Download DNA Replication Lab

DNA Replication Lab
Name : _______________________________________ Date: ______________________ Hour: ________
Directions:
Part One
1. Measure and cut 40 cm of white receipt paper. This will be your sugar-phosphate backbone.
2. Create a pattern on the receipt paper marking 10 cm sugars (white), and 5 cm phosphates (color purple).
3. Ask your teacher for an amino acid assignment. Each amino acid is made up of 3 nitrogenous bases (for
example ATC).
4. Each nitrogenous base should be labeled and attached to the sugar of the backbone. Make sure to attach
bases in the order given for your amino acid.
Nitrogenous Base color code:
 Pink = Thiamine
 Blue = Guanine
 Green = Adenine
 Yellow = Cytosine
5. Hang your amino acid in the hall, connecting with your classmates. Our double helix will run from the
science lab towards Mr. LaPlante’s room.
DNA Replication Lab
Name : _______________________________________ Date: ______________________ Hour: ________
Directions:
Part One
1. Measure and cut 40 cm of white receipt paper. This will be your sugar-phosphate backbone.
2. Create a pattern on the receipt paper marking 10 cm sugars (white), and 5 cm phosphates (color
purple).
3. Ask your teacher for an amino acid assignment. Each amino acid is made up of 3 nitrogenous bases (for
example ATC).
4. Each nitrogenous base should be labeled and attached to the sugar of the backbone. Make sure to
attach bases in the order given for your amino acid.
Nitrogenous Base color code:
 Pink = Thiamine
 Blue = Guanine
 Green = Adenine
 Yellow = Cytosine
5. Hang your amino acid in the hall, connecting with your classmates. Our double helix will run from the
science lab towards Mr. LaPlante’s room.
Part Two
6. The side of the double helix that we created is the lagging strand in DNA replication. We need to pair the correct
bases to the amino acids we created. First, repeat steps 1 & 2 from above (Measure and cut 40 cm of white
receipt paper. This will be your sugar-phosphate backbone.
Create a pattern on the receipt paper marking 10 cm sugars (white), and 5 cm phosphates (color purple).
7. Choose which color paper strips you will need to match up to the nitrogenous bases. Label these bases and
attach them to the second backbone.
8. Take your base pairs to the hall, and attach them to the amino acid you made earlier. Tape well!
9. Make sure your base pairs are matched correctly, and then connect all three base pairs, as well as the
deoxyribose/phosphate backbone, to create a double helix.
10. Wrap up questions:
1.
What was your amino acid?
2. What code of nitrogenous bases starts the DNA replication?
3. Which codes stop replication?
4. How were your actions in this lab similar to those of DNA polymerase?
Part Two
6. The side of the double helix that we created is the lagging strand in DNA replication. We need to pair the correct
bases to the amino acids we created. First, repeat steps 1 & 2 from above (Measure and cut 40 cm of white
receipt paper. This will be your sugar-phosphate backbone.
Create a pattern on the receipt paper marking 10 cm sugars (white), and 5 cm phosphates (color purple).
7. Choose which color paper strips you will need to match up to the nitrogenous bases. Label these bases and
attach them to the second backbone.
8. Take your base pairs to the hall, and attach them to the amino acid you made earlier. Tape well!
9. Make sure your base pairs are matched correctly, and then connect all three base pairs, as well as the
deoxyribose/phosphate backbone, to create a double helix.
10. Wrap up questions:
1. What was your amino acid?
2. What code of nitrogenous bases starts the DNA replication?
3. Which codes stop replication?
4. How were your actions in this lab similar to those of DNA polymerase?