Difference between tRNA and Anti-Codon

[NotASmurf]

Hi all, I am struggling to see the difference between tRNA and Anti-Codons, can anyone help elucidate? Any help apreciated.

 

[Ygggdrasil]

The anti-codon refers to a specific part of the tRNA (3 nt of the ~80-90 nt that compose the tRNA).

 

[NotASmurf]

I'm a Gr12 Learner I don't know what "nt" is :P. So in layman terms the anti-codon is the base triplet complementary to the mRNA codon and tRNA is Anti-Codon + Amino Acid?

 

[Ygggdrasil]

Oops, my bad. nt stands for nucleotide. A tRNA is a fairly large structure made up of 80-90 nucleotides (see picture below).

The anticodon is only a small part of the tRNA, and only 3 of the ~ 80-90 bases in the tRNA form the anticodon. The rest of the tRNA is important for defining the overall shape of the tRNA molecule to help it interact with the ribosome and other molecules within the cell (such as the enzymes that attach the amino acid to the tRNA).

 

[NotASmurf]

Good answer. Much obliged. How does the amino acid get made from the tRNA? does the trna become the amino acid?

 

[Ygggdrasil]

Good answer. Much obliged. How does the amino acid get made from the tRNA? does the trna become the amino acid?

No, the amino acids are not synthesized from the tRNA. The amino acids are either obtained through diet or synthesized in other parts of the cell then later attached to the end of the tRNA (see the diagram in my previous post to see where the amino acid gets attached).

 

[NotASmurf]

ohkay thank you. Teacher made it seem like they did, did well in the test thought, Thanks for your help :)