Protein Synthesis Activity

Preparation

Designate a section of the classroom as the nucleus.

Designate other sections of the classroom as ribosomes.

Print out (font size 24) the sample strips (see top right) of DNA sequences of bases

(one for each pair of students in the class). Place each strip in an envelope in the

area that you have decided will be the nucleus of the cell (by printing each sample

twice you will have sufficient for 14 groups).

Print the tRNA codes onto coloured cards (see table below) and print the

corresponding word on the back of each card, 8 words per A4 sheet works well.

Place these cards at random around the room to show that the tRNA can be found

anywhere in the cell.

Print a copy of the worksheet for each student.

Divide class group into pairs of students.

If the exercise has been completed correctly each group will have made a sentence.

If the sentence does not make sense a mistake has been made and each of the

mRNA and tRNA sequences has to be rechecked.

1
 1.ATGAAAAACAAGGTACACATCTAG

2.ATGAAAACAATTTGCACGTAG

3.ATGTAAACCACTAGATAG

4.ATGAGAAACAGGGGACACATATAG

5.ATGCCCCCGAGAAGCCCTTAG

6.ATGCCCCCGGCAGCCAGATAG

7.ATGAAAGTGATGGATTAG

Print this page and cut these seven DNA

strands out and put them in an envelope in the
space allocated to the nucleus in the
classroom.
2
Protein Synthesis Simulation Student Worksheet

1. Start at the "nucleus". Pick up a DNA strand and write the number of
the DNA strand here.
2. Staying in the nucleus. Transcribe the DNA into mRNA. Write down
the mRNA sequence.
3. Go to one of the ribosomes and write the tRNA sequence that
corresponds to your mRNA sequence.
4. Split the tRNA sequence into anti-codons. (Groups of three letters)
5. Look for the tRNA cards that match your anti-codons.
6. Write down the words in order.

If you have completed this exercise correctly you should have mad a sentence.
If you havent got a sentence that makes sense then you have made a mistake.
Check your mRNA and tRNA sequences

Questions

1. Why did you have to stay in the "nucleus" to write down the mRNA?
2. What part of this activity represents transcription?
3. What part of this activity represents translation?
4. What happens in the ribosomes during protein synthesis?
5. What does each word represent in terms of protein synthesis?
6. All DNA sequences started with ATG and ended with TAG? Why?

3
Write down the corresponding mRNA sequence and then write down the
corresponding tRNA sequence ( I only give this page out when teaching
weaker students)

1. ATGAAAAACAAGGTACACATCTAG
__________________________________
__________________________________

2. ATGAAAACAATTTGCACGTAG
__________________________________
__________________________________

3. ATGTAAACCACTAGATAG
__________________________________
__________________________________

4. ATGAGAAACAGGGGACACATATAG
__________________________________
__________________________________

5. ATGCCCCCGAGAAGCCCTTAG
__________________________________
__________________________________

6. ATGCCCCCGGCAGCCAGATAG
__________________________________
__________________________________

7. ATGAAAGTGATGGATTAG
__________________________________
__________________________________
4
Replication sequences these are what the student should come up
with

mRNA
tRNA

ATGAAAAACAAGGTACACATCTAG
UACUUUUUGUUCCAUGUGUAGAUC
AUGAAAAACAAGGUACACAUCUAG

ATGAAAACAATTTGCACGTAG
UACUUUUGUUAAACGUGCAUC
AUGAAAACAAUUUGCACGUAG

ATGTAAACCACTAGATAG
UACAUUUGGUGAUCUAUC
AUGUAAACCACUAGAUAG

ATGAGAAACAGGGGACACATATAG
UACUCUUUGUCCCCUGUGUAUAUC
AUGAGAAACAGGGGACACAUAUAG

ATGCCCCCGAGAAGCCCTTAG
UACGGGGGCUCUUCGGGAAUC
AUGCCCCCGAGAAGCCCUUAG

ATGCCCCCGGCAGCCAGATAG
UACGGGGGCCGUCGGUCUAUC
AUGCCCCCGGCAGCCAGAUAG

ATGAAAGTGGCGTAG
UACUUUCACGCGAUC
AUGAAAGUGGCGUAG
5
Codes and Words print these out on cards

AAA Genetics
AAC is
AAG the
ACA makes
ACC have
ACG individual
ACU coding
AGA DNA
AGC in
AGG made
AGU a
AUA bases
AUC inheritance
AUG start
AUU us
CAC of
CCC Chromosomes
CCG contain
CCU Genes
CGA Biology
CGG Genes
GAU traits
GCA non
GCC coding
GCG Inherited
GGA up
GUA study
GUG studies
UAA chromosomes
UAG Stop
UGC an

6
What the sentences should say:

1. Genetics is the study of inheritance

2. Genetics makes us an individual
3. Chromosomes have coding DNA
4. DNA is made up of bases
5. Chromosomes contain DNA and genes
6. Chromosomes contain non coding DNA
7. Genetics studies inherited traits

Instructions:

1: Print out a copy of page one and cut into coding strips. Place these sections
of code in an envelope at the desk that you have decided will be the nucleus of
the cell. If you have more than six groups you can print page one twice or
make up more codes.

2: Print the tRNA triplet codes onto cards and print the corresponding word on
the back of each card. I placed these cards at random around the room to show
that the codes could be found anywhere in the cell.

3: Print a copy of the student worksheet for each student.