Question

How does adding GDPCP instead of GTP affect translation?

Answer 1

Ans. Hydrolysis of GTP is required for elongation process during translation (protein synthesis). During elongation, elongation factor, EF-Tu needs to bind to GTP and hydrolysis of GTP to GDP is required for enabling the elongation of polypeptide. GDPCP (5'-guanosyl-mrthylene-triphospate) is an analog of GTP and can bind to EF-Tu. But hydrolysis does not take place in case of GDPCP unlike that of GTP hydrolysis to GDP releasing energy and hence elongation does not take place.