DNA Transcription and Translation Worksheet

Name ______________________________________ Class Time ________ DNA – Transcription & Translation (answer and upload to D2L) Transcription 1. RNA, Ribonucleic Acid is very similar to DNA. RNA normally exists as a single strand (and not the double stranded double helix of DNA). It contains the same bases, adenine, guanine and cytosine. However, there is no thymine found in RNA, instead there is a similar compound called uracil. 2. Transcription is the process by which RNA is made from DNA. It occurs in the nucleus. Color or label the bases according to the key below. Thymine = orange (T) Adenine (A) = dark green Guanine (G) = purple Cytosine (C) = yellow Uracil (U) = brown Color or label the strand of DNA dark blue (D) and the strand of RNA light blue (R). Color the nuclear membrane (E) gray. Translation 1. Translation occurs in the cytoplasm, specifically on the ribosomes. The mRNA made in the nucleus travels out to the ribosome to carry the message of the DNA. Here at the ribosome, that message will be translated into an amino acid sequence. Color the ribosome light green (Y) and note how the RNA strand threads through the ribsosome like a tape measure and the amino acids are assembled. The RNA strand in the translation area should also be colored light blue, as it was colored in the nucleus. 2. Important to the process of translation is another type of RNA called Transfer RNA (F) which function to carry the amino acids to the site of protein synthesis on the ribosome. Color the tRNA red. 3. A tRNA has two important areas. The anticodon, which matches the codon on the RNA strand. Remember that codons are sets of three bases that code for a single amino acid. Make sure you color or label the bases of the anticodon the same color as the bases on your DNA and RNA strand – they are the same molecules! 4. At the top of the tRNA is the amino acids. There are twenty amino acids that can combine together to form proteins of all kinds, these are the proteins that are used in life processes. When you digest your food for instance, you are using enzymes that were originally proteins that were assembled from amino acids. Each tRNA has a different amino acid which link together with a peptide bond. Color all the amino acids (M) orange or label them AA. Questions: 1. How many different kinds of bases can be found on DNA _______ 2. How many different kinds of bases can be found on RNA _______ 3. What base is found on RNA but not on DNA? _____________ 4. What base is found on DNA but not on RNA? _____________ 5. How many bases are in a codon? ______ In an anticodon? _________ 6. How many amino acids are attached to a single transfer RNA? ______ 7. Transcription occurs in the ____________________; translation occurs in the ________________________. 8. The process of making RNA from DNA is called ___________________ and it occurs in the _________________________ 9. The process of assembling a protein from RNA is called ____________________________________________________ , and it occurs in the ________________________________________. 10. Describe two ways in which RNA differs from DNA: _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ Protein Synthesis Overview Diagram Label the summary of protein synthesis diagrammed below using the following terms: transcription, translation, DNA, mRNA, ribosome, tRNA, rRNA amino acid, polypeptide, nucleus, codon, anticodon, nucleus, and cytoplasm. Practicing DNA Transcription and Translation For the following examples, give the appropriate sequence of DNA, mRNA, tRNA and/or amino acids (AA).Remember: A codon chart can only be used for decoding a strand of mRNA. Example 1: DNA: TAC GCG CCT AGG GGG TGG mRNA: _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ AA: _____ _____ _____ _____ ______ ______ Example 2: DNA: TTC GAT TAG ATG CCG AAG mRNA: _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ tRNA: _____ _____ _____ _____ ______ _____ AA: _____ _____ _____ _____ ______ _____ Example 3: DNA: C__ _G_ A__ _A_ __C _T_ mRNA: _U_ __A __C __A _G_ _A_ tRNA: _AU G_U _UG G_U CC_ G_A _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ AA: _____