M7 Snork Synthesis Lab - Easy Peasy All-in-One High School

Snork Synthesis Lab

Lab Directions

This activity, modified from the original at The Biology Corner, will help you practice your understanding of protein synthesis. Submit your lab answers according to the directions and grading rubric below.

Overview:

In this si mulation, y o u will ex a min e th e D N A s e q u e n c e of a fictitiou s organis m, the Snork. Snorks were discovered on the planet Dee Enae

i n a di s t a n t s o l a r s y s t e m . S n o r k s o n l y h a v e one chromosome with ten genes on it. Y o u r j o b i s t o a n a l y z e t h e g e n e s of its D N A a n d d e t e r m i n e

wh at traits the organis m h as an d th en create a sketch of the or ganis m ( You c an be creative h er e).

Goal: Transcribe and translate all 10 genes for one snork. Then, draw a picture of your snork based on your work.

Directions: F o r s i m p l i c it y , t h e g e n e s e q u e n c e s a r e m u c h s m a l l e r t h a n real g e n e s e q u e n c e s f o u n d i n li v i n g

org a nis ms . E ac h g en e h as t w o p os sible v ersion s th at res ult in a differe nt trait bein g e x pr es s e d

i n t h e s n or k . Example: the gene for legs can result in either 2 or 4 legs

Snork Genes 1 Body Hair 2 Body Style 3 Legs 4 Head Shape 5 Tail

Amino acid sequence (abbreviations used)

val - ser - leu val - ser - lys

tyr - pro - glu - glu - lys val - pro - thr - glu - lys

leu - leu - leu - pro leu - leu - ser - ala

ala - val - val val - ala - ala

his - ile his - his

Trait expressed (outward appearance)

hairless hairy

plump skinny

2 legs 4 legs

round head square head

tail no tail

S n ork Synth esis L ab 1 of 5

6 Body Pigment 7 Eyes 8 Mouth 9 Ears 10 Arms

ser - pro - val val - phe - tyr

asp - ile - leu - leu - pro - thr asp - ile - pro - pro - pro - thr

val - asp - asp - ala asp - asp - asp - ala

phe - ser - gly phe - phe - gly

arg - tyr - cys - lys arg - arg - asp - thr

blue pigment (hair/skin) red pigment (hair/skin)

small slanted eyes large round eyes

circular mouth rectangular mouth

pointed standing-up ears rounded floppy ears

long spaghetti like arms short stumpy arms

1. Choose a snork below (do not choose our exa m ple, Snoopy.)

2 . Transcribe th e D N A i n t o m R N A . 3 . Translate t h e m R N A g i v e n i n t o a n a m i n o a c i d s e q u e n c e t o d e t e r m i n e t h e tr a it ( h o w t h e

o r g a n i s m l o o k s ) b a s e d o n t h e s e q u e n c e . ( U se the codon wheel or table given to you in the content to do this step.)

4. Draw your Snork!

First, let's try an example. You can see Snoopy's DNA below. Each gene is in order (1-10) and is separated by a slash to keep you organized.

Snoopy Snork DNA:

CAT AGG GAG / ATG GGG CTC CTT TTT / AAT AAT GAC GGG / CGA CAA CAT / GTA TAA / AGA GGG CAT / CTA TAA GAA GAC GGG TGT / CAA CTA CTA CGG / AAA AGA CCA / GCG GCA CTG

Transcribe the DNA into mRNA. Remember that there are no T's in mRNA, use U's instead. Example: if the DNA codon reads CAT, the matching mRNA codon is GUA.

Snoopy Snork mRNA:

GUA UCC CUC / UAC CCC GAG GAA AAA / UUA UUA CUG CCC / GCU GUU GUA / CAU AUU / UCU CCC GUA / GAU AUU CUU CUG CCC ACA / GUU GAU GAU GCC / UUU UCU GGU / CGC CGU GAC

Now, use your codon wheel or table to find the amino acid that matches each codon.

*Note that abbreviations were used for amino acids.* (This table is enlarged below for your reference.)

Write down the amino acids in order for each gene, as shown. Then compare each protein (amino acid chain) to the trait table above to find out the appearance of your Snork!

S n ork Synth esis L ab 2 of 5

Amino Acid Sequence:

1: val, ser, leu ( = hairless in table abov e) 2: tyr, pro, glu, glu, lys (= plu m p) 3: leu, leu, leu, pro (= 2 legs) 4: ala, val, val (= roun d h ead) 5: his, ile (= tail) 6: ser, pro, val (= blue) 7: as p, ile, leu, leu, pro, thr (= s mall, slanted ey es) 8: val, as p, as p, ala (= circular mouth) 9: ph e, ser, gly (= pointed ears) 10: arg, arg, asp (= short ar ms)

Now draw your Snork using the information you translated! (Sample drawing courtesy of a young biologist!)

N o w, y ou will choos e on e of the f ollo win g Sn orks an d do th e s a m e thing!

Snicker Snork DNA:

CAG TCG GAA / CAA GGG TGT CTT TTT / GAG AAT TCA CGC / CAA CGC CGA /

GTG TAA / AGA GGG CAT / CTA TAA GGG GGG GGG TGG / CTA CTG CTG CGT /

AAG AAA CCC / GCG GCC CTG

Snuffle Snork DNA:

CAT AGA TTT / CAA GGA TGA CTT TTC / GAA GAG GAG GGG / CAA CGC CGA /

GTA GTG / CAT AAA ATA / CAT TAA GAA GAC GGG TGT / CAA CTG CTG CGT /

AAG AGC CCA / TCT ATA ACA

Snapple Snork DNA:

S n ork Synth esis L ab 3 of 5

CAG TCG TTT / ATG GGG CTT CTC TTT / GAG AAT TCA CGC / CGA CAA CAC / GTA GTA / CAA AAA ATG / CTA TAG AAT GAC GGG TGG / CTG CTG CTA CGG / AAA AGA CCC / TCT ATA ACA

Be sure to double check your work so that you do not make any silly mistakes! mRNA Table with Amino Acid abbreviations

S n ork Synth esis L ab 4 of 5

Data/Results

1. W hich sn ork did you s elect f or this ac tivity? 2. W h at wa s it's m R N A n u cle otid e s e q u e n c e ? Ple as e in clu d e s p ac e s an d slas h es as y o u s e e in D N A.

3. W h at wa s it's a min o acid s e q u e n c e ? In clu d e slas h es or write e ac h of 1 0 c h aract eristics on separate lines.

4. Include an origin al picture of your sn ork with the 10 labeled ch ar acteristics. You m ay h an d dra w y our sn ork an d tak e a picture/scan it in, or you can create it usin g a dra win g progra m (s ee the list of options in th e sidebar in th e c ontent.)

From sis_Shared6.html

S n ork Synth esis L ab 5 of 5

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