S t u d e n t Exploration: RNA and Protein SynthesisVocabulary: amino acid, anticodon, codon, gene, messenger RNA, nucleotide, ribosome, RNA, RNApolymerase, transcription, transfer RNA, translationPrior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFOREusing the Gizmo.]1.Suppose you want to design and build a house. Haw would you communicate your design plans withthe construction crew that would work on the house? I would show my plan and tell the workershow to do it2.Cells build large, complicated molecules, such as proteins. What do you thinkcells use as their "design plans' for proteins? The DNA is the cell's design plans for proteinsGizmo Warm-upJust as a construction crew uses blueprints to build a house, a cell usesDNA as plans far building proteins. In addition to DNA, another nucleicacid, called RNA. is involved in making proteins. In the RNA ondProtein SynthesisGizmo, you will use both DNA and RNA to constructa protein out ofamino acids.1.DNA is composed of the bases adenine (A), cytosine (Q, guanine(G). and thymine (T). RNA is composed of adenine, cytosine,guanine, and uracil (U). Look at the SIMULATION pane. Is thedisplayed segment a part of a DNA or RNA molecule? How da youknow? A dna molecule, because it is a double helix.2.RNA polymerase is a type of enzyme. Enzymes help chemical reactions occur quickly. Click theRelease enzyme button, and describe what happens. The enzymes split the hydrogen bonds downthe middle.Activity A:TranscriptionGet the Gizmo ready:•if necessary, click Release enzyme.■KIIntroduction:The first stage of building a pratein involves a process known as transcription. Intranscription, a segment of DNA serves as a template to produce a complementary strand of RNA.Thiscomplementary strand is calledmessenger RNA, or mRNA.Guiding Question: What occurs during transcription?1.Experiment: Like DNA, RNA follows base-pairing rules. Experiment to find which RNA nucleotide onthe right side of the Gizmo will successfully pair with the thymine at the top of the template strandof DNA. (NOTE: The DNA on the right side is the template strand.)Preview Mode
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