These enzymes, called amino acid activating enzymes or aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, have the important functions of recognizing both the amino acid and the specific tRNA for that amino acid. Section 6.11 One or more transfer RNAs exist for each amino acid found in protein. Once the correct amino acid is attached to its tRNA, further specificity resides only in the codon-anticodon interaction. The ribosome plays a key role in the translation process, bringing together mRNA and amino acid-charged tRNAs. Termination of protein synthesis occurs when a stop codon, which does not code for any amino acid, is reached.
Many antibiotics affect the ribosome.
A few genes overlap with each other, but most genes do not.