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The Amazing Journey from Genes to Proteins: Do You Know the Secrets Behind It?
In the microscopic world of life, the relationship between genes and proteins seems to be a wonderful journey. Genes, as the basic units of heredity, determine the development and function of organisms, while proteins are the specific forms of expression of these genes. How the genetic information in DNA is transformed into powerful proteins hides many scientific mysteries and wonderful processes.
A gene product is a biochemical substance, either RNA or protein, produced by gene expression.
A gene is defined as "a heritable unit of DNA required for the production of a functional product." Each gene goes through the process of transcription and translation to ultimately form a product that can function in the cell. One of these products is RNA. Many people may not know that many RNA molecules do not encode proteins, but they are equally indispensable for the function of cells. According to its classification, the functions of RNA include assisting in the synthesis of proteins, catalyzing reactions and regulating various processes.
During this journey, functional RNAs such as messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA) and ribosomal RNA (rRNA) all play key roles. MRA carries instructions for synthesizing proteins, tRNA helps add the correct amino acids to the polypeptide chain, and rRNA is the main component of the ribosome and is responsible for guiding protein synthesis.
In addition, there are some functional RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), which participate in regulation by inhibiting translation.
These miRNA molecules prevent translation by binding to complementary target mRNA sequences. Short interfering RNA (siRNA) plays a negative regulatory role in the regulation of gene expression. They bind to target DNA sequences through the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) to prevent the transcription of specific mRNA.
Protein productsOnce RNA is transcribed, the next stage is translation, which is the process of forming proteins. In short, the structure of protein includes four elements: primary structure, secondary structure, tertiary structure and quaternary structure. The linear sequence of amino acids is called the primary structure, and the action of hydrogen bonds causes the amino acids in the primary structure to form a stable α-helix or β-fold, which is the formation of the secondary structure. The tertiary structure is formed by the combination of primary and secondary structures, while the quaternary structure involves the folding of multiple polypeptide chains.
Proteins have multiple functions in cells, and these functions may vary depending on the polypeptides they interact with and the cellular environment.
Proteins have a variety of functions, ranging from chaperones that stabilize newly synthesized proteins, to enzymes that act as catalysts, and even for transport within cells, these are the main roles of proteins. For example, membrane proteins interact with the cell membrane according to their structure, allowing substances to enter and exit the cell, supporting the shape of the cell, or assisting in page regulatory functions. Transcription factors are important proteins that help RNA transcription and regulate gene expression by binding to DNA.
Evolution of the genetic code
Looking back in history, in 1941, research by American geneticist George Bede and biochemist Edward Tatum showed that genes control specific biochemical reactions. The proposal of the "one gene, one enzyme hypothesis" laid the theoretical foundation for the interaction between genes and proteins. Although early confidence in this hypothesis was challenged as research progressed, by the early 1960s, the amino acid sequence specified by the base sequence of DNA had received broad experimental support.
According to the experiment conducted by Crick et al. in 1961, the coding of each amino acid in protein is determined by a three-base sequence in DNA, namely the codon.
These studies gradually revealed how genes are transformed from RNA to protein and further clarified the specific codons for each amino acid. These discoveries not only deepened our understanding of genetics, but also laid the foundation for subsequent molecular biology.
As the exploration of genes and proteins continues to deepen, human beings' understanding of the nature of life has become more sophisticated and profound. In the process of such exploration, revealing the secrets of these biological processes, how much potential does humanity have for future development?
