Similarities and differences between prokaryote and eukaryote in the process of translation

Translation in Prokaryotes vs Eukaryotes
 

There are several meanings for the term translation, but when it comes as either prokaryotic or eukaryotic translation, its contextual meaning refers to one of the processes in gene expression and protein synthesis. There are differences in the process of translation between prokaryotes and eukaryotes, which are described concisely in this article.

Prokaryotic Translation

When the mRNA strand is being processed to translate into protein at the ribosomes, the prokaryotic translation is said to be in action. There is no nuclear envelope in prokaryotes, and the non-coding nucleotides are also absent. Therefore, the RNA splicing does not take place, and the ribosomal subunits can directly start translation as the mRNA formation takes place in prokaryotes. The tRNA molecules carry amino acids that are specific with the anticodon.

As the transcription takes place, the two ribosomal subunits (50S and 30S units) along with the initial tRNA molecule assemble together at the mRNA strand. The next tRNA molecule (based on the codon sequence in the mRNA strand) comes to the large ribosomal subunit, and the two amino acids attached to the tRNA molecules are attached with a peptide bond. The peptide bonding is continued as per the codon sequence of the mRNA strand and a protein called release factor stops the translation process. In prokaryotic translation, there can be few proteins synthesized in one step. Additionally, few translations can take place simultaneously in prokaryotes though polysomes. It would be important to state that tRNA molecules are not dissolved after peptide bond is completed, but can carry additional amino acids to contribute for translation in prokaryotes.

Eukaryotic Translation

Conversion of information in the transcribed mRNA strand into proteins in eukaryotic organisms is the eukaryotic translation. However, with the presence of both coding and non-coding nucleotides in eukaryotes, the splicing of those from the RNA strand has to take place before the mRNA strand is ready for translation. Additionally, the presence of nuclear envelope does not allow the ribosomes to get close to the genetic material in the nucleus. Therefore, the translation process takes place outside the nucleus or in the cytoplasm.

There are two main ways of initiation in eukaryotic translation known as the cap-dependant and cap-independent. There is a special protein with a tag attached to the 5’ end of the mRNA strand, which binds to the small ribosomal subunit (40S unit). The translation continues with the assemblage of large ribosomal subunit (80S unit), small subunit with mRNA strand, and tRNA with amino acids. The peptide bonding takes place after that and the eukaryotic release factors terminate the process after the protein is synthesized.

What is the difference between Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Translation?

• As there is no nuclear envelope, prokaryotic translation takes place close to the genetic material. However, eukaryotic translation takes place in the cytoplasm and never inside the nucleus due to the presence of nuclear envelope.

• Protein capping and RNA splicing take place before translation in eukaryotes, but there are no such steps in prokaryotic translation.

• Translation starts as the dismantling of the DNA and synthesizing of mRNA strand take place in prokaryotes, but eukaryotic translation starts after completion of mRNA synthesis and protein capping with splicing.

• Involved ribosomal subunits in prokaryotic translation are 30S and 50S while eukaryotes have 40S and 80S ribosomal subunits in translation.

• Initiation and elongation are more complex factor-aided processes in eukaryotic translation than in prokaryotic translation. However, the terminations are almost the same in both organisms.

Translation is involved in creating proteins in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes by deciphering the genetic information provided by mRNAs. Codons, nucleotide triplets on the mRNA, are transcribed into a protein chain during translation. The primary distinction between prokaryotic and eukaryotic translation is that bacterial translation and transcription occur simultaneously, although the eukaryotic translation is not the case. Translation occurs in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells at the same time. The ribosomes essential in the bacterial translation are the 30S and 50S ribosomal while the other eukaryotic translation uses the 40S and 60S ribosomes.

    The Prokaryotic Translation

    The three steps of prokaryotic translation are initiation, elongation, and termination. It’s the procedure of the synthesis of proteins based on mRNA information. The enzymes aminoacyl transfer RNA synthesis is involved in protein synthesis. The translation is a process of concurrently generating proteins and transcription in prokaryotes. After the 5′ end of both the gene is transcribed into mRNA, translation begins. Translation in prokaryotes is divided into three stages: initiation, elongation, and termination. The two subunits, the 50S & 30S, are united to start the translation process. IF1, IF2, and IF3 are three initiating factors that aid in forming the forms of a complex. The first amino acid added during translation is N-formylmethionine. The power source for the synthesis of peptide bonds between the surviving plus arriving nucleotides is GTP. EF-P is the translation initiation factor. The ribosome’s interaction with the Shine-Dalgarno sequence facilitates the identification of the start codon. A purine-rich region positioned ahead of the AUG initiation codon is Known as the Shine-Dalgarno motif. The pyrimidine-rich region of 16S rRNA is complementary to this sequence. The 30S subunit contains the 16S rRNA. The double RNA structure is formed when these two complementary nucleotides bind together. The initiation codon is brought into the ribosome’s P-site by this pairing. The first amino acid binds the P site. There are three active sites on a ribosome: A, P, and E. Other than the last aminoacyl tRNA, all incoming aminoacyl tRNAs bind to the A site. The P site is where the peptide bond is formed. The E site is the uncharged tRNA’s exit point.

      Eukaryotic Translation

      The systematic framework of events that involves the tRNA is known as eukaryotic translation. In a eukaryotic creature, it is transcribed into protein. In eukaryotes, this translation is a four-step procedure with four steps. Gene regulation, elongation, termination, and recycling are the four steps. It’s a cyclic process in which post-termination ribosomal complexes are cyclically recycled to produce ribosomal subunits. The second phase of eukaryotes gene regulation, translation, is distinct from eukaryotic transcription. In eukaryotic, transcription and translation take place in two separate compartments. As a result, the two methods never occur simultaneously. Eukaryotic mRNAs do seem to be monocistronic and therefore are processed in the nucleus before being released to the cytoplasm by appending a 5′ cap, poly A tail, and splicing out introns. By co-translational folding of the freshly formed polypeptide on the ribosome, ribosomal stalling impacts translation. This method pauses translation, allowing for more time to be spent on it. A 5′ cap and a poly-A tail are found on eukaryotic mRNAs. As a result, there are two types of translation initiation: cap-dependent beginning and cap-independent introduction. The initiation has somewhere to the 5′ end during cap-dependent initiation. These initiating factors keep the mRNA in the ribosome’s small subunit. Internal ribosome entering sites allow direct ribosome transportation to the origin of replication during cap-independent initiation. Methionine is the first interacting amino acid in eukaryotes. The 40S and 60S subunits combine to generate the 80S ribosome.

      Prokaryotic translation  Eukaryotic Translation
      Translation in prokaryotes is continuous. and synchronous. The eukaryotic translation process is neither simultaneous nor asynchronous. It has a discontinuous nature to it.
      With releasing factors, the processes include commencement, elongation, and terminating. Gene regulation, elongation, termination, and recycling are the four phases of the steps.
      It is found on the 50S and 30S subunits of 70S ribosomes. It takes place on 80S ribosomes made of two subtypes, the 60S and 40S subunits.
      It is quicker to add up to roughly 20 residues per second for protein synthesis. It is slower, with a maximum of 9 residues added each second.
      IF1, IF2-GTP, and IF3 are the three initiation factors involved. In the synthesis of DNA, 12eIFs (eukaryotic initiation factors) are implicated.

      Conclusion

      As the second stage in gene expression, translation is the ubiquitous process of making proteins. Ribosomes in prokaryotes and eukaryotes decode mRNAs in essentially the same way. Ribosomes are the building blocks of proteins. Two very different eukaryotic and prokaryotic translation systems use all essential amino acids. These activities occur in the cytoplasm, bringing the four steps to a close: initiation, elongation, translocation, and termination. The tRNA transports the proper amino acid, allowing for peptide bonds. The major distinction between eukaryotic and prokaryotic translations is that prokaryotic translations occur concurrently with transcription, while eukaryotic translations occur independently.

      What is the difference between prokaryotes and eukaryotes in translation?

      The main difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic translation is that prokaryotic translation occurs synchronously with its transcription whereas eukaryotic translation occurs asynchronously with its transcription.

      What are similarities and differences between eukaryote and prokaryote transcription translation?

      Prokaryotic transcription occurs in the cell cytoplasm and, in prokaryotes, both transcription and translation happen simultaneously. Eukaryotic transcription occurs in the cell nucleus and, in eukaryotes, transcription and translation differ in space and time.

      How is the process of transcription and translation similar in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes?

      Both prokaryotes and eukaryotes perform fundamentally the same process of transcription, with the important difference of the membrane-bound nucleus in eukaryotes. With the genes bound in the nucleus, transcription occurs in the nucleus of the cell and the mRNA transcript must be transported to the cytoplasm.