Date: ____________________
SBI 3U
Name: ____________________
PROBLEM SET: DNA Replication, Transcription & Translation
These problems can be used AS ASSESSMENT and OF ASSESSMENT of learning. There are too
many concepts that must be learned before students can successful investigate and solve these
problems on their own.
1. A DNA template strand has the following base sequence:
5’ TTACACGTGGACTGAGGACCTCTCCAT 3’
a) What is the complementary strand of this template?
AATGTGCACCAGACTCCTGGAGAGGTA
b) If the template is the sense strand, what is the mRNA it would produce?
AAUGUGCACCAGACUCCUGGAGAGGUA
c) State 3 ways this mRNA differs from DNA.
mRNA is single stranded, DNA is double stranded.
mRNA has the sugar ribose, DNA has the sugar deoxyribose.
mRNA has the nitrogen base Uracil instead of Thymine that DNA has.
2. A mutation has occurred in the DNA template in #1, the sequence is now:
5’ TTACACGTGGACTGAGGATCACTCCAT 3’
a) This mutated template is still the sense strand, what is the mRNA it would produce?
UUACACGUGGACUGAGGAUCACUCCAU
b) What is the polypeptide sequence that the DNA in #1 would produce?
TTA-CAC-GTG-GAC-TGA-GGA-TCA-CTC-CAT
Leu-His-Val-Asp-Stop-Gly-Ser-Leu-His
c) What is the polypeptide sequence that this mutated DNA would produce?
UUA-CAC-GUG-GAC-UGA-GGA-UCA-CUC-CAU
Leu-His-Val-Asp-Stop-Gly- Ser-Leu-His
d) What do you think would happen as a result of this mutation?
Sickle-cell disease and Cancer are both results of mutations.
3. Which is the 5’  3’ DNA template that codes for the polypeptide sequence Phe-Pro-Lys?
a) UUU GGG AAA
b) GAA CCC CTT
c) AAA ACC TTT
d) CTT CGG GAA
e) AAA CCC UUU
4. A protein is made up of the following amino acids: Gly-Phe-Lys-Pro-Met-Trp
a) List the codons for these amino acids.
Gly
Phe
Lys
Pro
Met
Trp
(GGT, GGC, GGA, GGG)
(TTT, TTC)
(AAA, AAG)
(CCT, CCC, CCA, CCG)
(ATG)
(TGG)
B) List the DNA base sequence that gave rise to this protein.
GGTTTTAAACCTATGTGG
5. Given the following segment of DNA:
5’ GGTACCGATGCATTAGTCCAT 3’
a) What is the sequence of bases in the complimentary strand of DNA?
CCATGGCTACGTAATCAGGTA
b) What is the mRNA sequence that would be transcribed from the given DNA.
CCAUCCGUACGUAAUCAGGUA
c) After transcription and translation, what is the amino acid sequence that would result?
CCA-UCC-GUA-CGU-AAU-CAG-GUA
Pro-Ser-Val-Arg-Asn-Gln-Val
6. Suppose the third tyrosine in the sequence in #5 was replaced by a guanine. UAU, UAC)
a) What is the new sequence of mRNA?
CCAUCCGUACGGAAUCAGGUA
b) What is the amino acid sequence that this mutant DNA would produce?
CCA-UCC-GUA-CGG-AAU-CAG-GUA
Pro-Ser-Val-Arg-Asn-Gln-Val
c) This is called a POINT MUTATION. Describe the consequences of this mutation.
With point mutation, genes may be expressed differently.
Evaluation Rubric
Knowledge &
Understanding
Communication
Thinking &
Investigation
Level 1
Demonstrates little
knowledge of DNA
replication, translation,
and transcription
Incompletely explains
the concepts of DNA
replication, translation,
and transcription
Investigates and
predicts DNA and
mRNA strands with
limited effectiveness
Level 2
Demonstrates some
knowledge of DNA
replication, translation,
and transcription
Somewhat explains the
concepts of DNA
replication, translation,
and transcription
Investigates and
predicts DNA and
mRNA strands with
some effectiveness
Level 3
Demonstrates
knowledge of DNA
replication, translation,
and transcription
Completely explains the
concepts of DNA
replication, translation,
and transcription
Investigates and
predicts DNA and
mRNA strands with
considerable
effectiveness
Level 4
Demonstrates thorough
knowledge of DNA
replication, translation,
and transcription
Thoroughly explains the
concepts of DNA
replication, translation,
and transcription
Thoroughly investigates
and predicts DNA and
mRNA strands