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Difference Between Prokaryotic And Eukaryotic Translation FAQs
Where does the process of translation occur in prokaryotes and eukaryotes?
Prokaryotic transcription and translation happen simultaneously in the cytoplasm, regulated at the transcriptional level. In contrast, eukaryotic gene expression undergoes regulation during transcription and RNA processing in the nucleus and protein translation in the cytoplasm.
What is the translation process in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes?
Translation generally involves three stages: initiation, elongation, and termination. In both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, the initiation stage begins with the binding of a specific initiator methionyl tRNA and mRNA to the small ribosomal subunit.
What distinguishes prokaryotic from eukaryotic replication, transcription, and translation?
Eukaryotic transcription occurs within the nucleus, while prokaryotic transcription occurs in the cytoplasm. Eukaryotic transcription and translation cannot occur simultaneously, unlike prokaryotic transcription. In prokaryotes, the combination of translation and transcription is feasible.
Is transcription or translation faster?
In bacteria, a 1-kilobase gene should take approximately 10 seconds for maximal transcription, considering a transcription rate of about 1000 nucleotides per 80 nucleotides per second. Translation elongation occurs at a comparable speed. The total time scale includes both elongation and initiation times, which can vary.
What are the steps involved in translation in prokaryotes?
Translation is a dynamic process comprising four phases: initiation, elongation, termination, and ribosome recycling. Ribosomes form transient complexes with auxiliary translation factors throughout each phase, facilitating protein synthesis.
Difference Between Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Translation, With Process
Difference Between Prokaryotic And Eukaryotic Translation is that during protein translation, prokaryotes utilize ribosomes, while eukaryotes employ transfer RNA (tRNA) to identify the codons present in messenger RNA (mRNA)
Krati Saraswat9 Jun, 2025
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Difference Between Prokaryotic And Eukaryotic Translation: Translation is the cellular mechanism responsible for protein synthesis. It represents the second phase of genetic expression, during which ribosomes interpret the information encoded in mRNA to produce proteins based on the sequence of codons present, utilizing various amino acids. This universally occurring process takes place in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
Despite differences between these cell types, the fundamental translation process remains the same. In both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, the information carried by mRNA, transcribed from DNA, is used by ribosomes as the essential machinery to synthesize proteins. The following article discusses the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic translation.
Difference Between Prokaryotic And Eukaryotic Translation Overview
Translation is a fundamental process in protein synthesis in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells that involves the interpretation of genetic information encoded in mRNAs. During translation, codons, which are nucleotide triplets on the mRNA, are transcribed into a chain of proteins. The primary difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic translation is that bacterial translation and transcription occur simultaneously, whereas eukaryotes have separate processes. Translation occurs simultaneously in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. The 30S and 50S ribosomes are essential for prokaryotic translation, whereas the 40S and 60S ribosomes are used in eukaryotic translation.
Prokaryotic translation uses ribosomes to translate proteins, whereas eukaryotic translation uses tRNA to decode mRNA codons. The genetic information in prokaryotes is stored in DNA, representing proteins, nucleic acids, and pyrimidines. The genetic information is transcribed into mRNA, which is then translated by ribosomes.Enzymes specific to individual amino acids, important chemical compounds in proteins, must be present in this setup before protein synthesis can occur. The following article details the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic translation.
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Difference Between Prokaryotic And Eukaryotic Translation
Prokaryotic translation uses ribosomes to synthesize proteins, whereas eukaryotic translation employs tRNA to interpret mRNA codons systematically. DNA, which stands for proteins, nucleic acid, and pyrimidine, is where genetic information is stored in prokaryotic cells. Ribosomes translate the genetic information after it is transcribed into mRNA. Protein synthesis in this system requires the presence of specific enzymes for individual amino acids, which are chemical compounds found in proteins, before any protein can be produced. The table presents a detailed difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic translation.
Difference Between Prokaryotic And Eukaryotic Translation
Aspect
Prokaryotic Translation
Eukaryotic Translation
Process Relationship
Simultaneous transcription and translation
Discontinuous processes
Ribosome Composition
30S and 50S = 70S ribosomes
40S and 60S = 80S ribosomes
mRNA Location
Cytoplasm; Polycistronic mRNA
Nucleus; Monocistronic mRNA; Released to cytoplasm after post-transcriptional modifications via nuclear pores
mRNA Lifespan
Unstable; Lives for a few seconds to two minutes
Stable; Lives for a few hours to days
Location of Translation
Cytoplasm by 70S ribosomes
Attached to the endoplasmic reticulum by 80S ribosomes
Cell Cycle Occurrence
No definite phase
It occurs in G1 and G2 phases in the cell cycle
UTR Sequences
Shine-Dalgarno sequence in 5′ UTR (~10 nucleotides upstream)
Kozak sequence in 5′ UTR (a few nucleotides upstream)
Translation Initiation
Cap-independent initiation
Both cap-dependent and cap-independent initiation
Initiation Factors
IF1, IF2, IF3 (Three factors)
eIF 1, 2, 3, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 5, 6 (Nine factors)
First Amino Acid
N-formylmethionine
Methionine
Elongation Factors
EF-G, EF-Tu (Two factors)
eEF-1, eEF-2 (Two factors)
Translation Speed
Faster; Adds twenty amino acids per second
Slower; Adds a single amino acid per second
Fate of First Amino Acid
Formyl group removed; Retains methionine in the polypeptide chain
Entire methionine removed from the polypeptide chain
Release Factors
RF1 (for UAG and UAA), RF2 (for UAA and UGA) (Two factors)
eRF1 (Single factor)
Prokaryotic Translation
In prokaryotes, translation and transcription occur simultaneously. Translation involves three main steps: initiation, elongation, and termination. Initiation involves assembling the 50S and 30S ribosomal subunits with the help of initiation factors (IF1, IF2, and IF3). N-formylmethionine is the first amino acid added, and GTP provides energy for peptide bond formation. The Shine-Dalgarno sequence aids in selecting the start codon.
The ribosome's active sites are A, P, and E, where elongation factors EF-G and EF-Tu play roles. The process continues until a stop codon (UAA, UGA, UAG) is reached, recognized by release factors (RF1, RF2, RF3). After protein release, the ribosome undergoes recycling facilitated by the Ribosome Recycling Factor and EF-G. Translation downregulation in the stationary phase involves ribosome dimerization facilitated by RMF, HPF, and YfiA, with RsfA and HflX as dissociation factors.
Eukaryotic Translation
Eukaryotic translation, the second step in gene expression, is distinct from transcription and occurs in a separate cellular compartment. Simultaneous transcription and translation are not possible in eukaryotes. Eukaryotic mRNAs, processed in the nucleus, feature a 5′ cap, poly A tail, and intron splicing before release to the cytoplasm.
Ribosomal pausing during translation delays the process, allowing time for proper folding of the polypeptide chain. Translation initiation in eukaryotes happens through cap-dependent or cap-independent mechanisms. Cap-dependent initiation involves initiation factors binding to the mRNA's 5′ end, while cap-independent initiation uses internal ribosome entry sites for direct binding to the start site.
Eukaryotic translation involves a 40S subunit associating with a 60S subunit to form an 80S ribosome. Eukaryotic translation employs two elongation factors, eEF-1 and eEF-2, following a similar process to prokaryotes. Termination of translation is comparable to the prokaryotic system, but the universal release factor eRF1 can recognize all three stop codons. The release factor eRF3 assists eRF1 in releasing the polypeptide chain.
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