DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAGE
Go to http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/
Read the directions carefully to make sure you are in the correct section of the site!
Start by clicking Tour of Basic Genetics under the heading Genetics.
Click What is DNA?
1. Why is DNA called a blueprint? __________________________________________________________________
2. The “twisted ladder” shape of the DNA molecule is called a ____________________________.
3. Name the four bases found in a DNA molecule: _____________________________________________________
4. A DNA strand is made of ___________________ which make up _______________ which make up sentences.
5. These “sentences” are called ___________________.
Click What is a Gene?
6. Genes are ______________________ for building all the _____________________that make our body function.
7. What are genes made of? _________________________________
8. How many genes do you have? _____________________________
9. When a gene is changed, it is said to be _______________________.
10. A mutation in the hemoglobin gene causes which disorder? ________________________________
Click What is a Protein?
11. Proteins are the ________________ that make all living things _______________________.
12. How are proteins like the parts of a car? __________________________________________________________
13. ____________________ proteins are responsible for picking up the signal and passing it to the next cell.
14. How do structural proteins help cells? ____________________________________________________________
15. Each gene in DNA encodes information on how to make ____________________________________________.
16. What is the form of the DNA’s message to make protein? ____________________________________________
17. Where does the message from the nucleus go? ____________________________________________________
18. What reads the message to make the protein? ____________________________________________________
**When you are finished with these to activities, click Home in the upper left corner, to return
to the original menu.**
Go to Molecules of Inheritance > Central Dogma > Transcribe and Translate a Gene
* Scroll Down and READ the screen to find #19-23 BEFORE doing the activity!!*
19. Read the information about transcription. Briefly summarize what is happening in transcription.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
20. Read the information about translation. Briefly summarize what is happening in translation.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
21. How are the bases in mRNA different from DNA? ___________________________________________________
22. What codon starts translation? __________________________________________________________________
23. When does translation stop? ____________________________________________________________________
24. Scroll back to the top of the screen. Follow the instructions for the activity. Start reading where it says “The
colored boxes above represent…”
Complete the Diagram as you complete the activity:
Circle the
start codon!
DO NOT start
translating
into amino
acids until you
reach the start
codon!
DNA:
DNA:
T A A T G C T A G A C G T G T T C T A G G A
A T T A C G A T C T G C A C A A G A T C C T
(the other side of the strand):
Transcribe into mRNA: __________________________________________________________
(the letters you type in)
Translate into Amino Acids: ______________________________________________________
(you drag these in from the table)
Go back to Central Dogma and select What Makes a Firefly Glow?
25. What is luciferase? ____________________________________________________________
(RECALL: enzymes are special types of proteins)
26. What enzyme does the actual transcription of luciferase? _________________________________
27. Where does the mRNA move to when transcription is complete? ____________________________
28. What goes into the ribosome? ____________________ What comes out?______________________
29. What molecules that we read about are missing from the animation? _________________________
(These are the ones that bring the amino acids to the ribosome.)
30. What are proteins made of? ____________________________________________
31. What are two reasons that fireflies glow? ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
32. How can a firefly that has a mutated luciferous enzyme still survive?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________