From DNA to protein - 3D

here is a cell the basic unit of all living tissue in most human cells there is a structure called the nucleus the nucleus contains the genome in humans the genome is split between 23 pairs of chromosomes each chromosome contains a long strand of dna tightly packaged around proteins called histones within the dna are sections called genes these genes contain the instructions for making proteins when a gene is switched on an enzyme called rna polymerase attaches to the start of the gene it moves along the dna making a strand of messenger rna out of three bases

in the nucleus the dna code determines the order in which the free bases are added to the messenger rna this process is called transcription before the messenger rna can be used as a template for the production of proteins it needs to be processed this involves removing and adding sections of rna the messenger rna then moves out of the nucleus into the cytoplasm protein factories in the cytoplasm called ribosomes bind to the messenger rna the ribosome reads the code in the messenger rna to produce a chain made up of amino acids there are 20 different types

of amino acid transfer rna molecules carry the amino acids to the ribosome the messenger rna is read three bases at a time as each triplet is read a transfer rna delivers the corresponding amino acid this is added to a growing chain of amino acids once the last amino acid has been added the chain folds into a complex 3d shape to form the protein you