Alien Encounters!
Guiding Question: What is the relationship between DNA, mRNA, proteins, and actual traits?
Background: In the year 2050, an incredible archeological discovery was made in the middle of
a remote area of South America. It was an area where a large meteor had struck the Earth. A
pile of alien bones was found completely mixed up together. The explorers who made the
discovery immediately informed the organization known as Scientific Phenomena Over Our
Fabulous Sphere (S.P.O.O.F.S). S.P.O.O.F.S sent out its best scientists to collect DNA samples.
The scientists were able to recover small fragments of DNA which they brought back to their
labs. After much work, they determined that the DNA fragments represented 9 genes.
Purpose: In this activity, you will determine the traits of these unfortunate recovered aliens by
analyzing their DNA and determining the amino acid sequences of the resulting small protein
fragments. Each fragment is associated with a particular gene and a specific alien characteristic
(trait).
Procedure:
1. Put the DNA sequence for each gene in the proper location on your data sheet.
2. Transcribe the DNA for each gene into mRNA. Record these sequences.
3. Translate the mRNA into amino acids using the provided mRNA Codon Chart. Record
the amino acid sequence for each gene.
4. Use the “Alien Genes” chart to determine the traits that are associated with each of
your amino acids sequences and write those traits on the charts.
5. Using a blank piece of paper, sketch and color your alien, making sure to include all
relevant (known) traits.
6. Answer the following questions on the back of your alien picture:
A. Did you find any “identical” aliens in your group (class)?
B. Give the tRNA sequences for Gene D.
C. How does a single change in a nitrogen base change the formation of a resulting
protein?
D. If you knew a particular amino acid sequence, could you figure out the DNA for that
sequence? Why or why not?
E. What is the difference between transcription and translation?
F. What are the roles of the DNA, the mRNA, the rRNA, and tRNA in protein synthesis?
DATA Tables for Alien Gene Analysis:
Alien Number _______
Alien Genus and species_________________________
Is your alien hairless or hairy?
Gene A
DNA
mRNA
Amino Acids
Trait
Does your alien have antennae or not?
Gene E
DNA
mRNA
Amino Acids
Trait
Is your alien fat or skinny?
Gene B
DNA
mRNA
Amino Acids
Trait
What skin color does your alien have?
Gene F
DNA
mRNA
Amino Acids
Trait
Does your alien have 4 or 8 legs?
Gene C
DNA
mRNA
Amino Acids
Trait
How many fingers does your alien have?
Gene G
DNA
mRNA
Amino Acids
Trait
What size nose does your alien have?
Gene D
DNA
mRNA
Amino Acids
Trait
Does your alien have a tail?
Gene H
DNA
mRNA
Amino Acids
Trait
Does your alien have 4 or 8 eyes?
Gene I
DNA
mRNA
Amino Acids
Trait
ALIEN GENES
This table shows the amino acid sequences for the various alien genes and traits.
Gene
Letter
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
Valine-proline-isoleucinie
Resulting
Characteristic
Hairless
Tryptophan-proline-isoleucinie
Hairy
Tryptophan-valine-valine
fat
Isoleucinie-isoleucinie-serine
skinny
Serine-alanine
4 legs
Serine-serine
8 legs
Proline-serine-phenylalanine-glycine
Long nose
Glutamine-serine-phenylalanine-glycine
Short nose
Lysine-phenylalanine
No antennae
Lysine-leucine
4 antennae
Proline-alanine-alanine
Blue skin
Proline-alanine-asparagine
Red skin
Proline-alanine-valine
Yellow skin
Proline-alanine-proline
Green skin
Glutamine-glutamine-asparagine
10 fingers
Glutamine-glutamine-lysine
12 fingers
Glycine-glycine-isoleucinie
tail
alanine-glycine-isoleucinie
No tail
Isoleucinecine-asparagine-alanine
4 eyes
Serine-asparagine-alanine
8 eyes
Amino Acid Sequence
Note to Teacher: This table shows the traits for each of the 30 alien species.
Trait
Hairless
Hairy
Fat
Skinny
4 legs
8 legs
Lg nose
St nose
No ant
Ant
Blue
Green
Red
Yellow
10 fing
12 fing
Tail
No tail
4 eyes
8 eyes
1
x
Trait
Hairless
Hairy
Fat
Skinny
4 legs
8 legs
Lg nose
St nose
No ant
Ant
Blue
Green
Red
Yellow
10 fing
12 fing
Tail
No tail
4 eyes
8 eyes
16
x
2
3
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
5
x
x
x
x
4
x
x
x
x
6
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
17
x
18
x
x
x
x
x
19
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
20
21
x
22
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
23
x
24
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
26
27
x
x
x
x
x
x
28
x
x
x
x
30
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
29
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
25
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
15
x
x
x
x
14
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
13
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
12
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
11
x
x
x
x
x
x
10
x
x
x
9
x
x
x
x
8
x
x
x
x
7
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #1
GENE A:
CAAGGATAT
GENE B:
ACCCAACAA
GENE C:
AGCAGG
GENE D:
GTCAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAA
GENE F:
GGACGCCGA
GENE G:
GTCGTCCTA
GENE H:
CGCCCCTAT
GENE I:
TATCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #2
GENE A:
ACCGGTTAT
GENE B:
ACCCAACAA
GENE C:
AGCAGG
GENE D:
GGTAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAA
GENE F:
GGACGCGGG
GENE G:
GTCGTCTTT
GENE H:
CGCCCCTAT
GENE I:
AGCCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #3
GENE A:
CAAGGATAT
GENE B:
TATTATAGC
GENE C:
AGCAGG
GENE D:
GGTAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAC
GENE F:
GGACGCCTA
GENE G:
GTCGTCTTT
GENE H:
CCCCCCTAT
GENE I:
AGCCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #4
GENE A:
ACCGGTTAT
GENE B:
TATTATAGC
GENE C:
AGCCGA
GENE D:
GGTAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAC
GENE F:
GGACGCCAA
GENE G:
GTCGTCCTA
GENE H:
CCCCCCTAT
GENE I:
TATCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #5
GENE A:
CAAGGATAT
GENE B:
ACCCAACAA
GENE C:
AGCCGA
GENE D:
GTCAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAC
GENE F:
GGACGCCGA
GENE G:
GTCGTCCTA
GENE H:
CCCCCCTAT
GENE I:
AGCCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #6
GENE A:
ACCGGTTAT
GENE B:
ACCCAACAA
GENE C:
AGCCGA
GENE D:
GTCAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAC
GENE F:
GGACGCGGG
GENE G:
GTCGTCTTT
GENE H:
CCCCCCTAT
GENE I:
AGCCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #7
GENE A:
CAAGGATAT
GENE B:
TATTATAGC
GENE C:
AGCAGG
GENE D:
GTCAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAA
GENE F:
GGACGCCTA
GENE G:
GTCGTCCTA
GENE H:
CGCCCCTAT
GENE I:
TATCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #8
GENE A:
ACCGGTTAT
GENE B:
TATTATAGC
GENE C:
AGCAGG
GENE D:
GGTAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAA
GENE F:
GGACGCCAA
GENE G:
GTCGTCTTT
GENE H:
CGCCCCTAT
GENE I:
AGCCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #9
GENE A:
CAAGGATAT
GENE B:
ACCCAACAA
GENE C:
AGCAGG
GENE D:
GGTAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAA
GENE F:
GGACGCCGA
GENE G:
GTCGTCTTT
GENE H:
CGCCCCTAT
GENE I:
AGCCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #10
GENE A:
ACCGGTTAT
GENE B:
ACCCAACAA
GENE C:
AGCCGA
GENE D:
GGTAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAA
GENE F:
GGACGCGGG
GENE G:
GTCGTCCTA
GENE H:
CCCCCCTAT
GENE I:
TATCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #11
GENE A:
CAAGGATAT
GENE B:
TATTATAGC
GENE C:
AGCCGA
GENE D:
GTCAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAC
GENE F:
GGACGCCTA
GENE G:
GTCGTCTTT
GENE H:
CGCCCCTAT
GENE I:
TATCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #12
GENE A:
ACCGGTTAT
GENE B:
TATTATAGC
GENE C:
AGCCGA
GENE D:
GTCAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAC
GENE F:
GGACGCCAA
GENE G:
GTCGTCCTA
GENE H:
CGCCCCTAT
GENE I:
AGCCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #13
GENE A:
CAAGGATAT
GENE B:
ACCCAACAA
GENE C:
AGCAGG
GENE D:
GTCAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAC
GENE F:
GGACGCCTA
GENE G:
GTCGTCCTA
GENE H:
CCCCCCTAT
GENE I:
TATCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #14
GENE A:
ACCGGTTAT
GENE B:
ACCCAACAA
GENE C:
AGCAGG
GENE D:
GGTAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAC
GENE F:
GGACGCGGG
GENE G:
GTCGTCTTT
GENE H:
CCCCCCTAT
GENE I:
TATCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #15
GENE A:
CAAGGATAT
GENE B:
TATTATAGC
GENE C:
AGCAGG
GENE D:
GGTAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAA
GENE F:
GGACGCCGA
GENE G:
GTCGTCCTA
GENE H:
CCCCCCTAT
GENE I:
AGCCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #16
GENE A:
ACCGGTTAT
GENE B:
TATTATAGC
GENE C:
AGCCGA
GENE D:
GGTAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAA
GENE F:
GGACGCCGA
GENE G:
GTCGTCTTT
GENE H:
CGCCCCTAT
GENE I:
TATCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #17
GENE A:
CAAGGATAT
GENE B:
ACCCAACAA
GENE C:
AGCCGA
GENE D:
GTCAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAA
GENE F:
GGACGCGGG
GENE G:
GTCGTCTTT
GENE H:
CCCCCCTAT
GENE I:
TATCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #18
GENE A:
ACCGGTTAT
GENE B:
ACCCAACAA
GENE C:
AGCCGA
GENE D:
GTCAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAA
GENE F:
GGACGCCTA
GENE G:
GTCGTCCTA
GENE H:
CCCCCCTAT
GENE I:
AGCCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #19
GENE A:
CAAGGATAT
GENE B:
TATTATAGC
GENE C:
AGCAGG
GENE D:
GTCAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAC
GENE F:
GGACGCCAA
GENE G:
GTCGTCTTT
GENE H:
CGCCCCTAT
GENE I:
AGCCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #20
GENE A:
ACCGGTTAT
GENE B:
TATTATAGC
GENE C:
AGCAGG
GENE D:
GGTAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAA
GENE F:
GGACGCCAA
GENE G:
GTCGTCCTA
GENE H:
CGCCCCTAT
GENE I:
TATCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #21
GENE A:
CAAGGATAT
GENE B:
ACCCAACAA
GENE C:
AGCAGG
GENE D:
GGTAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAA
GENE F:
GGACGCCTA
GENE G:
GTCGTCCTA
GENE H:
CGCCCCTAT
GENE I:
TATCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #22
GENE A:
ACCGGTTAT
GENE B:
ACCCAACAA
GENE C:
AGCCGA
GENE D:
GGTAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAA
GENE F:
GGACGCGGG
GENE G:
GTCGTCTTT
GENE H:
CCCCCCTAT
GENE I:
AGCCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #23
GENE A:
CAAGGATAT
GENE B:
TATTATAGC
GENE C:
AGCCGA
GENE D:
GTCAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAC
GENE F:
GGACGCCGA
GENE G:
GTCGTCTTT
GENE H:
CCCCCCTAT
GENE I:
TATCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #24
GENE A:
ACCGGTTAT
GENE B:
TATTATAGC
GENE C:
AGCCGA
GENE D:
GTCAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAA
GENE F:
GGACGCCGA
GENE G:
GTCGTCCTA
GENE H:
CCCCCCTAT
GENE I:
TATCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #25
GENE A:
CAAGGATAT
GENE B:
ACCCAACAA
GENE C:
AGCAGG
GENE D:
GTCAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAA
GENE F:
GGACGCGGG
GENE G:
GTCGTCCTA
GENE H:
CCCCCCTAT
GENE I:
AGCCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #26
GENE A:
ACCGGTTAT
GENE B:
ACCCAACAA
GENE C:
AGCAGG
GENE D:
GGTAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAC
GENE F:
GGACGCCTA
GENE G:
GTCGTCTTT
GENE H:
CGCCCCTAT
GENE I:
AGCCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #27
GENE A:
CAAGGATAT
GENE B:
TATTATAGC
GENE C:
AGCAGG
GENE D:
GGTAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAC
GENE F:
GGACGCCAA
GENE G:
GTCGTCCTA
GENE H:
CGCCCCTAT
GENE I:
TATCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #28
GENE A:
ACCGGTTAT
GENE B:
TATTATAGC
GENE C:
AGCCGA
GENE D:
GGTAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAA
GENE F:
GGACGCCAA
GENE G:
GTCGTCTTT
GENE H:
CGCCCCTAT
GENE I:
TATCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #29
GENE A:
CAAGGATAT
GENE B:
ACCCAACAA
GENE C:
AGCCGA
GENE D:
GTCAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAA
GENE F:
GGACGCCTA
GENE G:
GTCGTCCTA
GENE H:
CGCCCCTAT
GENE I:
AGCCTACGC
Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #30
GENE A:
ACCGGTTAT
GENE B:
ACCCAACAA
GENE C:
AGCCGA
GENE D:
GTCAGGAAACCC
GENE E:
TTTAAC
GENE F:
GGACGCGGG
GENE G:
GTCGTCCTA
GENE H:
CCCCCCTAT
GENE I:
AGCCTACGC