Cell Division Story

The major components in making proteins are nuclei, DNA, RNA, RNA polymerase, and ribosomes. The production of proteins begins inside the nucleus. Genes are stored in chromosomes and contain the instructions on how to generate a protein. First, a cell copies the genetic instructions. The DNA unwinds and RNA polymerase connects to one of the DNA’s two strands. Then, the RNA polymerase “reads” the gene, and creates a copy in the form of a single strand of RNA. The mRNA is then pushed out of the nucleus to a ribosome. Ribosomes translate the mRNA into amino acids by using their complementary strands. Codons are used for making amino acids. Some codons will tell the ribosomes to start tell the tRNA to make the amino acids or to stop making amino acids. rRNA associates with a set of proteins to form ribosomes. Ribosomes match nucleic acids with their partner amino acids to build a protein; the chain of amino acids grows until it is notified to stop. The ribosome then releases the protein, which starts to fold and gain structure; the protein’s structure is what determines how it will function. The sequence of growth and division of a cell is called the cell cycle. Most of the cell’s life is spent in the growth phase known as interphase (G1, S, and G2). Meiosis is the process by which gametes are generated for reproduction. Meiosis produces 4 daughter cells. Mitosis occurs in the S-phase of interphase. During mitosis, one parent cell divides into two identical daughter cells. There are four phases of mitosis: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. The shortest phase in the cycle is the cell division phase known as mitosis and cytokinesis. Copying the portion of DNA that carries the code for a protein is called transcription. Translation is the process of interpreting mRNA to build a chain of amino acids that make up a protein.