Signature Assignment 4: Replication, Transcription, and Translation

1. Complete this table by filling in the DNA, mRNA, and polypeptide that will result from this
partial sequence of the gene strand for each allele – C, cs, and c. (Use the genetic code on the
last page to complete translation).

C allele (DNA - NONTEMPLATE STRAND) 5’-AATCCCGGAAACCATGAC-3’

C allele (DNA - TEMPLATE STRAND) 3’- TTAGGGCCTTTGGTACTG-5’
Transcription produces: codon 1 codon 2 codon 3 codon 4 codon 5 codon 6

C allele mRNA AAU CCC GGA AAC CAU GAC

amino amino amino amino amino amino
Translation produces:
acid 1 acid 2 acid 3 acid 4 acid 5 acid 6
Aspartic
C allele polypeptide Asparagine Proline Glycine Asparagine Histidine
Acid

cs allele (DNA - NONTEMPLATE STRAND) 5’-AATCCCAGAAACCATGAC-3’

cs allele (DNA - TEMPLATE STRAND) 3’-TTAGGGTCTTTGGTACTG-5’
Transcription produces: codon 1 codon 2 codon 3 codon 4 codon 5 codon 6

cs allele mRNA AAU CCC AGA AAC CAU GAC

amino amino amino amino amino amino
Translation produces:
acid 1 acid 2 acid 3 acid 4 acid 5 acid 6
Aspartic
cs allele polypeptide Asparagine Proline Arginine Asparagine Histidine
Acid

c allele (DNA - NONTEMPLATE STRAND) 5’-AATCCCTGAAACCATGAC-3’

c allele (DNA - TEMPLATE STRAND) 3’-TTAGGGACTTTGGTACTG-5’
Transcription produces: codon 1 codon 2 codon 3 codon 4 codon 5 codon 6

c allele mRNA AAU CCC UGA AAC CAU GAC

amino amino amino amino amino amino
Translation produces:
acid 1 acid 2 acid 3 acid 4 acid 5 acid 6
Aspartic
c allele polypeptide Asparagine Proline STOP Asparagine Histidine
Acid
The C allele is dominant. It is also the ancestral allele. The cs and c alleles are each the result of a
mutation that took place in a cat many generations ago and is now inherited by some cats.

2. Identify the type of mutation in the cs allele from the following list:
● point mutation, silent
● point mutation, missense
● point mutation, nonsense
● insertion, frameshift
● insertion, not a frameshift
● deletion, frameshift
● deletion, not a frameshift

3. Identify the type of mutation in the c allele from the following list:
● point mutation, silent
● point mutation, missense
● point mutation, nonsense
● insertion, frameshift
● insertion, not a frameshift
● deletion, frameshift
● deletion, not a frameshift

Next, we will consider a different gene that influence cat coat color, melanophilin. This is also called
the dilute gene, or the Dense pigment gene. A mutation in this gene gives the dilute allele, which
results in a lighter coat color for animals that are recessive for the dilute allele.
 4. Fill in the table with the template strand, the mRNA that will be produced, and the polypeptide that will be produced (use the
codon table on the last page for the polypeptide). Make sure to include polarity!

wt allele 5’ – CGG GAC TTT GAT CTG AGA AGG AAA GAA GAG GAA AGG CTG GGG GGA TTG AAG – 3’

dilute allele 5’ – CGG GAC TTT GAT CGA GAA GGA AAG AAG AGG AAA GGC TGG GGG GAT TGA AGG – 3’

wt allele (DNA -
NONTEMPLATE 5’ – CGG GAC TTT GAT CTG AGA AGG AAA GAA GAG GAA AGG CTG GGG GGA TTG AAG – 3’
STRAND)
wt allele (DNA -
TEMPLATE 3’ – GCC CTG AAA CTA GAC TCT TCC TTT CTT CTC CTT TCC GAC CCC CCT AAC TTC – 5’
STRAND)
wt mRNA 3’ – CGG GAC UUU GAU CUG AGA AGG AAA GAA GAG GAA AGG CUG GGG GGA UUG AAG – 5’
wt polypeptide
(write 1- or 3- letter 3’ – Arg Asp Phe Asp Leu Arg Arg Lys Glu Glu Glu Arg Leu Gly Gly Leu Lys– 5’
abbrev)

dilute allele (DNA -

NONTEMPLATE 5’ – CGG GAC TTT GAT CGA GAA GGA AAG AAG AGG AAA GGC TGG GGG GAT TGA AGG – 3’
STRAND)
dilute allele (DNA -
TEMPLATE 3’ – GCC CTG AAA CTA GCT CTT CCT TTC TTC TCC TTT CCG ACC CCC CTA ACT TCC – 5’
STRAND)
dilute mRNA 3’ – CGG GAC UUU GAU CGA GAA GGA AAG AAG AAG AAA GGC UGG GGG GAU UGA AGG – 5’
dilute polypeptide
(write 1- or 3- letter 3’ – Arg Asp Phe Asp Arg Glu Gly Lys Lys Lys Lys Gly Trp Gly Asp STOP Lys – 5’
abbrev)
5. Identify the type of mutation in the dilute allele from the following list:
● point mutation, silent
● point mutation, missense
● point mutation, nonsense
● insertion, frameshift
● insertion, not a frameshift
● deletion, frameshift
● deletion, not a frameshift

6. Now consider the template strand, mRNA, and polypeptide for cats with the dilute allele.

a. Are the wt template strand and the dilute template strand the same length? Explain.

The wt template strand and the dilute template strand are the same length because of
there’s a frameshift deletion in the dilute strand, were the wt strand’s first CTG codon
was, with T being deleted. The frameshift insertion at the end of the dilute strand, with
G being inserted, balances out the earlier deletion.

b. Are the wt mRNA and the dilute mRNA the same length? Explain.

The wt mRNA and the dilute mRNA are the same length because the template strands
still have the same amount of bases after having one removed and one added.

c. Are the wt polypeptide and the dilute polypeptide the same length? Explain.

The wt polypeptide and the dilute polypeptide are different lengths due to the
premature STOP codon in the dilute polypeptide.
 First Second Base of the Codon Third
Base Base
in the in the
Codo U C A G Codo
n n
UU UC UA
Phenylalanin
U U U U
e Serine Tyrosine UGU Cysteine
UUC UCC UAC
Phenylalanin Serine Tyrosine UGC Cysteine C
U UU
e
UC
Serine
UA
STOP UGA STOP A
A A A
Leucine Serine STOP UGG Tryptophan G
UU UC UA
Leucine
G G G

CUU Leucine CCU Proline CAU Histidine CGU Arginine U

CUC Leucine CCC Proline CAC Histidine CGC Arginine C
C CUA Leucine CCA Proline CAA Glutamine CGA Arginine A
CUG Leucine CCG Proline CAG Glutamine CGG Arginine G
Threonin
AC AA
AU e
U U U
U Isoleucine Threonin Asparagine AGU Serine
ACC AAC
AUC Isoleucine e Asparagine AGC Serine C
A AUA Isoleucine
AC
Threonin
AA
Lysine AGA Arginine A
A A
AU Methionine e Lysine AGG Arginine G
AC AA
G Threonin
G G
e
GC GA
GU
U U U
U Valine Alanine Aspartic Acid GGU Glycine
GCC GAC
GUC Valine Alanine Aspartic Acid GGC Glycine C
G GUA Valine
GC
Alanine
GA
Glutamic Acid GGA Glycine A
A A
GU Valine Alanine Glutamic Acid GGG Glycine G
GC GA
G
G G

Alanine A Ala
Arginine R Arg
Asparagine N Asn
Aspartic Acid D Asp
Cysteine C Cys
Glutamic Acid E Glu
Glutamine Q Gln
Glycine G Gly
Histidine H His
Isoleucine I Ile
Leucine L Leu
Lysine K Lys
Methionine M Met
Phenylalanine F Phe
Proline P Pro
Serine S Ser
Threonine T Thr
Tryptophan W Trp
Tyrosine Y Tyr
Valine V Val