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What is your DNA Alias?
We use four letters to code all the information contained in DNA: A, T, C, and G. These
letters represent the four nitrogenous bases that make up our DNA: Adenine, Thymine,
Cytosine, and Guanine, respectively. The letters are read in groups of three by various
enzymes and organelles in your cells. A group of three is called a codon.
DNA contains the information that is needed by your body to make proteins. The
different proteins have specific functions, such as making our hearts, hair, eyes, and ears. The
building blocks of proteins are called amino acids. There are 20 amino acids. The order of
DNA letters, determines the order of the amino acids, and therefore the type of protein that is
made. Each amino acid is represented by at least one codon.
In this assignment, you will use the code provided by scientists to identify a specific
amino acid using codons to make your “DNA alias” and a “protein” that represents your name.
Step1: Write each letter of your full name on the lines on your paper.
Step 2: Use the DNA Alias chart (pink paper) to convert your name to your DNA Alias.
Replace each letter of your name with its 3-letter codon provided by table.
For example: K E N Y O N = DNA Alias = TTC CTC CTG ATG CTA CTG
DNA is read by an enzyme inside the nucleus, but the machine that makes the protein is
outside of the nucleus. The message needs to get outside the nucleus to the ribosome so that the
protein can be made. The enzyme, RNA Polymerase, reads the DNA message and makes a
similar molecule to DNA called mRNA or messenger RNA. mRNA is single standed, unlike
the double stranded DNA, so it is able to get through the tiny pores in the nucleus to carry the
message to the ribosome. This process is called transcription. Another difference between
DNA and RNA is that RNA does not have the base Thymine (T), instead it has a base called
Uracil (U). Think of RNA as a close cousin to DNA; it carries the same info, just in a slightly
different form.When the mRNA is made from the DNA, it is read letter by letter and paired up
with a complementary letter. Here are the base-pairing rules:
Step 3: Converting your DNA Alias into mRNA. Using your DNA sequence (Step 2),
determine the complementary bases to your DNA Alias to make your mRNA on your paper.
Ex: K E N Y O N = DNA Alias = TTC CTC CTG ATG CTA CTG
mRNA Alias = AAG GAG GAC UAC GAU GAC
Once the DNA has been converted into mRNA, the mRNA leaves the nucleus and meets up
with the ribosome in the cytoplasm. The ribosome reads one codon at a time and converts the
message into a protein using amino acids. This is called translation. Think of the ribosome as
a translator. Translating an mRNA message into a physical amino acid chain, will make your
protein product
Step 4: Visualizing your mRNA – On your paper, color in the sequence of your mRNA.
mRNA letter
color
A
U
C
G
White
Red
Purple
Yellow
Ex: mRNA = AAG GAG GAC UAC GAU GAC
so the first five circles would be:
White – White – Yellow – Yellow - White
Step 5: Translating your RNA Alias into a Protein
You will now act as the ribosome and build your protein product. Using the amino acid chart
(pink paper), locate each codon and write down the appropriate amino acid.
Ex: mRNA = AAG GAG GAC UAC GAU GAC
Amino Acid Sequence = Lysine (Lys) Glutamate (Glu) Aspartate (Asp) Tyrosine (Tyr)
Aspartate (Asp) Aspartate (Asp)
Step 6: Visualizing your Protein. Use the chart below and draw out your protein.
Amino Acid
Color & Shape
Amino Acid
Color & Shape
Phenylalanine
Leucine
Isoleucine
Methionine
Valine
Serine
Proline
Threonine
Alanine
Tyrosine
Red Square
Blue Square
White Square
Yellow Square
Green Square
Red Circle
Blue Circle
White Circle
Yellow Circle
Green Circle
Histine
Glutamine
Asparagine
Lysine
Aspartate
Glutamate
Cysteine
Tryptophan
Arginine
Glycine
Red Triangle
Blue Triangle
White Triangle
Yellow Triangle
Green Triangle
Red Diamond
Blue Diamond
White Diamond
Yellow Diamond
Green Diamond
What is your DNA Alias?
Step1: Write each letter of your full name on the lines below.
____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
Step 2: Use the table (pink paper) provided to convert your name to your DNA Alias. Replace each letter of
your name with its 3-letter codon provided by table.
______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______,
______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______,
Step 3: Converting your DNA Alias into mRNA. Using your DNA sequence (Step 2), determine the
complementary bases to your DNA Alias to make your mRNA.
______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______,
______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______,
Step 4: Visualizing your mRNA Alias
Step 5: Determining the order of Amino Acids that make up your DNA Alias
Your amino acid sequence: ________________, ________________, ________________, ________________,
________________, ________________, ________________, ________________, ________________,
________________, ________________, ________________, ________________, ________________,
________________, ________________, ________________, ________________, ________________,
Step 6: Visualizing your Protein.
Analysis Questions:
1. Does anyone else in class have exactly the same product as you? Why do you think this is?
2. How was the final product determined?
3. Explain the process that converts DNA into mRNA? Where does it take place in the cell?
4. Explain the process that converts mRNA into an amino acid sequence? Where does it take place in the
cell?
5. What are the building blocks of proteins and how are they put together?
6. What would happen to your sequence of amino acids if you read one letter in your name wrong between
step 1 and step 2?
7. Since amino acids build proteins, if there was a change in the sequence of amino acids how might that
affect the structure and function of the protein?
8. What might happen to your “protein product” if I were to insert or remove an mRNA base? Would it
change any of your amino acids? Why or why not?
DNA Alias Chart
Our
Alphabet
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Simplified DNA
Sequence
CGA
CGT
ACG
CTA
CTC
AAA
CCC
GTA
TAT
TAG
TTC
GAG
TAC
CTG
CTA
GGG
CTC
GCA
AGT
TGA
TGC
CAG
ACC
CAT
ATG
ATA
The Genetic Code
Phe = Phenylalanine
Leu = Leucine
Ile = Isoleucine
Met = Methionine (START)
Val = Valine
Ser = Serine
Pro = Proline
Thr = Threonine
Ala = Alanine
Tyr = Tyrosine
His = Histine
Gln = Glutamine
Asn = Asparagine
Lys = Lysine
Asp = Aspartate
Glu = Glutamate
Cys = Cysteine
Trp = Tryptophan
Arg = Arginine
Gly = Glycine