Name _________________________________

December 6, 2012

Introduction to Genetics
3.1 Transcription and Translation

I. Proteins

We are all different from each other because we are made up of different
_________________________.

A. Examples of proteins:

 

 

 

B. Protein structure

a) Proteins are types of _________________________ compounds.

b) The subunits (building blocks) that join together to form protein chains are called
______________________________

c) There are ________ types of amino acids.

d) The specific ________________________ (order) of amino acids in a protein chain

determines what protein it is and what shape it will have.

BONUS: Why does the shape of a protein matter? (Hint: Lock and
key!)

__________________________________________________________________________

f) The following is a diagram of a protein polymer, made up of amino acid subunits:

1
 Decoding the Genome of Erk’s

Problem: How does the DNA of an

organism determine the organism’s
traits?

Erk DNA (genes)

Introduction
DNA STRAND 1 DNA STRAND
The diagram to the right shows two 2
strands of an unwound DNA
molecule, taken from an imaginary
organism called an Erk. Erk’s were
discovered on the planet Dee Enae in
a distant solar system, but the only
information we have about them is
the sequence (order) of bases in their
DNA.

?
What do “Erks” look like? How can
we use their DNA to find out?

Erk DNA consists of only 54

nucleotides, and all of this DNA is
packaged into only 1 chromosome.
Your job is to analyze the DNA of the
erk, in order to determine what traits
the organism has, and what it looks
like.

Because there is some natural

variation in the erk population,
different erks have different DNA. We
have the DNA of five different erks,
and each erk has different traits and
will look slightly different.

Procedure

You are given the base sequence of

one strand of erk DNA. To begin, use
what you know about base pairing to
fill in the base sequence on Strand 1.

Looking ahead: How can this

information be used to determine
what the erks look like?

2
 The Genetic Code
I. RNA

A. Relationship between DNA and RNA

1) mRNA is necessary as the ________________________ for DNA, because DNA cannot leave the
cell’s

___________________ in order to synthesize (produce) _____________________ on its own.

2) Like DNA, RNA is composed of repeating subunits called _______________________, of which

there are

______ different types.

3) Unlike DNA, RNA does NOT contain the base ____________________. Instead, it contains the
base

___________________, which pairs with the base _______________________.

B. The Role of RNA

1) IN THE NUCLEUS:

a) RNA molecules form by base pairing with a strand of DNA.

Example: DNA Strand mRNA Strand

A ---------
G ---------
T ---------
A ---------
C ---------
G ---------

b) This process shown above, where mRNA forms from DNA, is called
_________________________

c) Once the mRNA molecule has formed, it leaves the nucleus and enters the
____________________

2) IN THE CYTOPLASM

a) In the cytoplasm, mRNA molecules direct the _________________ of proteins from

________________

subunits. This process is called ______________________.

b) Every _______ mRNA bases is called a __________________.

 c) Each codon codes for a specific __________________________. All the codons from one gene
code for a

whole _________________________ chain.

Example: The two codons shown in the mRNA strand above are

____ ____ ____ and ____ ____ ____

Use the table below to determine which amino acids are encoded by mRNA codon #1 and mRNA
codon #2:
Codon #1 Codon #2

Codon #1 (____ ____ ____) codes for the amino acid _______________

Codon #2 (____ ____ ____) codes for the amino acid _______________

d) Translation occurs on the ____________________ in the cell, which hold the mRNA in place.

e) A gene is a segment of ____________ on a chromosome that codes for an entire

___________________
II. Summary

The flow of genetic information:

1) _________________ Transcription
In
__________________

2) _________________
Translation
In
__________________
3) _________________

Every individual has a different sequence of _______________ in their ______________. These

differences affect the

sequence of ___________ bases, and differences in mRNA bases cause differences in the
______________________ sequence of proteins.
Name _________________________________

Decoding the Erk

Introduction It’s time to break the DNA code to figure out

what the DNA instructions say…
Your goal this week is to use the DNA of the

?
erks to produce a portrait of what the erks
look like.

Yesterday you looked at the double-stranded

DNA of the erks. Remember, the erks only
have one chromosome, containing a
molecule of DNA that is 54 nucleotides long.
Procedure
How does the erk DNA give us information
about the erk’s physical traits (what the erk
looks like)?
What gives a erk its unique physical traits?
Its proteins! Remember, the DNA of an
organism is a set of instructions for making
these proteins.
What do “erks” look like? How can
we use their DNA to find out?
1) On the next page, fill in the matching
erk mRNA sequence based on your
erk’s DNA sequence from yesterday.
2) Use Table 1 (below) to match each
mRNA triplet codon with the
appropriate amino acid letter.
3) Use Table 2 (below) to match each
protein (consisting of 3 amino acids)
with the appropriate trait

TABLE 1
TABLE 2

mRNA triplet Amino acid

codon letter Amino acid Trait
sequence
(protein)
UGG R R-L-N hairless
UCG Q R-M-N hairy
GCU B Q-B-E 4-legged
UUG D Q-D-E 2-legged
GCG C
M-G-H round head
CCC E
E-G-H block head
UCC G
UUU H J-H-H no tail
AAA J J-D-H tail
CCA M L-C-B slanted eyes
AUA N L-C-C wide round
GGG A eyes
UAG F F-F-K male
GAU K F-F-P female
CCU L
GAA P
 Name _________________________________

Decoding the Erk

Directions: 1) In the space provided, paste Strand 1 of your erk DNA from yesterday (p. 5). 2) Use the DNA
strand and what you know about base pairing to fill in the base sequence for the erk messenger RNA (mRNA)
strand (Remember: RNA contains uracil (U) instead of thymine (T). There is no T in RNA!) 3) Use Table 1 (p. 10) to
match each mRNA triplet codon with the appropriate amino acid letter. 4) Use Table 2 (p. 10) to match each
protein (made of 3 amino acids each) with the appropriate erk trait.

Erk DNA (genes) Erk mRNA Erk Amino Acids (protein)

Protein 1

Trait:
____________

Protein 2

Trait:
Cut out erk DNA
Strand 1 from ____________
yesterday’s lab,
and paste it
here.

Make sure to line Protein 3

it up properly
with the Trait:
messenger RNA ____________
(mRNA) to the

Protein 4

Trait:
____________

Protein 5

Trait:
____________

Protein 6

Trait:
____________
Analysis:

1. In the space below, draw a portrait of your erk based on the traits encoded by the erk DNA.

Draw a portrait of your erk above

based on the traits you’ve
discovered.

2. Where in the erk cells is the erk DNA transcribed into messenger RNA (mRNA)?
____________________

3. Where in the erk cells is the erk mRNA translated into protein? ____________________________

4. How many genes does each erk have? ____________

5. How many proteins does each erk synthesize? _____________

6. What, in your own words, is a gene?

7. How does this lab show that an organism’s DNA determines the types of traits the organism
has?

8. How would the appearance of the erk change if a DNA nucleotide base in one of the genes
changed into a different nucleotide base? Give a specific example.
Name _________________________________________

HW The Genetic Code

Base your answers to questions 1 through 4 on the Universal Genetic Code Chart provided and on your
knowledge of biology.

Some DNA, RNA, and amino acid information from four similar sequences of four plant species is shown in
the chart below.

1. Using the information given, fill in the missing mRNA base sequence for species B in the chart below.

2. Using the Universal Genetic Code Chart, fill in the missing amino acid sequence for species C in the
chart below.

3. According to these amino acid sequences, which two plant species are the most closely related? Support
your answer.

Species _______________ and ________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Series I represents three mRNA codons in all four bird species. Series II includes a change in the mRNA
base sequence caused by
harmful radiation from the sun.
 a) Use the Universal Genetic Code to determine the amino sequence encoded by each of the mRNA
series:

Series I: __________ __________ __________

Series II: __________ __________ __________

b) How would the amino acid sequence produced by Series II (the changed strand) compare to the
amino acid sequence
produced by series I?

(1) The amino acid sequence would be shorter.

(2) One amino acid in the sequence would change.
(3) The amino acid sequence would remain unchanged.
(4) More than one amino acid in the sequence would change.

Base your answers to question 5 and 6 on the information and chart below and on your knowledge of
biology.

In DNA, a sequence of three bases is a code for the placement of a certain amino acid in a
protein chain. The table below shows some amino acids with their abbreviations and DNA codes.

5. In the space below, show the amino acid chain (use abbreviations) that would be produced by the DNA
base sequence below.

C-A-A-G-T-T-A-A-A-T-T-A-T-T-G-T-G-A

6. If the base sequence above codes for part of a protein, how would this protein be affected if the first
base changed from a C to
an A? Be specific! If this protein were an enzyme, how would this affect the functioning of the enzyme?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name __________________________________

HW Scientific Synthesis

Describe how DNA determines the traits of an individual.

In your answer by sure to include:

 a description of the role of DNA, including: its 4 building blocks, and the organelle in which
it is found in the cell
 a description of the relationship between genes, chromosomes, and the nucleus
 a definition of transcription, and how and where it occurs in the cell
 a description of RNA, why it is needed in the cell, and how it is different from DNA
 a definition of translation, and how and where it occurs in the cell – make sure to include
the term “codon,” and to identify the building blocks of protein
 an example of how proteins can determine a trait in an individual
 a prediction of how an individual might be affected if a DNA base in one of his genes were
to change into another base

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