Name
Date
Hour
STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF DNA AND CHROMOSOMES
Vocab
DENUCLCHROM-SOME; SOMA-
What are the traits of your DNA puppies?
Body: _______________________
Head: _______________________
Ears: ________________________
Legs: ________________________
Eyes: ________________________
Tail: ________________________
C Color: _____________________
Hair: ________________________
What do you think creating a “DNA puppy” has to do with DNA?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1
Name
Date
Hour
6. A real DNA molecule consists of THOUSANDS of these pairs of
nucleotides. What is the pairing arrangement of nitrogen bases?
Discovering DNA Structure
_________ pairs with ________and _________ pairs with
__________
D = deoxyribo
N = nucleic
A = acid
7. Are there always going to be an EQUAL number of adenine and thymine
nucleotides in a molecule of DNA? Why?
DNA contains the information for carrying out the activities of the cell. How
this information is coded or passed from cell to cell was at one time
unknown. To break the code, today you will do a paper lab to determine the
structure of DNA and show how the genetic code is carried. You have four
molecules called NUCLEOTIDES. DNA is made up of repeating units of
nucleotides.
8. Are there always going to be an EQUAL number of guanine and cytosine
nucleotides in a molecule of DNA? Why?
9. Scientists abbreviate the nitrogen bases by using the first letter of each
base. So,
A always binds to ____
G always binds to ____
1. Look at your four nucleotides. What are the THREE common parts of a
nucleotide?
2. What is the ONE part of a nucleotide that differs among the four
DIFFERENT nucleotides?
10. In the space below, use the letters to show the sequence (order) of the
bases in the DNA molecule that you constructed. Begin at the top left
side of your molecule.
3. List the four different kinds of nitrogen bases.
____goes with ____
____goes with ____
The structure of DNA is actually in a
DOUBLE HELIX arrangement.
4. Manipulate the nucleotide pieces until you find the best fit. Join the
nucleotide molecules together like a puzzle. Use tape to connect and
reinforce the molecules. You now have a molecule of DNA.
DOUBLE HELIX means that the two long
chains of nucleotides are arranged in a
spiral like a twisted ladder.
5. In the space below, explain WHERE the nucleotide molecules connect to
each other.
2
Name
Date
Hour
11. The sides (or "uprights") of the ladder are made up of alternating
_____________ and _____________ molecules. The steps (or "rungs")
of the ladder are made of _______________ held together by
HYDROGEN BONDS.

NUCLEOTIDE NUMBERS
Below is a data table indicating the number of each type of
nitrogen base in a sequence of DNA. Fill in the blanks.
Bring your molecule to the front of the room and join it to the
molecules of the other groups. We now have one large DNA
molecule.
Total
Sequence nucleotides
A
T
A
1,000
250
B
500
C
2,500
D
5,000
1,800
E
2,000
625
F
250
G
100
30
H
750
USE THIS SPACE AS SCRATCH PAPER:
VOCAB
DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC
ACID
NUCLEOTIDE
DOUBLE
HELIX
CHROMOSOME
GENE
DNA REVIEW PROBLEMS
1. Describe the basic components of DNA.
2. Which of the following is not a subunit of a nucleotide?
a) phosphate b) nitrogen base c) sugar d) glycerol
3
C
G
150
700
55
200
Name
Date
Hour
DNA, Chromosomes, and Genes
From http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/tour/
10.How can all of that fit in a cell?
1. What is DNA?
11.What is a chromosome?
2. Where, in the cell, is DNA located?
12.How many chromosomes do humans have?
3. What shape is DNA?
13.How many SETS of chromosomes do humans have?
4. What does DNA stand for?
14.Where does each set of chromosomes come from?
5. What are genes?
15.What are sex chromosomes?
6. Genes are made of ___________________________.
16.How many sex chromosomes does each individual have?
7. One strand of DNA contains many
_________________________.
17.Which sex chromosomes do males have?
8. How many genes do humans have?
18.Which sex chromosomes do females have?
9. If you stretched out human DNA, how long would it be?
4
Name
Date
Hour
DNA Nucleotides
Color the nucleotides on front AND back using the following key, then cut out your nucleotides:
Deoxyribose = red
Phosphate = blue
A (Adenine) = green
C (Cytosine) = yellow
G (Guanine) = purple T (Thymine) = orange
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