Download Virtual DNA Lab

Name: _______________________________________ Date: _____________________ Period: _______
Virtual DNA Activity
Directions: Answer the following questions by visiting the web site below.
http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/units/basics/
Click “Tour of the Basics”
What is DNA?
1. Where can the instructions be found that provide information needed to grow? _______________
2. Which molecule acts as a blueprint for building cell parts? _______________________________
3. a. What is the shape of DNA called?
b. What are the two rules of the DNA alphabet?
a. _________________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________________
4. Examine the picture. Which type of bonds hold the DNA bases together? ____________________
5. What molecule do genes create? ____________________________________________________
What is a Gene?
6. Why are genes called the instruction manual for our body? _______________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
7. What are genes made from? ________________________
8. a. What is the function of the protein HEMOGLOBIN?
b. Which cells contain hemoglobin?
a. _________________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________________
9. How many genes make up a human being? ____________________________________________
10. a. What does mutate mean?
b. Which disorder happens when hemoglobin is mutated?
a. _______________________________
b. __________________________________
11. What does the protein KERATIN do? ________________________________________________
What is a Chromosome?
12. a. How long would DNA be if stretched out?
a. _______________________________
b. What are the units of packaged DNA called?
b. __________________________________
13. Besides DNA, what else of packaged into a chromosome? ________________________________
14. How many chromosomes can be found in each human cell? ______________________________
15. Examine the karyotype picture. Is the individual a male or female? _________________________
16. a. Which organism has more chromosomes than a human?
a. _______________________________
b. How many do they contain?
b. ____________________________
What is a Protein?
17. How many cells make up a human? __________________________________________________
18. What do receptor proteins do?
_______________________________________________________________________________
19. Why have nerve cells grown branches?
_______________________________________________________________________________
20. Why do scientists use computer models to show proteins?
_______________________________________________________________________________
21. Each gene in the DNA encodes information about how to make an individual ________________.
22. a. Which molecule, similar to DNA, reads a gene? b. Which organelle makes proteins?
a. _______________________________
b. ____________________________
23. After created, where will a protein travel?
_______________________________________________________________________________