What Do Elongation Factors Do?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Translation elongation factors perform

critical functions in protein synthesis in all domains of life

, including the delivery of aminoacyl-tRNAs into the ribosome, and the translocation of peptidyl-tRNA from the ribosomal A-site to the ribosomal P-site.

What is the purpose of elongation in translation?

During the elongation stage,

the ribosome continues to translate each codon in turn

. Each corresponding amino acid is added to the growing chain and linked via a bond called a peptide bond. Elongation continues until all of the codons are read.

What is the role of elongation factor?

Elongation factors are a set of proteins that function at the ribosome, during protein synthesis,

to facilitate translational elongation from the formation of the first to the last peptide bond of a growing polypeptide

.

What is the function of elongation factor Ts in elongation?

EF-Tu (elongation factor thermo unstable) is a prokaryotic elongation factor

responsible for catalyzing the binding of an aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) to the ribosome

. It is a G-protein, and facilitates the selection and binding of an aa-tRNA to the A-site of the ribosome.

What are the elongation factors in translation that binds to GTP or GDP?

The polypeptide elongation cycle proceeds in three steps: (1)

EF-Tu binds GTP

and aminoacyl-tRNA, which leads to the codon-dependent placement of this aminoacyl-tRNA at the A site of the ribosome, GTP hydrolysis, and release of EF-Tu-GDP from the ribosome; (2) EF-Ts (elongation factor Ts) facilitates the exchange of EF …

What are initiation and elongation factors?

Protein synthesis also requires a flurry of protein factors to orchestrate each step. These include initiation factors

that get it all started

, release factors that finish each chain, and elongation factors that assist the many steps between the beginning and the end.

How many elongation factors are there in eukaryotes?

In mammalian cells, transit of the 80S ribosome along the mRNA, termed translational elongation, requires

two elongation

factors: eukaryotic elongation factors 1 and 2 (eEF1 and eEF2). eEF2 mediates the GTP dependent translocation of the ribosome along the mRNA.

What are the 4 steps of translation?

Translation happens in four stages:

activation (make ready), initiation (start), elongation (make longer) and termination (stop)

. These terms describe the growth of the amino acid chain (polypeptide). Amino acids are brought to ribosomes and assembled into proteins.

What is the elongation cycle?

The

reactions of a ribosome that add one amino acid residue to the C-terminus of a growing polypeptide chain

and move the ribosome three nucleotides towards the 3′-end of the mRNA.

What are the three steps of elongation during translation?

  • The anticodon of an incoming tRNA pairs with the mRNA codon exposed in the A site.
  • A peptide bond is formed between the new amino acid (in the A site) and the previously-added amino acid (in the P site), transferring the polypeptide from the P site to the A site.

Is elongation a protein?

Abstract. Translational elongation factors are proteins that play two important roles during the elongation cycle of protein biosynthesis on the ribosome. First, elongation factors are involved in bringing aminoacyl-transfer RNA to the ribosome during protein synthesis.

What are the roles of protein synthesis?

Protein synthesis is the

process all cells use to make proteins

, which are responsible for all cell structure and function. … The ribosome, which is a compartment of the cell required for protein synthesis, tells tRNA to get amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins.

What are the two steps of protein synthesis?

Protein synthesis is the process in which cells make proteins. It occurs in two stages:

transcription and translation

. Transcription is the transfer of genetic instructions in DNA to mRNA in the nucleus. It includes three steps: initiation, elongation, and termination.

Are Factors proteins?

Upstream transcription factors are

proteins that bind somewhere upstream of the initiation site to stimulate or repress

transcription. These are roughly synonymous with specific transcription factors, because they vary considerably depending on what recognition sequences are present in the proximity of the gene.

How many initiation factors are involved in protein synthesis?

Messenger RNA and formylmethionyl-tRNA

f

must be brought to the ribosome for protein synthesis to begin. How is this accomplished?

Three protein initiation factors

(IF1, IF2, and IF3) are essential.

Why is elongation important in DNA?

Step 2: Elongation

Elongation is

the addition of nucleotides to the mRNA strand

. RNA polymerase reads the unwound DNA strand and builds the mRNA molecule, using complementary base pairs. There is a brief time during this process when the newly formed RNA is bound to the unwound DNA.

Amira Khan
Author
Amira Khan
Amira Khan is a philosopher and scholar of religion with a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology. Amira's expertise includes the history of philosophy and religion, ethics, and the philosophy of science. She is passionate about helping readers navigate complex philosophical and religious concepts in a clear and accessible way.