Protein Synthesis Activity
Preparation
• Designate a section of the classroom as the ‘nucleus’.
• Designate other sections of the classroom as ‘ribosomes’.
• Print out (font size 24) the sample strips (see top right) of DNA sequences of
bases (one for each pair of students in the class). Place each strip in an envelope
in the area that you have decided will be the nucleus of the cell (by printing each
sample twice you will have sufficient for 14 groups).
• Print the tRNA codes onto coloured cards (see table below) and print the
corresponding word on the back of each card, 8 words per A4 sheet works well.
Place these cards at random around the room to show that the tRNA can be found
anywhere in the cell.
• Print a copy of the worksheet for each student.
• Divide class group into pairs of students.
If the exercise has been completed correctly each group will have made a
sentence. If the sentence does not make sense a mistake has been made and
each of the mRNA and tRNA sequences has to be rechecked.
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1.ATGAAAAACAAGGTACACATCTAG
2.ATGAAAACAATTTGCACGTAG
3.ATGTAAACCACTAGATAG
4.ATGAGAAACAGGGGACACATATAG
5.ATGCCCCCGAGAAGCCCTTAG
6.ATGCCCCCGGCAGCCAGATAG
7.ATGAAAGTGATGGATTAG
Print this page and cut these seven DNA
strands out and put them in an envelope in the
space allocated to the nucleus in the
classroom.
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Protein Synthesis Simulation – Student Worksheet
1. Start at the "nucleus". Pick up a DNA strand and write the number of
the DNA strand here.
2. Staying in the “nucleus”. Transcribe the DNA into mRNA. Write down
the mRNA sequence.
3. Go to one of the “ribosomes” and write the tRNA sequence that
corresponds to your mRNA sequence.
4. Split the tRNA sequence into anti-codons. (Groups of three letters)
5. Look for the tRNA cards that match your anti-codons.
6. Write down the words in order.
If you have completed this exercise correctly you should have mad a sentence.
If you haven’t got a sentence that makes sense then you have made a mistake.
Check your mRNA and tRNA sequences
Questions
1. Why did you have to stay in the "nucleus" to write down the mRNA?
2. What part of this activity represents transcription?
3. What part of this activity represents translation?
4. What happens in the ribosomes during protein synthesis?
5. What does each word represent in terms of protein synthesis?
6. All DNA sequences started with ATG and ended with TAG? Why?
3
Write down the corresponding mRNA sequence and then write down the
corresponding tRNA sequence ( I only give this page out when teaching
weaker students)
1. ATGAAAAACAAGGTACACATCTAG
__________________________________
__________________________________
2. ATGAAAACAATTTGCACGTAG
__________________________________
__________________________________
3. ATGTAAACCACTAGATAG
__________________________________
__________________________________
4. ATGAGAAACAGGGGACACATATAG
__________________________________
__________________________________
5. ATGCCCCCGAGAAGCCCTTAG
__________________________________
__________________________________
6. ATGCCCCCGGCAGCCAGATAG
__________________________________
__________________________________
7. ATGAAAGTGATGGATTAG
__________________________________
__________________________________
4
Replication sequences – these are what the student should come up
with
mRNA
tRNA
ATGAAAAACAAGGTACACATCTAG
UACUUUUUGUUCCAUGUGUAGAUC
AUGAAAAACAAGGUACACAUCUAG
ATGAAAACAATTTGCACGTAG
UACUUUUGUUAAACGUGCAUC
AUGAAAACAAUUUGCACGUAG
ATGTAAACCACTAGATAG
UACAUUUGGUGAUCUAUC
AUGUAAACCACUAGAUAG
ATGAGAAACAGGGGACACATATAG
UACUCUUUGUCCCCUGUGUAUAUC
AUGAGAAACAGGGGACACAUAUAG
ATGCCCCCGAGAAGCCCTTAG
UACGGGGGCUCUUCGGGAAUC
AUGCCCCCGAGAAGCCCUUAG
ATGCCCCCGGCAGCCAGATAG
UACGGGGGCCGUCGGUCUAUC
AUGCCCCCGGCAGCCAGAUAG
ATGAAAGTGGCGTAG
UACUUUCACGCGAUC
AUGAAAGUGGCGUAG
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Codes and Words – print these out on cards
AAA
AAC
AAG
ACA
ACC
ACG
ACU
AGA
AGC
AGG
AGU
AUA
AUC
AUG
AUU
CAC
CCC
CCG
CCU
CGA
CGG
GAU
GCA
GCC
GCG
GGA
GUA
GUG
UAA
UAG
UGC
Genetics
is
the
makes
have
individual
coding
DNA
in
made
a
bases
inheritance
start
us
of
Chromosomes
contain
Genes
Biology
Genes
traits
non
coding
Inherited
up
study
studies
chromosomes
Stop
an
6
What the sentences should say:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Genetics is the study of inheritance
Genetics makes us an individual
Chromosomes have coding DNA
DNA is made up of bases
Chromosomes contain DNA and genes
Chromosomes contain non coding DNA
Genetics studies inherited traits
Instructions:
1: Print out a copy of page one and cut into coding strips. Place these sections
of code in an envelope at the desk that you have decided will be the nucleus of
the cell. If you have more than six groups you can print page one twice or
make up more codes.
2: Print the tRNA triplet codes onto cards and print the corresponding word on
the back of each card. I placed these cards at random around the room to show
that the codes could be found anywhere in the cell.
3: Print a copy of the student worksheet for each student.
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