Lab: Transcription-Making RNA
Objectives: To model the process of transcription, the first part of protein synthesis.
Materials: scissors, tape or glue, colored pencils
Background:
1. RNA Polymerase is an enzyme that attaches to DNA at the
start of a gene that codes for a protein. It begins unzipping
DNA, separating that portion of the two strands.
2. The enzyme begins attaching complementary RNA
nucleotides to one of the DNA strands.
3. The RNA nucleotide chain
grow until the entire gene is
copied. This part of protein
synthesis is called transcription.
Procedure A:
1. Find the page with the DNA template and the RNA monomers. Color the DNA and RNA
monomers as follows:
Ribose: dark green
Deoxyribose: dark blue
Cytosine: sky/light blue
Thymine: yellow
Phosphate group: purple/violet
Guanine: yellow/light green
Adenine: orange
Uracil: light brown
2. Fold the page with the DNA template and RNA monomers and cut in half. Cut out the RNA
monomers on the solid line (don’t cut on the dotted lines). Leave the half page with the DNA
template (This will be glued into your biology interactive notebook later).
Procedure B:
1. Match up your RNA monomers to the DNA by matching complementary base pairs, just like RNA
polymerase does.
2. With glue or tape, attach the RNA monomers together to create a chian.