Protein Synthesis · Botany

During translation initiation in eukaryotes, the small ribosomal subunit identifies the start codon by recognizing which structure?

  1. The Shine-Dalgarno sequence
  2. The 5' methylguanosine cap
  3. The TATA box
  4. The poly-A tail
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Correct answer: The 5' methylguanosine cap

In eukaryotic cells, the 40S ribosomal subunit binds to the 5' cap and scans the mRNA for the first AUG start codon within the Kozak sequence. Prokaryotes, by contrast, use the Shine-Dalgarno sequence.

Difficulty: Medium Question 3 of 20

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