Group Members
Kenneth van Golen, University of Delaware
Nike Olabisi, University of Delaware
Amy Warenda Czura, Suffolk County Community College
Vladimir Jurukovski, Suffolk County Community College
Jacqueline Washington, Nyack College
Peter Park, Nyack College
Facilitators
Ross Nehm, Stony Brook University
Casey Roehrig, Harvard University

Context:
• Intended for Introductory Biology (first course of a two semester series).
• The topic should be covered within one class week; 3 lecture hours.
• The teachable unit will be taught in the middle of the course after introduction to chemistry, proteins, and enzymes.

Learning Goals Learning Outcomes
•
The students should be able to:
• Demonstrate knowledge of the relationships among DNA, genes, RNA and proteins.
Know the detailed mechanisms of the processes of transcription and translation.
The students should be able to:
• Define and illustrate the basic structure of a gene.
• Outline the basic steps of the central dogma.
• Define and explain the process of transcription.
• Compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic transcription.
• Apply genetic code to translation.
• Define and explain the process of translation.

Learning Goals Learning Outcomes
•
•
The students should be able to:
• Demonstrate knowledge of the relationships among DNA, genes, RNA and proteins.
Know the detailed mechanisms of the processes of transcription and translation.
Understand how genetic mutations impact protein function.
The students should be able to:
• Define and illustrate the basic structure of a gene.
• Outline the basic steps of the central dogma.
• Define and explain the process of transcription.
• Compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic transcription.
• Apply genetic code to translation.
• Define and explain the process of translation.
• Describe the various types of genetic mutations.
• Predict the effect of mutations on protein structure and function.

Let’s assess your knowledge of the basic concepts of transcription and translation from the previous lesson that applies to today’s topic.

Let’s start with a piece of DNA
Coding strand
Template strand

Writing Activity: Given the following sequence on your handout , transcribe the sequence of the mRNA (1 minute)
Template strand of DNA
3’ …TACGCAAATCTTACT… 5 ’ mRNA
?

CLICKER Question: Choose your answer
Template Strand of DNA
3’ …TACGCAAATCTTACT… 5 ’ mRNA
?
A. 5’ UACGCAAAUCUUACU 3’
B. 3’ UACGCAAAUCUUACU 5’
C. 3’ AUGCGUUUAGAAUGA 5’
D. 5’ ATGCGTTTAGAATGA 3’
E. 5’ AUGCGUUUAGAAUGA 3’

3’ …TACGCAAATCTTACT… 5 ’
Key concepts
• nucleic acids have polarity
• mRNA transcript is complementary and antiparallel to the DNA template strand.
• DNA  RNA
C – G
G – C
T – A
A – U

CLICKER Answer
3’ …TACGCAAATCTTACT… 5 ’
A. 5’ UACGCAAAUCUUACU 3’
B. 3’ UACGCAAAUCUUACU 5’
C. 3’ AUGCGUUUAGAAUGA 5’
D. 5’ ATGCGTTTAGAATGA 3’
E. 5’ AUGCGUUUAGAAUGA 3’

CLICKER Answer Explanation
3’ …TACGCAAATCTTACT… 5 ’
A. 5’ UACGCAAAUCUUACU 3’
Misconception: RNA is just DNA with U instead of T

CLICKER Answer Explanation
3’ …TACGCAAATCTTACT… 5 ’
A. 5’ UACGCAAAUCUUACU 3’
Misconception: RNA is just DNA with U instead of T
B. 3’ UACGCAAAUCUUACU 5’
Misconception: Same as A, but also polarity is reversed

CLICKER Answer Explanation
3’ …TACGCAAATCTTACT… 5 ’
A. 5’ UACGCAAAUCUUACU 3’
Misconception: RNA is just DNA with U instead of T
B. 3’ UACGCAAAUCUUACU 5’
Misconception: Same as A, but also polarity is reversed
C. 3’ AUGCGUUUAGAAUGA 5’
Misconception: Sequence correct but polarity is reversed

CLICKER Answer Explanation
3’ …TACGCAAATCTTACT… 5 ’
A. 5’ UACGCAAAUCUUACU 3’
Misconception: RNA is just DNA with U instead of T
B. 3’ UACGCAAAUCUUACU 5’
Misconception: Same as A, but also polarity is reversed
C. 3’ AUGCGUUUAGAAUGA 5’
Misconception: Sequence correct but polarity is reversed
D. 5’ ATGCGTTTAGAATGA 3’
Misconception: RNA is the exact complement of DNA

CLICKER Answer Explanation
3’ …TACGCAAATCTTACT… 5 ’
A. 5’ UACGCAAAUCUUACU 3’
Misconception: RNA is just DNA with U instead of T
B. 3’ UACGCAAAUCUUACU 5’
Misconception: Same as A, but also polarity is reversed
C. 3’ AUGCGUUUAGAAUGA 5’
Misconception: Sequence correct but polarity is reversed
D. 5’ ATGCGTTTAGAATGA 3’
Misconception: RNA is the exact complement of DNA
E. 5’ AUGCGUUUAGAAUGA 3’
Correct!

Given the mRNA we transcribed on the handout, assume the sequence is in frame and translate the amino acid sequence.
5’ …AUGCGUUUAGAAUGA… 3’
Think-Pair-Share (1 min think, 1 min share)
Compare with neighboring groups (1 minute)
Is there anything else you need to do this?

Genetic
Code located in the middle of the table: share with your neighbor!

Given the following mRNA, translate the amino acid sequence.
5’ AUG CGU UUA GAA UGA 3 ’
What did you get?

Given the following mRNA, translate the amino acid sequence.
5’ AUG CGU UUA GAA UGA 3 ’
Did you get this?
Met Arg Leu Glu Stop
Methionine Arginine Leucine Glutamic Acid Stop codon

Group Activity Directions:
Form three groups at your table and have each group work on one of the following base changes to the original DNA sequence on your handout . After making the DNA change transcribe and translate the new sequence. (2 minutes)
Group
#1: Change the 8 th base from A to C
#2: Change the 9 th base from T to C
#3: Change the 11 th base from T to A

Group 1
Change the 8th base to C
Template DNA
3’ TAC GCA AAT CTT ACT 5’

Group 1 outcome Base changed from A to C
Template DNA
3’ TAC GCA A C T CTT ACT 5’ mRNA

Group 1 outcome Base changed from A to C
Template DNA
3’ TAC GCA A C T CTT ACT 5’ mRNA
5’ AUG CGU U G A GAA UGA 3’
This base becomes G

Group 1 outcome Base changed from A to C
Template DNA
3’ TAC GCA A C T CTT ACT 5’ mRNA
5’ AUG CGU U G A GAA UGA 3’
Protein
Met Arg Stop
The new codon is a stop codon
This base becomes G
Original Protein
Met Arg Leu Glu Stop

Group 2
Change the 9th base to C
Template DNA
3’ TAC GCA AAT CTT ACT 5’

Group 2 outcome Base changed from T to C
Template DNA
3’ TAC GCA AA C CTT ACT 5’ mRNA

Group 2 outcome Base changed from T to C
Template DNA
3’ TAC GCA AA C CTT ACT 5’ mRNA
5’ AUG CGU UU G GAA UGA 3’
This base becomes G

Group 2 outcome Base changed from T to C
Template DNA
3’ TAC GCA AA C CTT ACT 5’ mRNA
5’ AUG CGU UU G GAA UGA 3’
Protein
Met Arg Leu Glu Stop
The new codon does not change the amino acid
This base becomes G
Original Protein
Met Arg Leu Glu Stop

Group 3
Change the 11th base to A
Template DNA
3’ TAC GCA AAT CTT ACT 5’

Group 3 outcome Base changed from T to A
Template DNA
3’ TAC GCA AAC C A T ACT 5’ mRNA

Group 3 outcome Base changed from T to A
Template DNA
3’ TAC GCA AAC C A T ACT 5’ mRNA
5’ AUG CGU UUG G U A UGA 3’
This base becomes U

Group 3 outcome Base changed from T to A
Template DNA
3’ TAC GCA AAC C A T ACT 5’ mRNA
5’ AUG CGU UUG G U A UGA 3’
Protein
Met Arg Leu Val Stop
The new codon changes the amino acid from Glutamic Acid to
Valine
This base becomes U
Original Protein
Met Arg Leu Glu Stop

CLICKER Activity (30 seconds):
All sequence changes in DNA genes are deleterious (harmful) to protein structure.
A. True
B. False

A change in the DNA is called a mutation.
Summary
Nonsense
Mutation
Silent
Mutation
Missense
Mutation
Original DNA AAT
Mutation mRNA
Protein
AAT CTT
A C T AA C C A T
UGA UUG GUA
Leu  Stop Leu  Leu Glu  Val

Example of a missense mutation with a significant biological consequence
Sickle-cell disease is the result of a single amino acid substitution

Homework Due Next Class:
1. Use the DNA sequence on your handout and make as many single base mutations that you can that will result in the creation of:
A. Nonsense mutations
B. Silent mutations
2. Predict what would happen during translation if the third base was deleted from the DNA sequence?
Next topic: Mutations - Altered Genes

Conclusions of Instructional Tidbit Strategy
• Students have been introduced to genetic mutations though different forms of active learning activities; clicker questions, group activities and homework to account for diversity in learning styles
• Formative assessment ; post test of transcription and translation built on prior instruction was incorporated into the learning experience, with guidance and feedback from instructors addressing misconceptions
• After these learning activities, students should now be able to describe various types of genetic mutations
• We will transition to the next topic to complete the learning goals and outcomes of this unit, after which the students should be able to predict the effect of mutations on protein structure and function