Activity 16

1. Activity 16 Protein Synthesis: Transcription and Translation

3. Think of a corn cell that is genetically modified to contain the Bt gene and a corn cell that is not modified. • In what ways are the cells similar? • In what ways are the cells different?

4. What is the relationship between DNA and proteins in a cell?

5. Read the introduction. • Protein synthesis is the process in which a cell makes a protein. It has two phases. • Transcription is the first phase, where DNA is converted into mRNA. • Translation is the second phase, where the mRNA is converted to tRNA and a protein molecule is assembled.

6. Challenge • How does a cell make proteins with the information from DNA?

8. As you view the simulation, be sure to correct the order of the Transcription and Translation cards, as needed.

9. The correct card order is: • D, F, E, J, A, H, B, G, C, I

10. Try different sorts of insertions, deletions, substitutions, and frameshifts to see if you can determine what the effects of various mutations are.

11. Procedure

12. Analysis 1 • Define protein synthesis and describe how it works.

13. Analysis 2 • Copy the chart from the student book in your science notebook. Fill in the chart to determine the amino acid sequence that results from the transcription and translation of the following nucleotide sequence: 5’ TACTCGGCATTGTGA 3’

14. Analysis 4 • One night while watching TV you hear a newscaster say, “DNA mutations cause damaged proteins.” Based on your work in Part B, how would you respond to this claim?

15. Revisit the Challenge • How does a cell make proteins with the information from DNA?

16. Key Vocabulary • amino acid • DNA • mRNA • mutation • protein • protein synthesis • replication • RNA • transcription • translation