Standard 4, Objective 3 Performance Test

Title: Simulating Protein Synthesis

Description: Students will individually transcribe and translate a fictitious protein that will represent a trait. The traits will be combined to draw an organism.

Teacher notes: This activity can be done individually by students or you may wish to divide your class into groups of eight students. Give each student a data table card. If there are extra cards make sure that each group has one of each of the eight. Students should be familiar with basic protein synthesis processes.

Time Needed: If students are working individually, 60-70 minutes. If in groups, 50 minutes.

Materials: paper, pencil, colored pencils or crayons, student sheet with data table, Transcription chart and Protein chart (these are all included below)

Procedure:

1. Hand out and explain that the data table contains the information that would be found in DNA on chromosomes in the nucleus. Students must first transcribe and translate the information on this data table. They must use the “Transcription” chart to determine amino acid number and the “Protein” chart to find the actual characteristics.

2. Students will next combine the traits with the other students (if they are working in groups) and draw the organism. They may work individually and do the same thing.

3. Students can compare drawings or display them. Student Sheet Name______

Title: Translating DNA

Purpose: To translate DNA code into an imaginary creature.

Materials: “Transcription” chart and “Protein” chart, paper, colored pencils or markers.

Procedure:

1. Start by filling in the data chart, first by transcribing DNA to mRNA and then translating it to tRNA. Remember, in RNA, thymine is replaced by uracil.

2. Use the tRNA triplets to find the amino acid number from the “Transcription” chart.

3. Use the “Protein” chart to find the actual characteristic that would form from the DNA strand you started with.

4. After you have all 8 traits identified, draw your organism. Compare it to others in the class and answer the questions.

Data:

Gene 1 DNA ACT GGG CCC TAC mRNA tRNA Amino Acids Trait

Gene 2 DNA AGC CGC TAC mRNA tRNA Amino Acids Trait

Gene 3 DNA TTT AAC mRNA tRNA Amino Acids Trait Gene 4 DNA GGA CGC AAA CCC mRNA tRNA Amino Acids Trait

Gene 5 DNA ATC ATC CTA mRNA tRNA Amino Acids Trait

Gene 6 DNA GGA CGC CGA mRNA tRNA Amino Acids Trait

Gene 7 DNA TTT AGG AAA TTT mRNA tRNA Amino Acids Trait

Gene 8 DNA ACC GGT TAT TAT mRNA tRNA Amino Acids Trait Questions:

1. What is the specific site of transcription in the cell? What is the specific site of translation in the cell? 2. Do all of the organisms drawn by the students in this activity look identical to each other? If so, why? If different, why?

Transcription

tRNA Triplet Amino Acid Number ACU 11 GGG 1 CCC 12 ACC 2 GGU 3 UAU 4 UUU 5 AGG 13 AAA 8 AGC 7 CGC 14 UAC 9 AUC 10 CUA 15 AAC 19 GGA 20 GUG 16 GGC 17 GAG 18 CGA 6 Protein

Amino Acid Sequence Trait

2-8-4-4 hairy

4-6-2-2 feathers

5-19 female

6-19 male

20-14-8-12 corpulent

20-15-7-11 slender

5-13-8-5 four legs

5-13-6-6 flippers

20-14-6 freckles

7-14-9 3 horns

7-14-8 hornless

11-1-12-9 blue skin

1-11-9-12 red to pink skin

10-10-15 large proboscis

15-10-10 small proboscis