Lab 6 - Cracking the Genetic Code - Fall 2023
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Laboratory 6: Cracking the Genetic Code
1
LABORATORY 6:
CRACKING THE GENETIC CODE
Objectives
In this laboratory session you will examine some of the experiments used by scientists in the
1960s to crack the genetic code. The procedure involved synthesizing specific strands of
messenger RNA (mRNA) and then examining what amino acids were produced by translation of
these genetic instructions. This was a complex, puzzle-solving exercise that took many years and
deservedly won the Nobel Prize. You will be using a computer simulation to reproduce these
experiments and use the same systematic approach to construct your own version of the genetic
code.
Preparation
Carefully read the introduction in order to prepare for this laboratory project and quiz. You
should be familiar with the following concepts and techniques:
transcription
translation
codons
amino acid structure
using cell extracts
Laboratory 6: Cracking the Genetic Code
2
INTRODUCTION
The Genetic Code
Our proteins are polymers of amino acids, arranged in an order specified by DNA sequences. The
cell strings together a sequence of amino acids based on a DNA code comprised of only four
nucleobases:
A (adenine), T (thymine), G (guanine)
and
C (cytosine)
. The central steps in this
process are illustrated in
Figure 1
.
Figure 1
:
DNA specifies the sequence of a protein via the genetic code.
The first step involves making an RNA version of the DNA’s sequence. This process is called
transcription
and uses one of the DNA strands to make a
complementary copy
that becomes a
messenger RNA
(mRNA)
. The mRNA strand also has four bases: three of them (A, G, and C) are
the same as DNA but mRNA contains
uracil (U)
instead of thymine (T). The term
“complementary” refers to the fact that a specific base within the DNA strand (e.g., A) always
pairs with a specific base within the mRNA strand (e.g., U). These
base pairing rules
ensure that
the sequence of bases in mRNA is a faithful replica (although not an exact copy) of the sequence
of bases in its parent DNA.
Figure 2
on the following page illustrates the structures of DNA and
mRNA side-by-side for comparison.
Laboratory 6: Cracking the Genetic Code
3
Figure 2:
The structures of DNA and RNA including nucleobases.
The second step is called
translation
and is far more complex. The sequence of mRNA bases is
used as a set of instructions to direct the synthesis of a
polypeptide
, composed of a specific
sequence of
amino acids
. All proteins that perform essential functions within cells are
polypeptide chains and differ in their sequence of amino acids. The relationship between the
sequence of bases in mRNA and its corresponding amino acid is called the
genetic code
. We now
know that it takes three mRNA bases – called a
codon
– to code for a particular type of amino
acid.
Laboratory 6: Cracking the Genetic Code
4
There are twenty different types of amino acids commonly found within proteins and they share
a general structure shown in
Figure 3(a)
. Each type of amino acids differs in the chemical
composition of its
sidechain
, which is represented as
R
. These sidechains have varying structures
and properties – some sidechains are simple hydrocarbons whereas other contain various
functional groups.
Figure 3(b)
shows three different amino acids and highlights their sidechain
structures.
(a)
(b)
Figure 3:
(a) General structure of an amino acid. (b) The three amino acids shown differ in the
chemical structures of their sidechains (highlighted in dashed boxes).
Laboratory 6: Cracking the Genetic Code
5
Table 1
lists all twenty amino acids according to their full name and three-letter symbol in
alphabetical order. Although many of the names will be unfamiliar, they all represent variations
on the chemical structure shown in
Figure 3(a)
. It is not necessary to memorize this list and the
table can be used for reference during the laboratory exercise.
Table 1
: Alphabetical listing of the 20 common amino acids
3 LETTER SYMBOL
FULL NAME
Ala
alanine
Arg
arginine
Asn
asparagine
Asp
aspartic acid
Cys
cysteine
Gln
glutamine
Glu
glutamic acid
Gly
glycine
His
histidine
Ile
isoleucine
Leu
leucine
Lys
lysine
Met
methionine
Phe
phenylalanine
Pro
proline
Ser
serine
Thr
threonine
Trp
tryptophan
Tyr
tyrosine
Val
valine
In order for scientists to “crack” the genetic code, they had to determine the rules that relate a
particular set of three mRNA bases (a codon) to a particular amino acid. This was achieved
through systematically making a variety of different mRNA sequences and examining what
sequence of amino acids they produced via translation. In living cells this process occurs within
the
ribosome
, a complex molecular factory for making proteins. With the aid of
transfer RNA
(tRNA)
, the ribosome is able to form the amino acid chains that make up the structure of proteins.
Scientists devised a way to mimic this process in the laboratory using “extracts” from bacterial
cells that contains the necessary protein-synthesizing components. This enables translation to be
carried out in a controlled environment and controlled without interference from other cellular
processes. The mechanism behind protein synthesis in the cell is shown in
Figure 4
on the
following page.
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Related Questions
Biol370 - Assignment #2 – Spring 2020: Replication - Transcription - Translation
Due 3/10/2020 (Before the beginning of the class)
Name
ID
Instruction:
1. Print this document (US-letter only)
Fill the table below with the appropriate color (see coloring rule)
3. Complete and annotate the drawing in attachment (see page #2). Make sure all the listed terms are present in
your final drawing! (graded using 5 randomly selected terms
2.
This type of drawing makes only sense for Eukaryotes/Prokaryotes (circle one) because:
or
The annotation must follow the coloring rule :
DNA in BLACK. RNA in RED. Proteins and AAs in GREEN. Complex structures with some DNA and/or RNA and/or
Proteins in BLUE.
Color
Color
Color
DNA
DNA pol III
Stop codon
RNA
RNA polymerase
5'-UTR
Peptide
Helicase
3'-UTR
Leading strand
Topoisomerase
CDS
Lagging strand
Ligase
RBS
Coding strand
Primer
Ribosome SSU
Template strand
-10/-35 Box
Ribosome LSU
5'/3' ends (all)
Transcription start
AA-TRNA
N-/C- terminal ends…
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Instruction
- Please answer them correctly
- Please answer all of them, they are connected.
MUTATION
Fill in the correct nucleotide base pairing and amino acid sequence of the mutated DNA
a. What is the 3’-5’ DNA sequence? (FORMAT: XXX-XXX-XXX-XXX-XXX)
b. What is the mRNA sequence? (FORMAT: XXX-XXX-XXX-XXX-XXX)
c. What is the tRNA sequence? (FORMAT: XXX-XXX-XXX-XXX-XXX)
d. What is the amino acid sequence? (FORMAT: XXX-XXX-XXX-XXX-XXX)
e. What is the most convincing type of mutation had occurred?
(Frameshift resulting Missense; Frameshift resulting Nonsense; Substitution – Silent; Substitution –
Missense; Substitution – Nonsense)
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As you read each section, examine the figures and captions (explanations). Identify any
questions you may have.
1) Develop an analogy for the processes researchers use to make changes to DNA. In yo
analogy, explain how it is similar to the techniques used in genetic engineering.
You can draw a graphic organizer, make a table, or write a few sentences describing your
analogy.
2) Devise flowchart that shows the steps to prepare DNA for gel electrophoresis, as well
the protocol for setting up and running a gel. You can add diagrams to the flowchart an
add detailed notes if you like.
English (inited Sate)
O Focs
ere to search
4
CO
RU
G\
L
B.
2N
A\
Alt
Ciri
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= IF BOTH STATEMENT ARE TRUE
= IF FIRST STATEMENT IS TRUE WHILE SECOND STATEMENT IS FALSE
= IF FIRST STATEMENT IS FALSE WHILE SECOND STATEMENT IS TRUE
= IF BOTH STATEMENTS ARE FALSE
STAMENT 1: The term that refers to the synthesis of DNA using the information contained in RNA is called DNA replication
STAMENT 2: The number of hydrogen bonds between guanine and cytosine is 3
ANSWER:
STAMENT 1: If the %A of bacteria is 30%, then the % (G+C) of the bacteria is 40%
STAMENT 2: The DNA is plectonemic because one of the strand go in 5’ to 3’ direction while the other go in the 3’ to 5’ direction
ANSWER:
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A) How could knowledge of a DNA sequence be abused?
B) How could knowing a DNA sequence be helpful? C) Would you ever consent to having your DNA
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Procedure:
Refer to the Genetic Code Table below to identify the right amino acid coded.
To determine the order of bases in the first column (uNA), second column (codon) and the third column
is the anticodon. Consider the complementary base pair in DNA and in RNA
To identify the amino acid, took at the bases in the MRNA codon, example AUG using the Genetic Code
Table. Lool: for the first letter of the MRNA codon on the left side of the genstic code table (A), the
second letter of the MRNA on the second letter column (U), and the third letter on the right-side column
(G). AUG codes for the amino acid -methionine, Do the same with the other codons in the chart.
Genetic Code Table
2nd posttion of codon
UUU Phe
Phenylalanine UCU Ser S Serine
Phenylalanine UC C Ser S Serine
UCA Ser S Serine
UCe Ser S Serine
CCU Pra P Proline
UAU Tyr Y Tyrosine
UAC Tyr Y Tyrosine
UGU Cys C ysteine
UGC Cys C Cysteine
UUC Phe F
UUA Lau
UUG Leu
CUU Leu
CUC
CUA
Leucine
UGA
UGG Trp W Tryptophan G
stop
stop
L…
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determine what amino acid will be formed from the given DNA strand below:
3’ T A C A T G C C G A A T G C C 5’
Note: Prepare the partner strand of this DNA. Discuss how will replication happen by mentioning the enzyme needed then transcribe to form mRNA. Discuss what will happen to mRNA, then translate, mentioning the anticodon to be used. Look at the genetic code to know what amino acid will become part of the polypeptide chain.
1. Partner DNA strand
2. the mRNA strand
3. The tRNA
4. the formed amino acids
5. the discussion of the entire procedure
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