Chapter 30 Protein Synthesis

Matching Questions
Use the following to answer questions 1-10:
Choose the correct answer from the list below. Not all of the answers will be used.
a) CCA 3'
b) polycistronic
c) ricin
d) one
e) translation
f) elongation factor Tu
g) polysome
h) two
i) wobble
j) release factors
k) charged tRNA
l) anticodon loop
1 ____________ This is the term applied to the process of protein synthesis.
Ans: e
Section: Introduction
2 ____________ This is where the amino acid is attached to the tRNA molecule.
Ans: a
Section: 30.1
3 ____________ This is another name for an amino acid ester of tRNA.
Ans: k
Section: 30.2
4 ____________ This is another term that refers to the polygenic nature of prokaryotic mRNA.
Ans: b
Section: 30.3
5 ____________ This hypothesis explains why some tRNA molecules can bind to more than one
codon.
Ans: i
Section: 30.3
6 ____________ This biomolecule delivers the aminoacyl-tRNA to the A site in E. coli.
Ans: f

Chapter 30 Protein Synthesis

Section: 30.4
7 ____________ These proteins recognize UAA, UAG, and UGA codons.
Ans: j
Section: 30.4
8 ____________ Inosine is often present is this region of a tRNA.
Ans: l
Section: 30.3
9 ____________ Eukaryotes possess this number of release factors.
Ans: d
Section: 30.5
10 ____________ This protein is toxic because it hydrolyzes a critical adenine base from the 28S
RNA molecule of eukaryotes.
Ans: c
Section: 30.7

Fill in the Blank Questions

11 The error frequency of protein synthesis is approximately _____________.
Ans: 104 Section: 30.1
12 Class ____________ aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases acylate the 2 hydroxyl group of the terminal
adenosine of tRNA.
Ans: I Section: 30.2
13 The first amino acid in bacterial proteins is __________________
Ans: N-formyl-methionine Section: 30.3
14 In prokaryotes, a feature of gene expression is that transcription and translation are closely
________________ in space and time.
Ans: coupled Section: 30.3
15 The activation of a tRNA involves the formation of an __________________ intermediate.
Ans: aminoacyl-AMP Section: 30.2
16 Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases contain both an activation site and an __________________ site.
Ans: editing Section: 30.2
17 Proteins are synthesized in the __________________ direction.
Ans: N C or amino to carboxyl Section: 30.3

Chapter 30 Protein Synthesis

18 In E. coli, the signal sequence that properly aligns the initiation codon in the P site is called the
______________________ sequence.
Ans: Shine-Dalgarno Section: 30.3
19 Initiation, elongation and termination all require factors that are members of the
______________________ family.
Ans: G-protein Section: 30.4
20 The signal sequence that marks a protein for translocation across the endoplasmic reticulum
membrane is located near the ____________________ end of the protein.
Ans: N-terminal or Amino terminal Section: 30.6

Multiple Choice Questions

21 Protein synthesis takes place on
A)
lysozomes.
B)
nuclear pores.
C)
vacuoles.
Ans: D Section: Introduction

D)
E)

ribosomes
none of the above.

22 The ribosome is thought to be

A)
an example of a catalyst that has survived from the RNA world.
B)
unique to eukaryotes.
C)
a ribozyme.
D)
a and c.
E)
a, b, and c.
Ans: D Section: Introduction
23 The rate of translation in E. coli is ________ amino acids per second.
A) 5 B) 20 C) 40 D) 120 E) none of the above
Ans: C Section: 30.1
24 What are some of the features common to tRNA molecules?
A)
Each is a single chain between 73 and 93 ribonucleotides.
B)
They contain many unusual bases.
C)
About half the nucleotides in tRNA are base-paired.
D)
They usually have a pG at the 5 terminal.
E)
All of the above.
Ans: E Section: 30.1
25 The actual three-dimensional structure of tRNA is
A)
L-shape.
D)
B)
cloverleaf.
E)
C)
twisted triple helix.
Ans: A Section: 30.1

all of the above.

none of the above.

26 In preparation for attachment to the tRNA, amino acids are activated by

A)
methylation.
D)
all of the above.
B)
adenylation.
E)
none of the above.

Chapter 30 Protein Synthesis

C)
dimethylation.
Ans: B Section: 30.2
27 Which of the following components of the tRNA is (are) important for the binding specificity of
the tRNA synthetase?
A)
acceptor stem
D)
a and b
B)
anticodon loop
E)
a, b, and c
C)
TC loop
Ans: D Section: 30.2
28 Which of the following is (are) required for initiation of protein synthesis in prokaryotes?
A)
mRNA
B)
the 30S subunit
C)
fmet-tRNAf
D)
GTP
E)
All of the above.
Ans: E Section: 30.3
29 What is the order of the tRNA binding sites on the 70S ribosome with respect to the
5-3 direction of the mRNA?
A)
EPA
B)
PAE
C)
AEP
D)
EAP
E)
EAP
Ans: A Section: 30.3
30 What is the direction of translation of m-RNA?
A)
bidirectional
D)
B)
5' to 3'
E)
C)
3' to 5'
Ans: B Section: 30.3

All of the above.

None of the above.

31 Signals that define the beginning and end of protein synthesis are contained in
A) rRNA. B) tRNA. C) mRNA. D) ribosome. E) protein.
Ans: C Section: 30.3
32 Which of the following E. coli proteins is responsible for translocation of the mRNA as a result
of a conformation change due to the hydrolysis of GTP?
A)
RRF
D)
Shine-Delgarno
B)
EF-Tu
E)
None of the above.
C)
EF-G
Ans: C Section: 30.3
33 What factor(s) is (are) necessary for the correct placement of the mRNA and initiating tRNA on
the ribosome?
A) IF1 B) IF2 C) IF3 D) a and b E) a, b, and c
Ans: E Section: 30.4

Chapter 30 Protein Synthesis

34 Eukaryotic and prokaryotic translation differ primarily in the ________ step.
A)
initiation
D)
all of the above
B)
elongation
E)
none of the above
C)
termination
Ans: A Section: 30.5
35 What is the function of the B segment of diphtheria toxin?
A)
inhibiting protein synthesis
B)
cleaving tRNA
C)
allowing the A fragment to enter the cell
D)
All of the above.
E)
None of the above.
Ans: C Section: 30.5

Short-Answer Questions
36 What is the amino acid error rate in protein synthesis? Is this rate logical in evolutionary terms
of function?
Ans: The error rate is approximately 104. This is consistent with a requirement to accurately
translate proteins of approximately 1000 amino acids without mistakes.
Section: 30.1
37 What is significant about yeast alanyl-tRNA?
Ans: It was the first tRNA and the first nucleic acid to be completely sequenced.
Section: 30.1
38 Explain why some bases in RNA cannot be involved in base pairs.
Ans: RNA contains some unusual bases. Methylation or dimethylation modifies some of the
bases, and the modification prevents base-pairing.
Section: 30.1
39 Where is the attachment site and where is the anticodon loop with respect to the nucleotide
sequence and with respect to the L-shaped structure of tRNA?
Ans: The amino acid is attached to the CCA sequence at the 3 end, and the anticodon loop is
located in about the middle of the nucleotide sequence. These two sites are located at
opposite ends of the L-shaped structure.
Section: 30.1
40 How much energy is used to attach the amino acid to the tRNA?
Ans: The equivalents of two ATPs are necessary.
Section: 30.2
41 How is a high level of fidelity maintained in attaching the amino acids to the tRNA structure?
Ans: The reaction has very high fidelity in recognizing and attaching the amino acid to the
tRNA. Furthermore, most of the tRNA synthetases have editing capabilities and can
remove the amino acid from mischarged tRNAs.
Section: 30.2

Chapter 30 Protein Synthesis

42 How does the size of amino acid influence accurate attachment of the amino acid to the tRNA in
aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase reactions?
Ans: The activation site rejects amino acids that are too large, whereas amino acids that are too
small are hydrolyzed off of the tRNA in the hydrolytic editing site.
Section: 30.2
43 How do class I and class II aminoacyl tRNA synthetases differ?
Ans: There are several differences. They bind ATP differently. Most class I enzymes are
monomeric, in contrast to class II where most are dimeric. Class I enzymes acylate the 2'
hydroxyl group of the terminal A at the CCA end of the tRNA, and class II enzymes
acylate the 3' hydroxyl group.
Section: 30.2
44 Describe the subunits of E. coli ribosomes.
Ans: E. coli ribosomes contain a large (50S) and a small (30S) subunit, with a combined
sedimentation coefficient of 70S. The 30S subunit contains 21 proteins and a 16S RNA
molecule. The large subunit contains 34 proteins and 5S and 23S RNA molecules.
Section: 30.3
45 What are the names for the tRNA binding sites on the ribosome?
Ans: They are called the A, P, and E sites (acceptor, peptidyl, and exit).
Section: 30.3
46 Using structures of the base pairs, show how the presence of inosine at the 5 position of the
anticodon can recognize three different codos.
Ans: Refer to page 875.
H
O

N
N
ribose

H N

N H

Inosine to cytidine base pair

H N
N

N
O

ribose

N
ribose

N H
N

N
N
ribose ribose

Inosine to uridine base pair

H N

N H
N

N
N

N
ribose

Inosine to adenine base pair

Section: 30.3
47 What role does the amino acid itself play in the accurate placement of the charged tRNA at the
codon?
Ans: None. Experiments prove that only the anticodon-codon interactions participate, and the
amino acid is not involved in the recognition.
Section: 30.3
48 What is the first step in the elongation cycle?
Ans: The first step is the placement of the correct aminoacyl-tRNA into the A site by the EF-Tu
factor.
Section: 30.4
49 Give the chemical mechanism that is involved in the peptide bond formation as catalyzed by
peptidyl transferase on the 23S sRNA.
Ans: See Fig. 30.20.

Chapter 30 Protein Synthesis

etc.
P site

O
O

P O

t-RNA with next A.A.

etc.
A site
O
O

O
CH2

P O

HO

O
O C

CH3SCH2CH2

CH

HC NH
O

H2C

O
H C O
N CH
H R

O
O
Peptidyl Transferase

O
Ad

etc.

Ad

OH

etc.
P site

P O

O
CH2

HO

A site

O
P O
O

Ad

H2C

OH

O
O

CH3SCH2CH2

OH

C O

CH C N CH

HC NH
O

Ad

H R

new peptide bond

Section: 30.3
50 How does puromycin inhibit protein synthesis?
Ans: Puromycin resembles an amino acid attached to the 3 end of a tRNA. It binds at the A
site and forms a peptide bond with the growing peptide chain. However, since it is not
attached to a tRNA, the peptide is released from the ribosome prior to completion.
Hence, it inhibits bacterial protein synthesis.
Section: 30.5