DNA - Proteins activity

DNA & Proteins DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) = This molecule that is 3 billion monomers in length is the Instruction Book for Life! More specifically it is the recipe book for how to make proteins. That is all DNA codes for is how to make proteins!! The monomer of DNA is called a Nucleotide. Each nucleotide has 3 parts – Phosphate, Sugar (deoxyribose) & Nitrogen Base. *Draw a picture of a nucleotide labeling the 3 parts: *Draw a picture of a polynucleotide that has 3 monomers attached: Proteins (Polypeptides) = Proteins form all structures, enzymes, antibodies, pigments, etc. in living things. In short – Proteins make everything and do everything in all organisms!!! The monomer of a protein is called an Amino Acid. There are 20 different amino acids that can link together to form long polypeptides up to 100,000 amino acids long. Just think – with 26 letters in the alphabet, how many words, sentences, paragraphs, etc. can be formed? The same diversity occurs when organizing 20 amino acids to form all of the different proteins that are a part of living things!!! *How many different Amino Acids are there? *What is an Essential Amino Acid? How many are there? DNA & Proteins (“You can‟t bake a cookie without a recipe!!!”) The DNA code for how to make proteins is “written” in the 4 Nitrogen Bases. There are 4 Bases in DNA – G, C, A & T. Polynucleotides are millions of nucleotides long, meaning millions of GCAT‟s in every combination possible. Every 3 bases on DNA (called a codon) codes for 1 amino acid of a protein - For example TAG codes for something different than CAT. (DNA looks like a ladder. The sides of DNA are simply the sugar and phosphate alternating in a set pattern, so there is no “code” on this part). The question that most people have is „how can 4 bases (GCAT) be code‟ for all of the difference we see in each other, let alone the differences we see in all life forms from bacteria, to flowers, to elephants!!! The answer is simple, if you know the secret genetic code! Complete the activity on the back to learn the secret of the Biology Code!!! Directions: Use the Biology Secret Code to decipher the hidden message!!! Remember that every 3 numbers (codon) represents the letter (amino acid) or part of the message. Secret word #1 Number 211 214 322 331 133 332 222 444 414 codon Secret letter Secret message #2 Number 212 222 332 424 Codon Secret letter 311 111 242 144 434 221 331 314 Analysis 1. Match the following terms together, to help understand the above analogy: a. Polypeptide 1. every 3 numbers b. amino acid 2. each number c. nitrogen base 3. word/message d. codon 4. letter 2. What is the function of DNA? What is the monomer of DNA? 3. What is the function of Proteins? What is the monomer of a protein? 4. How many monomers of DNA are there? How many monomers of Proteins? 5. Explain how DNA and Proteins are related to each other.