Download GSLC Protein Synthesis Computer Activity (word)

Name: _______________________________________________________________________ Period: ___________
Protein Synthesis
Go to this website (you can use the link on the class website): http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/
Go to Basic Genetics. Click on Old Tour of Basic Genetics. Click on What is a Chromosome.
1. The uncoiled DNA in our cells is _________________________________________________________________ long.
2. DNA is ________________________________________________________________________________ in chromosomes.
3. The DNA double helix is wrapped around ____________________________which are then packed tightly to form chromosomes.
4. How many chromosomes are in:
Mosquitos? __________
Carp? ___________
Onions? __________
Humans? ____________
Go back to Old Tour of Basic Genetics. Click on What is a Gene.
1. Genes are made of _________________________________________________________________________________
2. One stand of DNA contains _____________________________genes.
3. Approximately how many different genes do humans have? ________________________________________
4. Each gene contains ______________________________________________________________ for making proteins.
5. The protein used as an example in this section is ____________________________________________________
which is part of ____________________________________________ _________________________________cells.
6. What is a mutation? ________________________________________________________________________________
7. What disorder is caused by a mutation to the hemoglobin-producing gene? _____________________________________
Go back to Old Tour of Basic Genetics. Click on What is a Protein?
1.
Proteins make living things _____________________________________________________________________
2.
What do proteins have to do with our cells? ________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
3.
What are two proteins that help nerve cells do their job? ______________________________________________
4.
What organelle produces the proteins encoded in our genes? ___________________________________________
5.
What do genes have to do with proteins? ___________________________________________________________
Go back to Basic Genetics. Under More About Proteins, click on Transcribe and Translate a Gene
Use the information at the bottom of the page to briefly explain, in your own words, what happens during:
Transcription –
Translation –
Now you will transcribe a DNA sequence and translate it into a protein.
Go to the top of the page and click on the simulation.
1.
Transcribe the DNA into mRNA. Write the mRNA sequence you transcribed from the DNA strand:
U ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
2.
Translation: You will play the role of tRNA, bringing the amino acids in the correct order. List the 6 amino acids, from left
to right, that form the protein you synthesized. (Notice that there are specific codons that start and stop the protein building
process. Codons are 3 letter “words” in the RNA that correspond with specific amino acids. This protein starts with the codon
AUG)
_____________ _____________ _______________ ______________ ______________ _____________ ____________
3.
Proteins are created from ________total amino acids.
4.
In a chain of seven amino acids _____________ different proteins could be created.
Reflection Questions (you do not need the computer to do these questions).
1.
Why is protein synthesis important?
Complete the analogy below to help explain the roles of mRNA and tRNA in protein synthesis to someone who is not familiar
with the process.
2.
If protein synthesis was like constructing a building, then DNA would be like
_____
because
_____
3.
mRNA would be like
because
_____
____________________
4.
tRNA would be like
because
_____
____________________
5.
What could happen to a protein if a DNA base in the gene that codes for that protein was deleted (removed)?
6.
What could happen to a protein if a DNA base was inserted (added) into the gene?
7.
Think about your building analogy in questions 2 to 4. How would adding or removing base pairs affect the construction of
the building?
The chart on the SMARTBoard is a different way to show the corresponding amino acids for different mRNA codons. The first
letter of the codon is the middle, then work outward.
8.
Imagine a mutation occurred that changed the mRNA sequence used in the online activity. Would a different amino acid
result if the second codon was CAA instead of CUA? If so, what amino acid would be substituted?
9.
If a DNA mutation resulted in only one single mRNA base pair being switched (for instance, a G was switched with a C)
would the resulting protein definitely be messed up? Explain your answer.
10. Give an example of redundancy in the mRNA codons.
11. A mutation that does not change the amino acid that is coded for in the gene sequence is called a “silent mutation.” Why do
you think it is called “silent”?