Brian Kram
Fond du Lac Ojibwe School
PROTEIN SYNTHESIS BIOINFORMATICS LESSON PLAN
Name: Brian Kram
Date: 3/18/08
Subject: Biology
Grade Level: 10th Grade
Title of Lesson: Who stole my salad?
Objectives of Lesson/Learner Objective
1. Students will be able to transcribe DNA sequences into RNA and translate RNA
sequences into amino acids with 90% accuracy.
2. Students will be able to search an online protein database using a specific amino acid
sequence to find the most closely related protein.
3. Students will be able to explain how protein is made and describe the intracellular
location of protein synthesis with 100% accuracy.
4. Students will understand the degeneracy of the genetic code and will be familiar with the
concept of codons.
Relevant State of Minnesota Science Standards:
The Student will:
1. Explain that the instructions for the characteristics of all organisms are carried in nucleic
acids (Standard IV.D1.1).
2. Describe the structure and function of DNA and distinguish between replication,
transcription and translation (Standard IV.D1.3).
Anticipatory Set/Motivation/Snappy Launch
Someone stole your salad during lunch today…you aren’t certain of the identity of the “perp” but
have a hunch it was one of your friends. You decide to use DNA analysis to reveal the identity
of the salad thief; so you collect your friends’ forks and send them to a DNA lab for analysis,
along with your nearly empty bowl (which still contains a piece of lettuce with a bite out of it).
Unfortunately, the scientists at the lab sequenced the DNA of the salad ingredients instead of
your friends’ DNA; and since you don’t have the time or money to have the lab redo the
analysis, you’ll have to make use of the data you received.
Materials Needed/Preparation
Protein Synthesis Bioinformatics Worksheet
Computer with Internet access
Pen or pencil
Copy of the amino acid codon table
Procedure/Instructional Method Steps
1. I will read the scenario description to the students and will divide the class into groups so
that a minimum number of students are at a single computer.
2. I will instruct student to go the bioinformatics website listed below
(http://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi) and will explain to them what it is and what we
will be using it for.
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Brian Kram
Fond du Lac Ojibwe School
3. I will then ask students to first complete the transcription and translation of the DNA
sequences before attempting to determine the identity of the protein.
4. I will have students continue through the packet, and once everyone is finished, I will
collect the packets and we will discuss the results.
Classroom Management
1. Students are in their seats and ready to begin shortly after the second bell.
2. Introduce the material we will be covering today.
3. Ask if there are any questions before getting started.
4. Start the day’s lesson.
5. Move between groups of students to assist and supervise them.
6. Students log off all computers before leaving class.
Student Assessment
1. Students will be assessed (using a rubric) on their performance on the Protein Synthesis
Bioinformatics Worksheet and will receive a test on this material later.
Lesson Evaluation & Reflection
1. Was there sufficient time to complete the lesson? Or too much time?
2. What concepts were students finding to be particularly difficult (or too easy)? How could
this be improved in the future?
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NAME____________________________
Protein Synthesis Bioinformatics Lab
Scenario Description
Someone stole your salad during lunch today…you aren’t certain of the identity of
the “perp” but have a hunch it was one of your friends. You decide to use DNA
analysis to reveal the identity of the salad thief; so you collect your friends’ forks
and send them to a DNA lab for analysis, along with your nearly empty bowl
(which still contains a piece of lettuce with a bite out of it). Unfortunately, the
scientists at the lab sequenced the DNA of the salad ingredients instead of your
friends’ DNA; and since you don’t have the time or money to have the lab redo the
analysis, you’ll have to make use of the data you received.
Evidence
’s salad contained:
 Lettuce
 Onion
 Ranch Dressing
’s salad contained:
 Lettuce
 Tomato
 Oil & Vinegar Dressing
Your salad contained:
 Lettuce
 Cucumbers
 Honey Mustard Dressing
Directions
1)
2)
3)
4)
Transcribe the DNA into RNA.
Translate the RNA into individual amino acids.
Use an online database (http://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi)
to match this sequence of amino acids to a specific protein.
Identify the salad thief.
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NAME____________________________
’s Fork —DNA Sequence #1
DNA: TGAAAGATTTATAAAAATCAAAGA
RNA:
PROTEIN:
DNA: TTAAATTCTTTTGAATGTTACCGA
RNA:
PROTEIN:
DNA: CGAAGGTGGTACCGAGAGAGGAGA
RNA:
PROTEIN:
DNA: GGAAAGCGTCCGGTTCGTCACTTT
RNA:
PROTEIN:
DNA: TGTTCAGGGAGTTCAAGACTC
RNA:
PROTEIN:
Identity of this salad ingredient:________________________________
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NAME____________________________
’s Fork —DNA Sequence #2
DNA: CGATACCTCAGAATGCTGTTTCAA
RNA:
PROTEIN:
DNA: CCGTCATTATTTCACGGTACGGAT
RNA:
PROTEIN:
Identity of this salad ingredient:________________________________
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NAME____________________________
’s Fork —DNA Sequence #3
DNA: GTCGGCGTGTGGTACCCCGCGACC
RNA:
PROTEIN:
DNA: CTCGATCGGCAGAACCCGGAGCGG
RNA:
PROTEIN:
DNA: ACGACGAACCG
RNA:
PROTEIN:
Identity of this salad ingredient:________________________________
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NAME____________________________
’s Fork —DNA Sequence #1
DNA: TGTGCTCAACAGTACCCAGTATAA
RNA:
PROTEIN:
DNA: TCAAGTGCAATGAAAAGTTGATGT
RNA:
PROTEIN:
DNA: CAAGACGCTTTATTAGGGCCCT
RNA:
PROTEIN:
Identity of this salad ingredient:________________________________
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NAME____________________________
’s Fork —DNA Sequence #2
DNA: AAGCCTTTACCTGCCCAAAGGTAC
RNA:
PROTEIN:
DNA: TCCTTCTGACGTCGACGGTTCTTC
RNA:
PROTEIN:
DNA: CGACGCGGTAGTCCTTCAGGTACC
RNA:
PROTEIN:
DNA: ATGCCGGGACTGGCACAGTTCATG
RNA:
PROTEIN:
DNA: GATCCGGGTAAGAGGCCGCTCC
RNA:
PROTEIN:
Identity of this salad ingredient:________________________________
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NAME____________________________
’s Fork —DNA Sequence #3
DNA: TTTGGTGTCCATGGCACGAAAAAG
RNA:
PROTEIN:
DNA: TATAAACCGCTAAGTA
RNA:
PROTEIN:
Identity of this salad ingredient:________________________________
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NAME____________________________
QUESTIONS
1) Who was the salad thief? What ingredients did he/she have in her
salad?
2) If the amino acid sequence of a protein is K R A M, what is its
DNA sequence? Is it possible to know the exact DNA sequence?
Why or why not?
3) What if we removed a single nucleotide (A, T, G, or C) from one
of the DNA sequences you received, would that change the
outcome of your investigation? Why or why not?
4) What is the general name for the ‘set of 3’ nucleotides that code
for a specific amino acid? (Hint: It begins with the letter “c”.)
5) How many common amino acids are there?
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NAME____________________________
6) How can you make so many different proteins with such a small
number of unique amino acids? What gives proteins their
diversity?
7) What is the name for the process of making RNA from DNA?
What about the name for the process of making protein from
RNA?
8) Where is protein made, in what part of the cell (eukaryotic)?
9) What piece of cellular machinery is primarily responsible for the
building of proteins?
10)What is tRNA? What does it do?
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