SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES/BIOLOGY • GENETICS FOLLOW-UP ✓ 10 Analysis Questions 1 and 2 are Quick Check assessments of students’ understanding of protein synthesis. Analysis Question 2 asks students to practice transcribing and translating sequences of DNA and mRNA. You might also ask them to make up their own sequences to work from. Be sure the sequences they select include a start codon. Analysis Question 4 is a Quick Check to assess students’ understanding that DNA mutations might or might not have an effect on transcription and translation, depending on the change made in the DNA sequence. SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES/BIOLOGY • GENETICS 10 Analysis 1. Define protein synthesis and describe how it works. 2. Copy the chart below 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' Nucleotide Transcription Translation mRNA Amino Acid 5' A T G T C G G C A T T SAMPLE RESPONSES G T ✓ 1. Protein synthesis is the process by which information contained in the DNA nucleotide series in cells directs the production of proteins. During transcription, the DNA in the nucleus unzips, allowing mRNA to form. The mRNA leaves the nucleus and goes into the cell’s cytoplasm for translation. During translation, tRNA uses mRNA as a template from which to synthesize a chain of amino acids on the ribosomes. Those chains are processed and packaged into proteins. G A 3' Sample Results for Analysis Question 2 Transcription Translation mRNA nucleotide tRNA anticodon Amino acid T A U A U T Methionine (Met) START C G C T A U 2. Response is shown in the table at right. C G C G C G 3. A two-base insertion or deletion will cause a frameshift, because a codon is three bases. A three-base insertion or deletion adds or deletes an amino acid. G C G C G C A U A T A U T A U G C G T A U G C G A U A ✓ DNA nucleotide 5' 374 3' 568 Serine (Ser) Arginine (Arg) Asparagine (Asn) Threonine (Thr)