Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and they come together to form proteins through a process called protein synthesis. The basic sequence begins with individual amino acids being linked by peptide bonds, forming a long chain known as a polypeptide.
During protein synthesis, the genetic information from DNA is transcribed to messenger RNA (mRNA) in a process called transcription. The mRNA then travels to the ribosomes, the cellular machinery responsible for protein synthesis. Here, the ribosome reads the sequence of codons (three-nucleotide sequences) in the mRNA, which corresponds to specific amino acids.
Each amino acid is brought to the ribosome by transfer RNA (tRNA), which matches the amino acid to its corresponding codon on the mRNA. As the ribosome moves along the mRNA, it facilitates the formation of peptide bonds between adjacent amino acids, creating a growing polypeptide chain.
Once the chain reaches a certain length, it folds into a specific three-dimensional shape, which is crucial for its function. This folding is often assisted by molecular chaperones. The completed protein might undergo additional modifications before it becomes fully functional in the cell.