In the last article, we ended transcription with a strand of messenger RNA (mRNA) ready to leave the nucleus and travel to the ribosomes. The ribosomes are where translation happens - the next step in protein synthesis. Translation Translation begins with the mRNA strand binding between the two subunits of the ribosome. Each three base... Continue Reading →
The Genetic Code – Genes to Proteins Ep 1
Welcome to this series looking at how the genetic code instructs cells to make proteins. We will be talking about DNA, RNA, and proteins a lot so head over to those articles if you are unsure about the basic structure or function of those molecules. Today, we're going to be taking a look inside the... Continue Reading →
Digestion – Exchange and Transport Ep 13
So far in the exchange and transport series we have mainly been looking at exchange and transport of gases. However, organisms also need to absorb nutrients such as glucose and amino acids so they can carry out processes like respiration and protein synthesis. In this article we will cover how large food molecules are broken... Continue Reading →
Active Transport – Exchange and Transport Ep 4
So far we have looked at the passive movement of substances across cell membranes by diffusion and osmosis. Sometimes substances need to move against a concentration gradient, which is when active transport comes into action. Active transport Active transport uses energy from ATP to transport substances from an area of lower concentration to an area... Continue Reading →
Diffusion – Exchange and Transport Ep 2
Diffusion is one of those topics that pops up at all levels of biology, and each time gets a little more complicated. But it is still the basic process of substances evenly distributing themselves. It is just a little more complex when it happens across a cell membrane. Simple diffusion Firstly, lets recap the basics... Continue Reading →
Cell Membrane Structure – Exchange and Transport Ep 1
Today we are starting a new series looking at how substances are exchanged across cell membranes and transported around organisms. These processes are really important for getting essential resources such as oxygen and glucose to all the cells in an organism. We will start by taking a closer look at the structure of the cell... Continue Reading →
Proteins – Biological Molecules Ep 9
We've already looked at the monomers that make up a protein: amino acids. But fully functioning proteins are often much more complex in structure than a simple polypeptide chain. Today we will look at the different levels of structure in proteins and some specific examples. Levels of protein structure So let's start with a quick... Continue Reading →
The Golgi Apparatus and Lysosomes – Cell Organelles Ep 5
Today we are going to take a look at the Golgi apparatus (sometimes called the Golgi body or Golgi complex) and its role in the cell, followed by the lysosomes. The Golgi apparatus We first came across the Golgi apparatus in the article about the ribosomes and rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER). Protein synthesis begins at... Continue Reading →
Amino Acids – Biological Molecules Ep 3
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. In this series we have already seen how nucleotides are the monomers joined together to make polynucleotide chains in DNA and RNA. Similarly, in proteins, amino acids are the monomers joined together to make polypeptide chains. Structure Firstly, let's look at the structure of an amino acid.... Continue Reading →
