Download Protein Synthesis Analogy

Names: ________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
Date: _____________Period: ______
Protein Synthesis Analogy
Purpose
 To help students understand the role of DNA, mRNA, tRNA and Amino Acids
in the role of protein synthesis (Translation)
 To reiterate the concept of mutations
Materials
20 DNA template cards
64 tRNA anti-codon cards
Paper—to write down the mRNA strand, figure out the tRNA, and the sentence.
Pen/Pencil
Introduction
This activity shows how making proteins out of amino acids is like building a sentence
out of words.
1. Students will work in groups of 2-3 students each.
2. The classroom is a cell.
3. The teacher’s desk will be the nucleus. The nucleus will have DNA strands.
4. Students will be mRNA molecules. The mRNA molecule (one student from each
group) will transcribe a copy of a DNA message at the teacher’s desk (the DNA never
leaves the nucleus).
5. The students’ desk will be the ribosome. The mRNA (student) will go to the
ribosome, and the group will figure out what tRNA molecules match up with
mRNA strand.
6. The tRNA anti-codons will be hanging up around the class. Students must find
the correct anti-codon, flip up the card and find the word under the card
7. The words under the cards are the amino acids. The completed sentence is the
protein product. Students will continue to translate the mRNA message,
stringing the words together until the sentence is complete
8. If students incorrectly transcribe the DNA template or the mRNA strand, then a
mutation will occur and the sentence will not make any sense.
9. Note: Every DNA sequence begins with an initiator sequence (TAC) which must
be present in order for the sentence to make sense, and each sequence ends with
a stop sequence (ATC), which also must be present.
Analysis Questions- Discuss and complete this worksheet as a group.
1) In this activity, we turned the classroom into a cell. What did the following parts of the
classroom represent in the cell?
a. Teacher’s desk: _______________________________
b. DNA template: _______________________________
c. Student who transcribed the DNA: _______________________________
d. Student group desk: _______________________________
e. Card with the anti-codon & word: __________________________
f.
Words on the back of the tRNA cards: _______________________________
g. Completed sentence: _______________________________
2) If the completed sentence did not make sense, what could have gone wrong? Think of at
least two ways you might end up with an incorrect sentence.
Word bank:
 amino acid
 ribosome


words
nucleus

proteins
3) A sentence is made up of _________________ in a particular order. A protein is made up
of _______________________________ in a particular order. The instructions for making
a protein come from the _____________________ which contains the DNA/genes. Since
the DNA never leaves the nucleus, a genetic message called mRNA must be copied and
taken to the ___________________________, where proteins are made. The tRNA has the
anti-codons and brings the correct _________________________ to the ribosome. These
are strung together and folded to make specific ___________________.
Analysis Questions- Discuss as a group, but complete the analysis individually.
1) In this activity, we turned the classroom into a cell. What did the following parts of the
classroom represent in the cell?
a. Teacher’s desk: _______________________________
b. DNA template: _______________________________
c. Student who transcribed the DNA: _______________________________
d. Student group desk: _______________________________
e. Student who found the correct anti-codon & word: __________________________
f.
Words on the back of the tRNA cards: _______________________________
g. Completed sentence: _______________________________
2) If the completed sentence did not make sense, what could have gone wrong? Think of at
least two ways you might end up with an incorrect sentence.
Word bank:
 amino acid
 ribosome


words
nucleus

proteins
3) A sentence is made up of _________________ in a particular order. A protein is made up
of _______________________________ in a particular order. The instructions for making
a protein come from the _____________________ which contains the DNA/genes. Since
the DNA never leaves the nucleus, a genetic message called mRNA must be copied and
taken to the ___________________________, where proteins are made. The tRNA has the
anti-codons and brings the correct _________________________ to the ribosome. These
are strung together and folded to make specific ___________________.