Answer the following questions about the accompanying diagram.

Which end of the polypeptide is closest to G? 

Key Concepts

Polypeptide Structure

A polypeptide is a chain of amino acids linked by peptide bonds, forming the primary structure of proteins. The sequence of amino acids determines the polypeptide's properties and function. In the context of the diagram, the ends of the polypeptide are labeled, indicating the directionality of the chain, which is crucial for understanding how proteins are synthesized.

Translation Process

Translation is the process by which ribosomes synthesize proteins using messenger RNA (mRNA) as a template. During translation, the ribosome reads the mRNA sequence and assembles the corresponding amino acids into a polypeptide chain. The diagram illustrates this process, highlighting the direction of synthesis and the specific locations of amino acids along the growing polypeptide.

N-terminus and C-terminus

Polypeptides have two distinct ends: the N-terminus (amino end) and the C-terminus (carboxyl end). The N-terminus is where the first amino acid is added during translation, while the C-terminus is where the last amino acid is added. Understanding these termini is essential for determining the orientation of the polypeptide and identifying which end is closest to specific labeled points in the diagram.