Biology - HOT Science Lab

Teacher
During
activity:
After
activity:
e. Review the procedures on how to encode the mRNA with the table given.
f. Misconceptions: DNA replication is similar to transcription but is not the
same. Students usually confuse them to have the same purpose. DNA
replication is for mitosis and meiosis. Transcription is for used to make a
copy of the DNA for the purpose to making a particular protein/enzyme.
What the teacher will do:
a. While students are decoding the DNA strand to mRNA, be sure the
students understand that RNA does not contain Thymine and contains
Uracil (U) instead.
b. Discuss the similarities of transcription and translation; and how the activity
closely related the process itself i.e. review and checking mechanisms.
c. Also, ask what happens in misread base in transcription and translation.
chromosomal mutation will occur including substitution, inversion, deletion,
duplication, non-disjunction
d. Review the ―Data Analysis (Calculations)‖, Have the students record the
entire list of amino acids and write it in on the board. Start with the
beginning segment, followed by the middle, and ending with tail. Refer to
worksheet.
What the teacher will do:
a. Review the results of the experiments in order to assess student‘s
understanding of the protein transcription and translation.
b. Engage in class discuss using the following questions as a guide:
1. How many amino acids does this complete protein contain 80
amino acids
2. This protein is called pro-insulin. In order for it to operate in the
body, a segment between #30 and #66 amino acids must be
removed. The remaining sections are reconnected to form
insulin. How many amino acids are there in the protein insulin
51 amino acids
3. Explain the importance of having the exact genetic code for this
protein and why mutations can cause a problem. Answers
should include that insulin plays an important role in glucose
regulation and with mutations other methods have to be used to
monitor blood glucose.
4. If the sixth letter in the entire strand is changed to a ―G,‖ does it
change the protein Explain your answer.No it does not change
the protein. The change will code for the same amino acid.
5. If the sixth letter in the entire strand is changed to ―T,‖ does it
change the protein Explain your answer. Yes it also changes the
protein; change will code for Leu instead of Phe.
6. What if the last letter on the DNA strand was deleted due to an
environmental change What could that do to the cell and to the
individual itself as a whole The last letter being deleted would
cause a mutation in the cell and individual.
7. Discuss as a class the answers to #4, #5, and #6. Compare the
different responses and write a consensus for each on the board.
Biology HSL Page 208
Curriculum and Instruction