Protein Synthesis: Cracking the Code 2009
Purpose: Working in a group of three, you will transcribe DNA to RNA and then translate RNA to “protein”
using the genetic code. One person will be the messenger RNA, one person will be the ribosome, and one person
will be the transfer RNA. Follow the instructions below to crack the code!
DNARNA
Messenger RNA
A
U
 Cut out the strand of messenger RNA along the dotted line (#1).
T
A
 Lay the strand of messenger RNA along the double-stranded DNA.
C
G
 Use the DNARNA code to transcribe the DNA sequence into RNA (#2).
G
C
Ribosome
 Use the RNARNA code to translate the messenger RNA into three-letter
transfer RNA codons (#3).
RNARNA
A
U
U
A
C
G
G
C
Transfer RNA
 Match the three-letter transfer RNA codon (from #3) to the correct “amino acid” letter to form the
protein (#4).
Transfer RNA Codon
Amino Acid Letter
AAC
CCU
AGU
GGA
GAC
CCC
UCG
UAC
GGU
1
A
G
H
I
K
N
S
T
V
Minority Science Programs – School of Biological Sciences - University of California, Irvine
Protein Synthesis: Cracking the Code 2009
1. Cut out the messenger RNA stand below.
A
U
G
2. Transcribe the top strand of the DNA template into mRNA (use the DNARNA code provided).
T A C A G T A A C C C C G A C T C G C C T G G A G G T G G A C C C C C T
Place messenger RNA strand here to transcribe.
A T G T
C A T
T G G G G C
T G A G C G G A C
C
T
C
C A C
3. Translate the mRNA into tRNA (use the RNARNA code provided).
U A C
Place messenger RNA strand here to translate.
4. Match the tRNA code to the correct amino acid (use the table provided).
2
Minority Science Programs – School of Biological Sciences - University of California, Irvine
C
T G G G G G A
Protein Synthesis: Cracking the Code 2009
T
3
Minority Science Programs – School of Biological Sciences - University of California, Irvine