the splicing or linking <strong>of</strong> the<br />

pieces results in different types <strong>of</strong> mRNA (called alternative<br />

splicing). Consequently, different kinds <strong>of</strong> proteins<br />

may be encoded by the same gene (Figure 3.18).<br />

The mRNA is transported to the ribosomes.<br />

Translation: protein synthesis<br />

Protein synthesis consists <strong>of</strong> three steps – initiation,<br />

elongation, <strong>and</strong> termination. Translation starts with<br />

the formation <strong>of</strong> an initiation complex that includes initiation<br />

factors that bind to the small rRNA subunit <strong>and</strong><br />

then to the mRNA. The next step is to set the reading<br />

frame for accurate translation. The AUG triplet is usually<br />

the initiation point. The large subunit binds to the<br />

complex. The sequence <strong>of</strong> the next triplet determines<br />

which charged tRNA (with an amino acid attached) will<br />

be attached. The process is repeated until the whole<br />

mRNA is translated, adjacent amino acids being linked<br />

by peptide bonds. The termination <strong>of</strong> translation occurs<br />

when the elongation process encounters a stop codon<br />

or termination codon. The interval between the start<br />

<strong>and</strong> stop codons that encodes an amino acid for inser-<br />

PLANT CELLULAR ORGANIZATION AND GENETIC STRUCTURE 51<br />

Phe<br />

Phe<br />

Leu<br />

Leu<br />

C<br />

UCU<br />

UCC<br />

UCA<br />

UCG<br />

C CUU Leu CCU<br />

CUC Leu CCC<br />

CUA Leu CCA<br />

CUG Leu CCG<br />

A AUU IIe ACU<br />

AUC IIe ACC<br />

AUA IIe ACA<br />

AUG Met ACG<br />

G GUU Val GCU<br />

GUC Val GCC<br />

GUA Val GCA<br />

GUG Val GCG<br />

Second base<br />

Ser<br />

Ser<br />

Ser<br />

Ser<br />

Pro<br />

Pro<br />

Pro<br />

Pro<br />

Thr<br />

Thr<br />

Thr<br />

Thr<br />

Ala<br />

Ala<br />

Ala<br />

Ala<br />

A G<br />

UAU<br />

UAC<br />

[UAA]<br />

[UAG]<br />

Figure 3.17 The genetic code may be likened to a coding dictionary for constructing polypeptide chains. The triplets<br />

UAG, UAA, <strong>and</strong> UGA are termination signals <strong>and</strong> do not code for amino acids. Of the remaining codes, all amino acids<br />

are encoded by at least two codes (up to six in some), except for tryptophan.<br />

CAU<br />

CAC<br />

CAA<br />

CAG<br />

AAU<br />

AAC<br />

AAA<br />

AAG<br />

GAU<br />

GAC<br />

GAA<br />

GAG<br />

Tyr<br />

Tyr<br />

stop<br />

stop<br />

His<br />

His<br />

Gin<br />

Gin<br />

Asn<br />

Asn<br />

Lys<br />

Lys<br />

Asp<br />

Asp<br />

Glu<br />

Glu<br />

mRNA-A<br />

a<br />

UGU<br />

UGC<br />

[UGA]<br />

UGG<br />

CGU<br />

CGC<br />

CGA<br />

CGG<br />

AGU<br />

AGC<br />

AGA<br />

AGG<br />

GGU<br />

GGC<br />

GGA<br />

GGG<br />

ac<br />

ab<br />

Cys<br />

Cys<br />

stop<br />

Trp<br />

Arg<br />

Arg<br />

Arg<br />

Arg<br />

Ser<br />

Ser<br />

Arg<br />

Arg<br />

Gly<br />

Gly<br />

Gly<br />

Gly<br />

mRNA-B<br />

b<br />

Third<br />

base<br />

abc<br />

mRNA-C<br />

Figure 3.18 Alternative splicing <strong>of</strong> the mRNA in<br />

eukaryotes to remove introns <strong>and</strong> joining exons results in<br />

the production <strong>of</strong> different mature mRNAs <strong>and</strong><br />

consequently different protein products.<br />

U<br />

C<br />

A<br />

G<br />

U<br />

C<br />

A<br />

G<br />

U<br />

C<br />

A<br />

G<br />

U<br />

C<br />

A<br />

G<br />

tion into a polypeptide chain is called the open reading<br />

frame (ORF).<br />

Each gene codes for one polypeptide. Some proteins<br />

comprise more than one polypeptide (have multiple<br />

bc<br />

c<br />

DNA<br />

Primary mRNA<br />

Possible kinds<br />

<strong>of</strong> mRNA<br />

Possible kinds<br />

<strong>of</strong> proteins

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