Question

How are proteins made in the animal cell?

Answer 1

The synthesis of protein in an animal cell is a very complex process. The animal cell is a busy entity wherein endless reactions and the process takes place continuously. Ribosomes are the protein factories of a cell which is involved in protein manufacturing or synthesis.

Complete answer:
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. The proteins are mainly synthesised by the process of transcription and translation. When the signal for protein synthesis arises, a copy of DNA which codes for an mRNA molecule is made. This is called transcription. The mRNA is later converted to amino acids which join together by polypeptide bonds to form proteins. This protein forming machinery takes place in the cell organelle called a ribosome. Proteins have different structure and function depending on the arrangement of amino acids.
When mRNA is copied from DNA it is read by the ribosomes and it further converts that mRNA into amino acids which assemble to form proteins. Once the protein is synthesised by the ribosomes present on the surface of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) it then enters the Golgi vesicles wherein it gets packed and gets modified (e.g. proteins get methylated, glycosylated, alkylated etc.) and exits from the Golgi body. The protein which is inside the vesicles either gets fused with the plasma membrane forming plasma membrane protein or gets expelled from the cell where it can exhibit some other function. The protein also gets folded inside the ribosomes into the particular level (primary, secondary, tertiary or quaternary).

Note: The proteins are an important biological molecule whose building blocks are amino acids. The ribosomes are called the protein factory of a cell wherein an endless number of proteins are synthesised, each protein having their function. The conversion of DNA to mRNA is called transcription whereas from mRNA to protein is called translation. This step of protein formation (mRNA to proteins) takes place in the ribosome.