Name: ________________________________
Date: ________ Period: ________
How Does DNA Determine the Traits of an Organism?
In this simulation you will examine the DNA sequence of a fictitious organism: the Snork.
Snorks were discovered on the planet Dee Enae in a distant solar system. Snorks only have one
chromosome with 6 genes on it, which are used to determine their 6 physical traits. Your job is
to analyze the genes of its DNA and determine what traits the organism has.
Snork DNA and Traits
Codon
Amino Acid Number
AUG
UCG
GCU
UUG
GCG
CCC
UCC
UUU
AAA
CCA
AUA
GGG
UAG
UAA
CCU
20
16
2
4
3
5
7
8
9
12
13
1
6
10
11
Amino Acid
Sequence
20-11-13
20-12-13
20-21-21
13-14-15
16-2-5
16-4-5
12-7-8
5-7-8
9-8-8
9-4-8
11-3-2
11-3-3
6-6-10
6-6-14
Trait
Hairless
Hairy
Plump
Skinny
4 legged
2 legged
Round head
Block head
No tail
Tail
Slanted eyes
Wide round eyes
Male
Female
Below you will find the chromosome from a Snork. Each gene has only 3 amino acids that code
for it. Your job is to determine the sequence of amino acids for your specimen. Write down
the complimentary mRNA, tRNA, the amino acid sequence mRNA codes for, and the related
trait in the chart below.
DNA
TACGGTTAT-AGCCGAGGG-TTTAACAAA-GGACGCCGA-GGGAGGAAA-ATCATCATT
mRNA
tRNA
Amino
Acids
Trait
1
2
3
4
5
6
Draw your Snork in the space below. Be creative!!!
Your Snork has undergone some mutations! CIRCLE THE MUTATIONS IN YOUR DNA and complete the
chart below to identify what effect they had upon your Snork.
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
Amino
Acids
Trait
TACGGTTAT-AGCCGAGGG-TTTAAAAAA-GGACGCCGC-GGGAGGAAA-ATCATCATT
-
1
2
3
4
Draw your mutated Snork in the space below. Be creative!!!
5
6
What type of mutations did your Snork experience (point or frameshift)? Why?