Download Codon Dictionary Worksheet

Codon Dictionary Worksheet
To the right is a codon dictionary. This is a
listing of messenger RNA (mRNA) triplets
that correspond to the anticodons found on
transfer RNA (tRNA) and the amino acids
that tRNA carries.
Remember that the sense strand of DNA
carries the original genetic code for each
amino acid. DNA polymerase matches
complementary RNA nucleotides to the
DNA sense strand to produce mRNA:
DNA Adenine (A) attracts RNA Uracil (U)
DNA Thymine (T) attracts RNA Adenine (A)
DNA Guanine (G) attracts RNA Cytosine (C)
DNA Cytosine (C) attracts RNA Guanine (G)
So, if the sense-strand DNA code is AAA, what mRNA codon is produced? (Answer: UUU)
If the sense-strand DNA code is ATG, what mRNA codon is produced? (Answer #1 below)
If the sense-strand DNA code is GGT, what mRNA codon is produced? (Answer #2 below)
If the sense-strand DNA code is CAT, what mRNA codon is produced? (Answer #3 below)
Now, during translation (when a polypeptide is made on the ribosome), the codon attracts a
complementary anticodon of a tRNA that also carries a specific amino acid. To determine what
the anticodon of the tRNA that matches the codon of the mRNA, you need to know this:
mRNA Adenine (A) attracts tRNA Uracil (U)
mRNA Uracil (U) attracts tRNA Adenine (A)
mRNA Guanine (G) attracts tRNA Cytosine (C)
mRNA Cytosine (C) attracts tRNA Guanine (G)
So, if the mRNA codon is UUU, what tRNA anticodon is complementary? (Answer: AAA)
If the mRNA codon is UAC, what tRNA anticodon is complementary? (Answer #4 below)
If the mRNA codon is GGU, what tRNA anticodon is complementary? (Answer #5 below)
If the tRNA anticodon is UAC, with which mRNA codon does it match? (Answer #6 below)
If the tRNA anticodon is AUC, with which mRNA codon does it match? (Answer #7 below)
If the tRNA anticodon is GCG, with which mRNA codon does it match? (Answer #8 below)
Codon dictionaries list the amino acids carried by tRNAs that match specific mRNA codons. For
instance, the codon UUU attracts the anticodon of the tRNA that carries the amino acid “phe”
(phenylalanine), and the codon CAA attracts the anticodon of the tRNA that carries the amino
acid “gln” (glutamine).
Which codon attracts the tRNA that carries the amino acid “pro” (proline)? (Answer #9 below)
Which codon attracts the tRNA that carries the amino acid “ser” (serine)? (Answer #10 below)
Putman/Pierce College Biol 241 03/20150326/Page 1
Which codon attracts the tRNA that carries the amino acid “met” (methionine)? (Answer #11
below)
By knowing that the DNA sense-strand triplet codes for the mRNA codon, which is
complementary to the tRNA anticodon, which carries a particular amino acid, you can determine
any four of these things simply by knowing one of them:
Complete the following chart:
DNA sensestrand
#12
#15
TTA
#21
#24
#27
ATT
Codon
#13
AGC
#18
#22
#25
UCG
#30
Anticodon
UAC
#16
#19
#23
UCG
#28
#31
Amino Acid
#14
#17
#20
Met
#26
#29
#32
Answers:
#1: UAC, #2: CCA, #3: GUA, #4: AUG, #5: CCA, #6: AUG, #7: UAG, #8: CGC, #9: CCU,
CCC, CCA, CCG, #10: UCU, UCC, UCA, UCG, AGU, AGC, #11: AUG, #12: TAC, #13: AUG,
#14: Met, #15, TCG, #16: UCG, #17: Ser, #18: AAU, #19: UUA, #20: Asn, #21, TAC, #22:
AUG, #23: UAC, #24: TCG, #25: AGC, #26: Ser, #27: AGC, #28: AGC, #29: Ser, #30: UAA,
#31: AUU, #32, Stop.
Putman/Pierce College Biol 241 03/20150326/Page 2