Lab # _____: Simulating Protein Synthesis with Words
Lab Skills: 26. 27
Background: Genes are the units on the chromosomes that determine inherited
characteristics such as hair color or blood type. Genes are lengths of DNA
molecules whose sequence of nucleotides determine the sequence of amino acids
in protein synthesis.
In a process called transcription that takes place in the nucleus of a cell, messenger
RNA (mRNA) is formed by lining up nucleotides that are complementary to a DNA
strand. The mRNA then carries this information in the form of a code to the
ribosomes, where protein synthesis takes place. The code, in DNA or mRNA,
specifies the order in which the amino acids are joined together to form a protein. The code words in mRNA, however,
are not directly recognized by the corresponding amino acids. Another type of RNA called transfer RNA (tRNA) is needed
to bring the amino acids to the mRNA on the ribosome. As the code on the mRNA is ‘read’ on a ribosome, the proper
tRNAs arrive in turn and give up the amino acids they carry to the growing protein chain. The process by which the
information in the mRNA is transferred into a protein is called translation.
In this laboratory investigation, you will simulate the mechanism of protein synthesis and thereby determine sentences
based on DNA fragment codes and a reference table of words determined by triplet code translations. By completing this
lab we will be able to illustrate exactly how DNA determines an organism’s characteristics.
Hypothesis: If the DNA code determines which proteins are assembled by an organism’s cells, then it determines an
organism’s…
. (fill in the blank)
Procedure:
1. Choose any 11 of the first 19 DNA fragments and transcribe DNA to mRNA, translate to tRNA and find the
corresponding word from the chart below. Write in the resulting sentences on the data collection worksheet.
Triplet Code Translations
UAG = Stop (period)
AUG = Initiator (Start)
AAA = Your
AAC = mother
ACG = funny
ACA = breath
AGU = Beatles
AUC = band
CAC = rubber
CCA = when
CUC = love
GAA = all
GAU = and
GCG = fun
GGC = to
GUA = a
GUU = nothing
UAU = this
UCG = be
UGC = you
UUA = DNA
UUU = life
CCG = is
CCU = subject
CGA = drink
AAG = wears
ACC = have
AGA = the
AGC = best
AUU = an
CAG = breaks
CCC = Biology
CUG = roll
GAC = demented
GCA = so
GCU = education
GGG = future
GUC = dress
UAA = we
UCA = together
UCU = informed
UGG = read
UUC = code
CGC = water
CGG = every
CGU = day
AAU = dresses
ACU = dog
AGG = are
AUA = rock
CAA = old
CAU = pulled
CUA = I
CUU = music
GAG = puppies
GCC = much
GGA = door
GGU = father
GUG = brother
UAC = in
UCC = must
UGA = around
UGU = little
UUG = for
2. You will create a sentence from the word list and work backward to list the DNA code for #20.
Analysis:
A. What are genes and what are they made of?
B. What is transcription and where does it take place?
C. What is translation and where does it occur?
D. How could one change in a DNA nucleotide alter the structure of the protein that is made?
E. If you knew the amino acid composition of a certain protein within a cell how would you determine the particular DNA
sequence of nucleotides that coded for it?
Name(s): ________________________________________________________________________________________
Simulating Protein Synthesis with Words Data Collection Answer Sheet
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
AAA
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
AAA
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
TAA
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
AGA
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
ATT
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
CCC
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
CGA
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
CTA
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
TAA
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
CCC
AAC
AAG
GTA
CAC
ATC
TAG
DNA Fragment
#1
AAC
AAT
TGC
ACG
TAG
DNA Fragment
#2
ACC
ACT
ACA
TAG
DNA Fragment
#3
AGT
AGG
AGA
AGC
ATA
ATC
TAG
DNA Fragment
#4
CAA
CAC
ATC
CAG
CCA
CAT
TAG
DNA Fragment
#5
CCG
AGA
AGC
CCT
TAG
DNA Fragment
#6
CGC
CGG
CGT
TAG
DNA Fragment
#7
CTC
ATA
GAT
CTG
CTT
TAG
DNA Fragment
#8
AGG
GAA
GAC
GAG
TAG
DNA Fragment
#9
CCG
GCA
GCC
GCG
TAG
DNA Fragment
#10
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
GCT
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
AAA
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
AAA
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
TAA
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
TAA
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
ATA
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
CCC
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
TGG
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
TTA
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Sentence
CCG
AGA
GGA
GGC
AGA
GGG
TAG
DNA Fragment
#11
GGT
AAG
GTA
GTC
TAG
DNA Fragment
#12
GTG
AAG
GTT
TAG
DNA Fragment
#13
AGG
GAA
TAC
TAT
TCA
TAG
DNA Fragment
#14
TCC
TCG
TCT
CGG
CGT
TAG
DNA Fragment
#15
GAT
CTG
CTT
CCG
AGA
AGC
TAG
DNA Fragment
#16
CCG
GAA
TGA
TGC
TAG
DNA Fragment
#17
GTA
TGT
CGG
CGT
TAG
DNA Fragment
#18
CCG
AGA
TTC
TTG
TTT
TAG
DNA Fragment
#19
You create
DNA Fragment
#20