From Gene to Protein – Transcription and Translation
Name: Kerk Zi Rui
Student ID: J16020961
Experiment Name: From gene to protein – transcription and translation
Results:
What is a gene? Give a definition, and give some examples of genes.
Gene is a part of a chromosome that encodes an RNA or protein product in its DNA sequence. In transcription, enzyme uses gene’s DNA sequence as a template to assemble a strand of RNA. Examples of genes height and skin color of a person.
What is a protein? Give a definition, and give some examples of proteins.
An organic compound composed of one or more chains of amino acids. Amino acids, which are small organic compound with an amine group (-NH2), a carboxyl group (-COOH) and a side chain “R” group. Proteins are very diverse, examples are enzymes, collagen, plasma proteins, antibodies, hormones. Proteins embedded in lipid bilayers, for example transport proteins.
- Transcription Modeling Procedure
DNA Nucleotide | Matching Nucleotide in RNA |
G | C |
C | G |
T | A |
A | U |
Discussion:
- Describe the similarities and differences between mRNA and DNA.
Similarity between mRNA and DNA are that both of them consists of three phosphate groups.
Differences between mRNA and DNA is DNA has a ribose sugar whereas mRNA has a deoxyribose sugar. DNA has a nucleotide base Thymine whereas mRNA has a nucleotide base Uracil. DNA is double-stranded whereas mRNA is single-stranded.
- Notice that the process of transcription is similar to the process of DNA replication. What are some similarities between transcription and DNA replication?
The similarities between transcription and DNA replication is both requires an enzyme to unwind the strand of DNA before these processes can take place. Both has a non-coding strand serving as the template for transcription and DNA replication.
- There are also a few important differences between DNA replication and transcription. Fill in the blanks in the following table to summarize these differences.
DNA replication | Transcription |
The whole chromosome is replicated. | Part of one DNA strand is transcribed. |
DNA is made. DNA is double-stranded. | mRNA is made. mRNA is single-stranded. |
DNA polymerase is the enzyme which carries out DNA replication. | RNA polymerase is the enzyme which carries out transcription. |
T=thymine is used in DNA, so A pairs with T in DNA. | T= thymine is replaced by U= uracil in RNA, so A in DNA pairs with U in mRNA. |
- Translation Modeling Procedure
Amino Acid | mRNA Codon | Anti-Codon in tRNA Molecule That Carries This Amino Acid |
Threonine(Thr) | ACU | UGA |
Histidine(His) | CAU | GUA |
Proline(Pro) | CCU | GGA |
Leucine(Leu) | CUG | GAC |
Glutamic acid(Glu) | GAG | CUC |
Valine(Val) | GUG | CAC |
Discussion:
- What is the function of mRNA?
It is an RNA that has the protein-building message. The message is carried to assemble polypeptide strand with the help of tRNA and ribosomes.
- What is the function of tRNA?
It is the RNA that delivers amino acids to a ribosome during translation.
- Describe one similarity in the structure of mRNA and tRNA.
Both mRNA and tRNA has a nucleotide base triplets that can bind to each other.
- Describe one difference between the structure of mRNA and tRNA.
tRNA has two binding site, anticodon and amino acid binding site. mRNA has only one binding site which is the nucleotide base triplet, codon.