H2 Translation in prokaryotes

During translation the mRNA is read in a 5 to 3 direction and protein is made in an N-terminal to C-terminal direction. Translation relies upon aminoacyl-tRNAs that carry specific amino acids and recognize the corresponding codons in mRNA by anticodon-codon base-pairing. Translation takes place in three phases initiation, elongation and termination. 

Synthesis of Each tRNA molecule has a cloverleaf secondary structure consisting of three 

Initiation of Each ribosome has three binding sites for tRNAs an A site where the 

Instant Notes in Biochemistry 2nd Edition, B.D. Hames N.M. Hooper, (c) 2000 BIOS Scientific Publishers Ltd, Oxford. 

The appearance of a UAA or UAG termination (stop) codon in the A site causes release factor RF1 to bind whereas RF2 recognizes UGA. RF3 assists RF1 and RF2. The release factors trigger peptidyl transferase to transfer the polypeptide to a water molecule instead of to aminoacyl-tRNA. The polypeptide, mRNA, and free tRNA leave the ribosome and the ribosome dissociates into its subunits ready to begin a new round of translation. 

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