Protein structure’s not just luck or confusion,
It's in the make-up of our DNA.
A triplet code provides the perfect solution,
Amino acids, all 20 from G, C, T and A.

Deep inside my cells
It’s like a factory,
I'm making protein chains
It's all biochemistry.

Cell receptors, tendons,
From muscle to enzymes.
I'm synthesising protein chains all the time.
(Synthesis)

Inside the nucleus there's a process - transcription (process transcription)
Polymerase unzips some DNA (DNA)
Free nucleotides joined by polymerase action (polymerase action)
Before you know it, we have made a strand of mRNA.

A transcribed to U
And G’s turned into C
T’s transformed to A
Then C gets transcribed to G.

Through a nuclear pore
To cytoplasmic seas
And ready for more synthetic biochemistry.

A transcribed to U
And G’s turned into C
T’s transformed to A
Then C gets transcribed to G.

Through a nuclear pore
To cytoplasmic seas
On to the ribosome for more biochemistry.
(Chemistry)

The ribosome’s where translation takes place
At two sites where, tRNA binds
H-bonds are forming from base to base
And anticodons bind with each codon triplet in line.

A will bind to U
And G it binds to C
U binds on to A
Although rather wobbly.

In the triplet code
Each codon you will see
It corresponds to an amino acid moiety.

UCA is serine
UGG’s tryptophan
Do you get the picture?
I’m sure you understand.

Then a transferase
Joins each by peptide bond
So that the protein chain continues on and on.

Deep inside your cells
It’s like a factory,
You're making protein chains
It's all biochemistry.

Cell receptors, tendons,
From muscle to enzymes.
You’re synthesising protein chains all the time.

C Downey March 2001