Name

Section Instructor

DNA, RNA,
and Protein Synthesis

Mopic/Shutterstock.com
Section 1—DNA Structure and Replication
OBJECTIVES

Place a check mark (✓) in the box in front of each item as you complete it.

❑❑ 1. I can recognize the structural components of a DNA nucleotide: deoxyribose

sugar, phosphate group, and nitrogenous base.
❑❑ 2. I can list the four nitrogenous bases found in DNA.
❑❑ 3. I can name the nitrogenous bases forming complementary pairs.
❑❑ 4. Given a short sequence of nucleotides in one strand of DNA, I can name the
sequence of bases that would appear in the complementary strand.
❑❑ 5. I can recognize the double-stranded molecular structure of DNA.
❑❑ 6. I can explain the antiparallel structure of a DNA molecule using the terms 5’
end and 3’ end.
❑❑ 7. I can describe where covalent and hydrogen bonds are found in a DNA molecule
and state the relative strength of these two types of bonds.
❑❑ 8. I can explain how the location of hydrogen bonds allows a DNA double helix
to be separated into two strands.
❑❑ 9. I can describe DNA replication, including the role of DNA polymerase, and
explain what is meant by the term semiconservative replication.
❑❑ 10. I can define and use all bold terms in this activity.

MATERIALS

1. Puzzle pieces representing DNA’s sugar, phosphate group, and nitrogenous bases

INTRODUCTION

DNA is the genetic material of living organisms. As a nucleic acid, DNA is a large
molecule (polymer) constructed of many smaller monomer building blocks (nucleo-
tides). Each nucleotide consists of a sugar (deoxyribose), a phosphate group, and
a nitrogenous base. The four nitrogenous bases found in DNA are: adenine (A),
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Section Instructor

QUESTIONS

1. Why is complementary base-pairing important in DNA replication?

2. Chemicals or radiation may alter a nucleotide base in one strand of DNA; this
alteration may cause the altered base to pair with a nucleotide base other than its
normal one. What effect would this accidental change in the base sequences of the
DNA molecule have on DNA replication?

3. If all bonds in the structure of the DNA molecule were covalent bonds, what effect
would this have on the ability of DNA to replicate?

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DNA, RNA, and Protein Synthesis

4. Write the sequence of the DNA strand that would be complementary to the DNA
sequence shown below. Label the 3’ and 5’ ends of the new strand.

5’ T A C C G A T G G 3’

5. Use your knowledge of eukaryotic cell structure to answer the following question.
Where does DNA replication happen in a eukaryotic cell?

Use your knowledge of prokaryotic cell structure to answer the following question.
Where does DNA replication happen in a prokaryotic cell?

6. In what part of the cell cycle does DNA replication occur?

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 DNA, RNA, and Protein Synthesis

Section 2—RNA and Protein Synthesis

OBJECTIVES

Place a check mark (✓) in the box in front of each item as you complete it.

❑❑ 1. I can recognize the structural components of an RNA nucleotide: ribose sugar,

phosphate group, and nitrogenous base.
❑❑ 2. I can list the four nitrogenous bases found in RNA.
❑❑ 3. I can recognize the single-stranded molecular structure of RNA.
❑❑ 4. I can recognize three forms of RNA—messenger RNA (mRNA), ribosomal RNA
(rRNA), and transfer RNA (tRNA)—and describe a specific function that each
performs in protein synthesis.
❑❑ 5. I can name the nucleotide bases in RNA that would form complementary pairs
with bases in a DNA molecule.
❑❑ 6. Given a short sequence of nucleotides in the template strand of DNA, I can name
the sequence of bases that would be present in the messenger RNA transcribed
(codon) and the bases in the transfer RNA (anticodon).
❑❑ 7. I can describe the basic process of transcription and where it occurs in a cell
(prokaryotic and eukaryotic).
❑❑ 8. I can describe the basic process of translation and where it occurs in a cell
(prokaryotic and eukaryotic).
❑❑ 9. I can explain the basis for the attraction between the unpaired bases in mes-
senger RNA (the codon) and the unpaired bases in the transfer RNA (the anti-
codon).
❑❑ 10. I can describe the role of the ribosome in translation.
❑❑ 11. I can explain how, during translation, a sequence of bases in mRNA determines
the specific sequence of amino acids in a protein.
❑❑ 12. I can describe the meaning of the term gene expression and state the central
dogma of biology.

MATERIALS

1. Puzzle pieces representing the sugars, phosphate groups, and nitrogenous bases of
both DNA and RNA
2. Puzzle pieces representing transfer RNAs, amino acids, and activating enzymes
3. Laminated diagram of a ribosome

INTRODUCTION

The order of the nucleotides found in DNA provides the blueprint to make protein
products within the cell. The flow of genetic information, often called the “central
dogma of biology,” is shown below:

Transcription Translation
→ mRNA → Protein
DNA
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Section Instructor

Table 1.  The Genetic Code for All 20 Amino Acids

Second base
-U- -C- -A- -G-
UUU Phe UCU UAU Tyr UGU Cys --U
(phenylalanine) UAC (tyrosine) (cysteine) --C
U-- UUC UCC Ser
UGC
UUA Leu UCA (serine) UAA Stop UGA Stop --A
UUG (leucine) UCG UAG Stop UGG Trp (tryptophan) --G

Third base (3' end)

CUU CCU CAU CGU --U
First base (5' end)

His
(histidine) --C
C-- CUC Leu
(leucine)
CCC Pro
(proline)
CAC CGC Arg
(arginine)
CUA CCA CAA Gln CGA --A
CUG CCG CAG (glutamine) CGG --G
AUU ACU AAU Asn AGU Ser --U
Ile (asparagine) (serine)
A-- AUC (isoleucine) ACC Thr
(threonine)
AAC AGC --C
AUA ACA AAA Lys AGA Arg --A
AUG Methionine or
ACG AAG (lysine) AGG (arginine) --G
start

GUU GCU GAU Asp GGU --U

(aspartate) --C
G-- GUC Val
(valine)
GCC Ala
(alanine)
GAC GGC Gly
(glycine)
GUA GCA GAA Glu GGA --A
GUG GCG GAG (glutamate) GGG --G
©Hayden-McNeil, LLC

A three-letter abbreviation is commonly used for the names of amino acids.

Using Table 1 above, write the abbreviation of each amino acid represented by the
mRNA codons in Table 2.

Table 2.  Using the Genetic Code

mRNA Codon Amino Acid
AUG
Methionine or start
CUU
Leucine
AAG
Lysine
GGU
Glycine
CGU
Arginine
CAU
Histidine
UCG
Serine
GGG
Glycine

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DNA, RNA, and Protein Synthesis

QUESTIONS

1. Write the sequence of the RNA strand that would be complementary to the DNA
sequence shown below.

TACCGATGG
AUGGCUACC

2. What is the name of the process in which an mRNA strand is made based on a DNA
template?
The process in which an mRNA strand is made based on a DNA templete is called
transcription
a. Where does it happen in a eukaryotic cell?
Transcription occurs in the cell's nucleus for eukaryotic cells

b. Where does it happen in a prokaryotic cell?

In prokaryotic cells, transcription occurs in the cytoplasm

3. What is the name of the process in which a protein is made based on an mRNA
template?
The proccess where protein is made based on an mRNA template is translation

a. Where does it happen in a eukaryotic cell?

Translation occurs in the cytoplasm in eukaryotic cells

b. Where does it happen in a prokaryotic cell?

In prokaryotic cells, transcription occurs in the cytoplasm

4. How many nucleotides are in one codon?

There are three nucleotides in one codon

a. How many amino acids does each codon code for?

Each codon codes for one amino acid, however some codons can code for the
same amino acids as other codons
b. What molecule is an anticodon a part of?
an anticodon is part of transfer RNA or tRNA

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