Name:
Date:
2.2 Final Make Up Day: Intro to Genetics Reading
When you look in the mirror and see yourself, do you ever wonder,
“Why do I look this way?” The answer comes down to DNA. DNA is
your genetic material that controls everything about you, from the
way you look to your personality! That’s right, these molecules
called DNA control your physical features like; height, hair color, eye
color, nose shape, and skin color. The DNA also controls elements of
your personality like; shyness, outgoingness, and aggressiveness.
DNA is what makes you, you!
Period:
1. What types of things do DNA molecules control?
DNA molecules control things like…
2. What are some examples of physical features that DNA controls?
Some examples of physical features that DNA controls are…
3. What are some examples of personality traits that DNA controls?
Some examples of personality traits that DNA controls are…
So what exactly is DNA? DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid. DNA
is stored in the nucleus of the cell. DNA contains the information that
controls your cells. Your DNA has directions that tell your cell how to
work, and the DNA is stored in the nucleus. This is why the nucleus is
called the command center of your body.
4. What does DNA stand for?
DNA stands for…
5. Where is DNA stored?
6. Why is the nucleus called the command center of your body?
But how does the information in your DNA control your cell if it’s
stuck in the nucleus? The DNA in your nucleus gets the information
to control the cell by copying itself into RNA. The RNA is then able to
leave the nucleus through the pores in the nuclear membrane. Pores
means holes, and the nuclear membrane is the membrane that
surround the nucleus. So, nuclear pores means the holes in the
membrane around the nucleus.
So what exactly is RNA? RNA stands for ribonucleic acid. RNA is a
closely related to DNA because it is direct copy of the information on
the DNA, with some very subtle differences. Subtle means
unnoticeable and small. The differences are like writing the
information in pen and then copying it in pencil. The information is
the same, but slightly different.
This still doesn’t quite explain how DNA controls the cell. Right now
we have RNA, with the information from the DNA, which has just left
the nucleus. The RNA is now swimming through the cell looking for a
ribosome. Once the RNA finds the ribosome, the ribosome takes the
information and makes a protein. The DNA is the instructions for the
ribosomes. The RNA is a copy that travels to the ribosome. The
ribosome uses the instructions to make a protein.
7. What is DNA converted to so it can get the information out of the nucleus?
8. What does the RNA leave the nucleus through?
9. What does the “pores in the nuclear membrane mean” in simpler terms?
10. What does RNA stand for?
11. Why is RNA closely related to DNA?
12. After leaving the nucleus, what is the RNA swimming around the cell looking
for?
13. What does the ribosome do with the information from the RNA?
So far in class, we have talked about a bunch of different proteins.
Homework
Name:
Date:
2.2 Final Make Up Day: Intro to Genetics Reading
There are proteins in the membrane that let good stuff into the cell,
proteins make RNA from DNA, and proteins are made by the ER and
shipped by the golgi apparatus. In our cell we have thousands of
different proteins. Each different protein is made from a different
gene. Genes are small sections of DNA that make a special protein.
Each gene in your cell makes 1 protein. Each cell has about 30,000
genes. Each gene plays a role in making you, you. There are 30,000
little pieces of instructions that tell your cells how work. This means
there are 30,000 sections of DNA in each cell, there are 30,000 RNA
molecules that can get copied, and there are 30,000 proteins that can
be made. DNA is called genetic material, because it is made of so
many genes. The word genetic comes from the word genes, and
genes come for your parents.
Period:
14. What type of proteins have we talked about in class?
15. What is each different protein made by?
16. How many genes are in you body?
17. How many proteins are in your body?
18. Why is DNA called genetic material?
When you look at a cell with a microscope, you can’t see the DNA
double helix. The double helix is the spiral shape DNA has that looks
like a winding staircase. The reason why you can’t see the double
helix is because it is too small for even a microscope to see. When
you look into the nucleus of the cell, you can see DNA, but you see it
as a chromosome. The chromosome is the condensed version of DNA
and looks like a giant X. Condensed means packed in very tight. DNA
is stored as chromosomes in the cell. It only unpacks itself to make a
RNA copy of a gene.
19. What is a DNA double helix?
20. Why can’t you see the double helix with a microscope?
21. What are chromosomes?
22. What does condensed mean?
23. What does DNA unwind itself?
24. How many different chromosomes do you have?
25. How many copies of each chromosome do you have?
In a humans, there are 23 different chromosomes, and they
are numbered chromosome 1, chromosome 2, chromosome
3… all the way to chromosome 23. In our cells, we have two
copies of each chromosome. If we have 23 different
chromosomes and two copies of each 1, then we have 46
chromosomes total in each cell. 23 chromosomes came from
your mom and the other 23 chromosomes came from your
dad.
In your body, each chromosome has the exact same
information because you have the same DNA in all your cells.
Although I have 46 chromosomes, and my best friend also
has 46 chromosomes, my chromosomes have different
information and directions written in them than my friend, so
my cells work slightly different and I look very different. My
46 chromosomes are unique, or special, to me because my
30,000 genes are unique, or special, to me and my DNA is
unique, or special to me.
26. How many chromosome do you have total?
27. How many chromosomes came from your mom? How many from your dad?
28. Why are my 46 chromosomes different from my best friends?
29. Why are my 46 chromosomes unique?
Homework
Name:
Date:
2.2 Final Make Up Day: Intro to Genetics Reading
Period:
Homework