Question

Describe the structural features that all tRNA molecules have in common.

Short answer

All tRNA molecules have common structural features including: a size between 73-94 nucleotides long, a cloverleaf structure, a specific anticodon, an acceptor stem with a CCA sequence at the 3 end, and many of the nucleotides are chemically modified after transcription.

Step-by-step solution

Understand tRNA

tRNA or Transfer RNA is a type of RNA molecule that helps in the process of protein synthesis in all living cells. It acts as the link between the message of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and the language of proteins.

List down the structural features

1. Size: tRNA is a small molecule made of about 73-94 nucleotides long.\n2. Cloverleaf Structure: All tRNA molecules have a similar 2D cloverleaf structure. This structure includes an acceptor stem, a TψC stem-loop, an anticodon stem-loop, and a DHU stem-loop.\n3. Anticodon: Each tRNA molecule has a specific three-nucleotide sequence known as the anticodon, which can base pair with the mRNA codon.\n4. Acceptor Stem: The 3 end of the tRNA is always a CCA sequence and is where the amino acid attaches.\n5. Modifications: Many of the nucleotides in tRNA are chemically modified after transcription.

Understand the purpose of these features

Understanding the structure is important as each structural features plays a key role. The anticodon allows for the specific recognition and binding of the tRNA to the mRNA. The acceptor stem allows for attachment of specific amino acids.