Protein Synthesis and Words (lesson/class activity)
by Lynn Marie Wartski
Type of Activity:
Hands-on, simulation, review/reinforcement, group/cooperative learning
Target Audience: Life Science /Biology
Abstract: Activity will help students to learn or display understanding of the process of
protein synthesis.
Materials:
•
•
•
•
20 DNA Template Cards: these will be kept on your desk at all times. After all,
DNA cannot leave the nucleus.
64 Anti-Codon Cards: These will be taped to the wall around your room.
Paper: to write down the mRNA strand and the tRNA molecules and the sentence.
Pen/Pencil
Procedures for the Teacher:
1. Make up all the DNA Template Cards and the Anti-codon/word cards--See below
for instructions.
2. Hang up the Anti-codon word cards, so the anti-codons are showing.
3. Show the student the cards and tell them what they are.
4. Tell the students that your desk is the nucleus and the DNA templates cannot
leave the area.
5. A student is to pick up a DNA template card, write down the DNA template card
number, and transcribe it into mRNA.
6. With the mRNA sequence, s/he will go back to the group's desk and the ribosomal
student will write out the tRNA anti-codon sequence.
7. The tRNA student will search out the correct anti-codon card and flip the card
over revealing the word. S/he will write down the word.
8. After completing the sentence, a student in the group will tell you his/her group
sentence. If not correct, have the group go over the same DNA template. If
correct, have the students pick another card.
Note: Students may work alone or in groups (it is better to assign one student to be the
mRNA, another student to write down the anticodons (ribosome) and the third student to
search out the proper words (tRNA). Every sentence must have a start (ATG) and a stop
(TAG) codon.
Keys for making cards (see cards on following pages)
*Key to DNA Fragments (write these sequences on cards):
1. ATG AAA AAC AAG GTA CAC ATC TAG
2. ATG AAA AAC AAT TGC ACG TAG
3. ATG TAA ACC ACT ACA TAG
4. ATG AGA AGT AGG AGA AGC ATA ATC TAG
5. ATG ATT CAA CAC ATC CAG CCA CAT TAG
6. ATG CCC CCG AGA AGC CCT TAG
7. ATG CGA CGC CGG CGT TAG
8. ATG CTA CTC ATA GAT CTG CTT TAG
9. ATG TAA AGG GAA GAC GAG TAG
10. ATG CCC CCG GCA GCC GCG TAG
11. ATGGCTCCGAGAGGAGGCAGAGGGTAG
12. ATG AAA GGT AAG GTA GTC TAG
13. ATG AAA GTG AAG GTT TAG
14. ATG TAA AGG GAA TAC TAT TCA TAG
15. ATG TAA TCC TCG TCT CGG CGT TAG
16. ATG ATA GAT CTG CTT CCG AGA AGC TAG
17. ATG CCC CCG GAA TGA TGC TAG
18. ATG TGG GTA TGT CGG CGT TAG
19. ATG TTA CCG AGA TTC TTG TTT TAG
20. ATG TTA TCC TCG TGG TTG TTT TAG
Key for the sentences *20 Sentences:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Your mother wears a rubber band.
Your mother dresses you funny.
We have dog breath.
The Beatles are the best rock band.
An old rubber band breaks when pulled.
6. Biology is the best subject.
7. Drink water every day.
8. I love rock and roll music.
9. We are all demented puppies.
10. Biology is so much fun.
11. Education is the door to the future.
12. Your father wears a dress.
13. Your brother wears nothing.
14. We are all in this together.
15. We must be informed every day.
16. Rock and roll music is the best.
17. Biology is all around you.
18. Read a little every day.
19. DNA is the code of life.
20. DNA must be read for life.
Method of Evaluation:
Students are graded on accurate sentence building from the DNA code, and proper
execution of sequence of protein synthesis process.
Extension and Reinforcement:
Mistakes are happy events in this activity. Students can see first hand the raw material for
mutation and evolution when they come up with sentences that are not correct. These can
easily be referred to when discussing variation and change in a population.
Source:
http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/ATG/data/released/0247-LynnWartski/index.html
Instead of making cards the following pages could be reproduced and cut…
AAC =
mother
ACG =
funny
ACA =
breath
AGU =
AAG =
wears
ACC =
have
AGA = the
AGC =
AAU =
dresses
ACU =
dog
AGG =
are
AUA =
Beatles
AUC =
band
CAC =
rubber
UUU = life
best
rock
AUU = an CAA = old
CAG =
CAU =
breaks
pulled
UUG = for UUC =
code
UUA =
UGU =
UGG =
DNA
little
read
UGC =
UGA =
UCU =
you
around
informed
UCG = be UCC =
UCA =
must
together
UAU =
GUU =
GUG =
this
nothing
brother
UAC = in UAA = we GUC =
dress
GUA = a GGU =
GGG =
father
future
GGC = to GGA =
door
GCG =
GCC =
fun
much
GAU =
GAG =
and
puppies
GAA = all CUU =
music
CUG =
CUC =
roll
love
CUA = I
GCU =
education
GCA = so
GAC =
demented
CCC =
Biology
CCA =
when
1. ATGAAAAACAAGGTACACATCTAG
2. ATGAAAAACAATTGCACGTAG
3. ATGTAAACCACTACATAG
4. ATGAGAAGTAGGAGAAGCATAATCTAG
5. ATGATTCAACACATCCAGCCACATTAG
6. ATGCCCCCGAGAAGCCCTTAG
7. ATGCGACGCCGGCGTTAG
8. ATGCTACTCATAGATCTGCTTTAG
9. ATGTAAAGGGAAGACGAGTAG
10. ATGCCCCCGGCAGCCGCGTAG
11. ATGGCTCCGAGAGGAGGCAGAGGGTAG
12. ATGAAAGGTAAGGTAGTCTAG
13. ATGAAAGTGAAGGTTTAG
14. ATGTAAAGGGAATACTATTCATAG
15. ATGTAATCCTCGTCTCGGCGTTAG
16. ATGATAGATCTGCTTCCGAGAAGCTAG
17. ATGCCCCCGGAATGATGCTAG
18. ATGTGGGTATGTCGGCGTTAG
19. ATGTTACCGAGATTCTTGTTTTAG
20. ATGTTATCCTCGTGGTTGTTTTAG
Mutations for Sequence # 1
original
ATGAAAAACAAGGTACACATCTAG
Mutation A
ATGAAAAACAAGUTACACATCTAG
Mutation B
ATGAAAAACAAGGTAGCACATCTAG
Mutation C
ATGAAAACAAGGTACACATCTAG
Mutation D
ATGAAAAAACAAGGTACACATCTAG