Lecture - Genes in Action

Links to related web sites

DNA to Proteins - Lecture from the University of Maryland
Protein Synthesis - Lecture from UC Davis
From Gene to Protein - Simulation from Biology Place (You will need your password to enter).
Animation of Translation Process
Kimball's Biology Pages
- Transcription
- Translation
Protein Synthesis - On-Line Biology Book
The Central Dogma - Lecture from MIT

The Central Dogma

All life all cells make proteins. DNA cannot produce proteins directly. The molecule which acts as a bridge between DNA and the proteins which it codes for is RNA. The flow of information from DNA to RNA to Protein is known as the Central Dogma.

Comparing DNA to RNA

RNA is a more versitle molecule than DNA. It is able to store and code for information or act as a catalyst. RNA however is less stable than DNA -- subject to degredation or mutation.

Six major differences are:

The sugar in the RNA molecule is ribose. DNA's sugar is deoxyribose.
RNA is usually a single stranded molecule while DNA is nearly always double stranded.
DNA's rigid double helix structure allows for only one function (information storage) whereas RNA's greater molecular diversity results in a wider range of functions
RNA uses the nucleotide uracil instead of thymine
DNA is often 10³ to 10⁶ times larger than RNA
RNA is much less stable than DNA. As a single stranded molecule it has no way of reparing itself.