Name:__________________________________________________ Grade & Section:____________________

SAY IT WITH DNA: PROTEIN SYNTHESIS

Objectives:
 To identify the amino acid that is coded by a given DNA sequence
 To analyze a simulated strand of DNA to determine the genetic code and base pairing of
DNA
Materials:
 Pen/Pencil
 Activity template copy
Procedure:
1. Determine the secret message by transcribing and then translating the bases from the
given strands of DNA below.
2. Use the dictionary to determine the letter that corresponds to each tRNA codon.
3. Record all your steps from transcription to translation, including the amino acid that
corresponds to each tRNA codon.

DICTIONARY
tRNA AA Letter tRNA AA Letter tRNA AA Letter tRNA AA Letter
AAA Phe F CAA Val V GAA Leu L UAA Iso I
AAC Leu L CAC Val V GAC Leu L UAC Met M
AAG Phe F CAG Val V GAG Leu L UAG Iso I
AAU Leu L CAU Val V GAU Leu L UAU Iso I
ACA Cys C CCA Gly G GCA Arg R UCA Ser S
ACC Trp W CCC Gly G GCC Arg R UCC Arg R
ACG Cys C CCG Gly G GCG Arg R UCG Ser S
ACU The O CCU Gly G GCU Arg R UCU Arg R
AGA Ser S CGA Ala A GGA Pro P UGA Thr T
AGC Ser S CGC Ala A GGC Pro P UGC Thr T
AGG Ser S CGG Ala A GGG Pro P UGG Thr T
AGU Ser S CGU Ala A GGU Pro P UGU Thr T
AUA Tyr Y CUA Asp D GUA His H UUA Asn N
AUC Spc - CUC Glu E GUC Glu Q UUC Lys K
AUG Tyr Y CUG Asp D GUG His H UUG Asn N
AUU Spc - CUU Glu E GUU Glu Q UUU Lys K

Observation:
1. DNA CTA TTA CGA ATC TAG AGC ATT GAA TAG AAA CTT
mRNA
tRNA
AA
Letter
CODE

2. DNA TAC ATA ATC TAC TAG TTA CTA ATC TAT AGA ATT TAC
mRNA
tRNA
AA
Letter
CODE
 DNA CGA CCC TTG TAT AAA TAG ACG CTT TTA TGC
mRNA
tRNA
AA
Letter
CODE

3. DNA TGA GTG CTT ATT ACG CTC TTA TGC TCC CGC GAG ATC CTA ACT CCC TAC
mRNA
tRNA
AA
Letter
CODE

DNA CGT ATT TAA TCA ATC ACT TTG ATC TGG GTG CTC ATT TGC CTT AGG TGA
mRNA
tRNA
AA
Letter
CODE

4. CCT CTT TGC ACT CGG ATC GTA CGC TAT TCT ATG ATT ACA CGG TTG CGA TCC ATA ATC
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
AA
Letter
CODE

5. AGA TAC TAG GAC CTT ACT CGA TTG CTG ATT GCG CGA CTA TAA CGG TGC CTC ACT CGG ATT ACC TAG
DNA
mRNA
tRNA
AA
Letter
CODE

DNA TGC TGA AAT CTT ATT ACG GTA CTT CTC GCC ATC
mRNA
tRNA
AA
Letter
CODE