Unit 6: DNA and RNA
Chapters 12 and 13
Projected Test Date: ____________________
Essential Concepts and Skills
1. Understand the history of DNA.
a. Know key scientists who aided in its discovery.
b. Understand the timeline of contributions.
2. Explain how the genetic code is contained in DNA.
a. DNA is a macromolecule (polymer) made up of repeating
subunits called nucleotides (monomer).
b. There are four DNA nucleotides: adenine (A), guanine (G),
thymine (T) and cytosine (C).
c. The genetic code is the sequence of DNA nucleotides.
d. DNA is a double-stranded molecule. The strands are connected
by complementary base pairs: A-T and C-G, like rungs on a
ladder.
e. The ladder twists to form a double helix.
3. Describe how cells pass on the genetic code by replicating
(copying) their DNA.
a. Enzymes unwind and unzip the double helix.
b. Each strand serves as a template for building a new DNA
molecule.
c. Free nucleotides bond to the template (A-T and C-G), forming a
complementary strand.
d. The final product is two identical DNA molecules.
4. RNA structure and function.
a. There are 3 different types of RNA.
1. messenger RNA (mRNA)
2. ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
3. transfer RNA (tRNA)
b. Transcription: RNA molecules that are produced by copying part
of the nucleotide sequence of DNA into complementary strand
of RNA.
c. Translation: the decoding of mRNA messages into a polypeptide
chain (protein synthesis).
d. Know how to read a codon table.
Reading
p. 295
pp. 291-294
pp. 295-299
pp. 300 - 306
5. Mutations
a. Changes in the DNA sequence that affect genetic information.
b. Types of mutations:
1. point mutations: these affect only one nucleotide.
2. frameshift mutations: shift an entire frame around.
3. chromosomal mutations: changes in the number or
structure of a chromosome including deletion,
translocation, inversion and duplication.
6. Explain how genetic information inherited by an organism
controls the activities of each cell.
a. The genetic code is the sequence of DNA nucleotides in the
nucleus of each cell.
b. The DNA code controls cell activities by telling the cell which
proteins to make.
c. The DNA code is transcribed (copied) to messenger RNA
(mRNA).
d. The mRNA carries the code from the nucleus to the cytoplasm.
e. In the cytoplasm, at the ribosomes, the DNA code is translated to
a sequence of amino acids.
f. The amino acids are linked together to form specific proteins.
7. Recombinant DNA and Genetic Engineering.
a. The cleaving of DNA into fragments and inserting these
fragments into another organism of the same or different species.
b. Using restriction enzymes to accomplish DNA splicing.
c. PCR and its uses.
Assessment
Codon Bingo
Codon Word Lab
DNA of a Strawberry Lab
DNA worksheets
D
pp. 307-308
pp. 309-312
pp. 322-333