DNA Replication Assignment
Instructions: For this assignment, you will replicate DNA to make a complimentary strand of DNA. Then transcribe the complimentary DNA sequence into mRNA. Next, translate the mRNA molecule into the codes for specific amino acids using the amino acid chart on the last page. Lastly, address the reflection questions.

DNA Replication:

Replicate the following strand of DNA:

Original DNA A T G A A C C A T T C A G T A T G G
Complimentary DNA
Transcription:

Transcribe the DNA to make an mRNA molecule

Complimentary DNA
mRNA Molecule
Translation:

Translate the mRNA into the corresponding amino acids.

mRNA Molecule
Amino Acid
Using the DNA sequence provided, determine the amino acids.

Original DNA A T G G G T C T A G C G A A A G A T
Complimentary DNA
mRNA Molecule
Amino Acid
Questions:

Using what you have learned in the lesson and the experiment, answer the following questions in complete sentences.

What is the function of mRNA?
What is the function on tRNA?
Describe what happens during transcription.
Describe what happens during translation.
Explain how DNA is used to make a protein.

mRNA transcribes the DNA. This means that it carries the information or instructions of DNA that determines what protein needs to be produced. This is why it is called the messenger RNA because it delivers the message to the site of protein production, the ribosomes.

Question 2:

tRNA is also known as transfer RNA. It transfers the amino acids to the mRNA template. It acts as an adaptor to translate the RNA sequence and they carry the amino acid with it.

Question 3:

During transcription, the DNA gives its instructions to the mRNA and it transcribes it in a sort of code that links to a specific amino acid. This occurs in the nucleus. When transcription is done, it then takes it out of the nucleus and into the cytoplasm. This transcribed message is then brought to the ribosome, where it will stay to be translated into amino acids.

Question 4:

During translation, the DNA code that was transcribed into mRNA code will be in the ribosome, where the tRNA will bring the amino acid it carries that is specific to the sequence of the mRNA sequence. The tRNA line up specific to the sequence and the amino acids they carry will bond together in a sort of chain, and create a protein together.

Question 5:

DNA is used to make protein based on the code it carries. Whatever the mRNA transcibes will be from the DNA, so even if the RNA is what produces the proteins, it will be based on the DNA sequence given.

Explanation:

When making a DNA complimentary strand for the original strand, all you need to remember are the base pairs:

Guanine (G) - Cytosine (C)

Adenine (A) - Thymine (T)

This is known as the Chargaff's Rule.

So taking your first strand example:

ORIGINAL: ATG AAC CAT TCA

COMPL: TAC TTG GTA AGT

However, when it comes to RNA, there is no Thymine in RNA. So instead of Thymine, Uracil is used. The base pairs would then be:

Thymine (T) - Adenine (A)

Adenine (A) - Uracil (U)

Guanine (G) - Cytosine (C)

Again, taking your example:

ORIGINAL: ATG AAC CAT TCA

COMPL: TAC TTG GTA AGT

Transcription: AUG AAC CAU UCA

During translation, the amino acids are code for specific codons, or groups of 3 bases. The chart given to you shows what each codon codes for.

Original: ATG AAC CAT TCA

Complimentary: TAC TTG GTA AGT

Transcription: AUG AAC CAU UCA

Amino Acid: Met Asn Hist Ser

(Start)

Met - Methionine (Start codon)

Asn - Asparagine

His - Histidine

Ser - Serine