Download Anth. 203 Lab, Exercise #1

Anth. 203 Lab, Exercise #1
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Name_________________
1. DNA replication and protein synthesis.
Draw two short cartoons. One showing how genetic information is replicated and passed on
from one generation to the next. The other showing how the information carried by DNA is
transcripted and translated into a protein/trait. Use the appropriate terminology in describing
each step. Given this knowledge, what then is a mutation at the molecular level and why is it
important to evolution?
FOR MOLECULAR GENETICS EXERCISE.
The Code of Life. What is a gene and how does it work?
Table 1. The Genetic Code. DNA Codons and amino acids they code for through transcription
(mRNA synthesis) and Translation (tRNA alignment of specific amino acids, e.g. protein
synthesis):
A
G
First
A
AAA-phenylalanine
Second Base
G
AGA-serine
T
ATA-tyrosine
C
ACA-cysteine
AAG-phenylalanine
AGG-serine
ATG-tyrosine
ACG-cysteine
AAT-leucine
AGT-serine
ATT-”STOP”
ACT-”STOP”
AAC-leucine
AGC-serine
ATC-”STOP”
ACC-tryptophan
GAA-leucine
GGA-proline
GTA-histidine
GCA-arginine
GAG-leucine
GGG-proline
GTG-histidine
GCG-arginine
GAT-leucine
GGT-proline
GTT-glutamine
GCT-arginine
GAC-leucine
GGC-proline
GTC-glutamine
GCC-arginine
TAA-isoleucine
TGA-threonine
TTA-asparagine
TCA-serine
TAG-isoleucine
TGG-threonine
TTG-asparagine
TCG-serine
TAT-methionine
TGT-threonine
TTT-lysine
TCT-arginine
Base
T
C
TAC-”START”/methionine* TGC-threonine
TTC-lysine
TCC-arginine
CAA-valine
CGA-alanine
CTA-aspartic acid
CCA-glycine
CAG-valine
CGC-alanine
CTG-aspartic acid
CCG-glycine
CAT-valine
CGT-alanine
CTC-glutamic acid
CCT-glycine
CAC-valine
CGG-alanine
CTT-glutamic acid
CCC-glycine
*The codon TAC acts to begin a new gene after a “STOP” codon or, if found in the middle of a gene, results
in the incorporation of the amino acid methionine at that position in the protein being coded for.
Below is the base sequence for a small section of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) for 5 species of primate, as
determined by Wesley Brown at U.C. Berkely. For the human and gibbon DNA codons, show the
corresponding mRNA codons (on page 2) that would be synthesized during transcription and carry the message
to the cytoplasm and the tRNA ant-codons that would bond with each during translation, pulling the appropriate
amino acid into position. (see page !!!!!**** 2*****!!!!!!!! for the corresponding tRNA anticodons to Table 1
in Table 2 that you may use for this last step). Note: this is a short concluding segment (45 bases, 15 codons) of
a gene that is actually 896 base-pairs long. The three base codons are, of course, not actually separated or
isolated from each other (or numbered) in a real gene, but I have inserted a space between them below to make
them easier to read separately.
DNA codons:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Human
CAT TAT GTA ATT TCC ATA GTC GCA TCC ACC TTT CTC ATG AGT ATT
Chimp
CAT TAT GTG ATC TCC ATA CTC GCG TCC ACC TTT CTT ATA AGT ATC
Gorilla
CAT TAC GTA ATC TCT ATG GTC GCA TCC ACC TTT CTC ATG AGT ATC
Orang
CAC TAT GTA ATC ACG GCC CTC GCA TCC GCC TTT CTT ATG AGC ACT
Gibbon
CAC TAC GTA ATC ATG ACC ATA GCC TCT ACC TTT CTA ATG AGC ATA