Visual Learning:  Molecular Genetics

Part I:  DNA Helix

1.  Review the structure of DNA by labeling the following diagrams.  
        Word Bank:  sugar, purine, hydrogen bonds, nucleotide, deoxyribose, phosphate,
                                thymine, pyrimidine bases, guanine, cytosine, adenine, complementary base,
                               sugar-phosphate backbone

Part II:  DNA Replication

2.  In this diagram showing the replicationof  DNA, label the following items:  leading and lagging strands, Okazaki fragment, DNA polymerase, DNA ligase, helicase, primase, single-stranded binding proteins, RNA primer, replication fork, and 5' and 3' ends of the parental DNA.

Part III:  Protein Synthesis

3.  Practice using the dictionary of the genetic code in your textbook.  Determine the amino acid sequence for a polypeptide coded for by the following mRNA transcript (written 5'-->3').
 
                                                          AUGCCUGACUUUAAGUAG

                                                          Answer:   MET...PRO...??????

4.  Using some of the codons and the amino acids you identified fill in the following table

5.  In the following diagrams of protein synthesis, name the stages (1-4), identify the components (a-l), and then briefly describe 
      what is happening in each stage.

Word Bank (1-4):  codon recognition, translocation, termination, peptide bond formation
Word Bank (a-l):  amino acid growing polypeptide, 5' end of mRNA, E site, free polypeptide, release
                            factor, termination codon, p site, small subunit of ribosome, 

Part IV:  DNA Technology

6.  This schematic diagram shows the steps in plasmid cloning of a gene.  Identify components a-j.  
    Work Bank:  plasmid, same restriction site, human DNA, sticky end, human DNA fragment, nonfunctional lac Z gene, recombinant plasmid, plate with ampicillin and Vgal, amp resistance genes

7.  A bloody crime has occurred.  Police have collected blood samples from the victim tow suspects, and blood found at the scene.  Briefly list the steps the lab went through to produce the following autoradiograph.  

Which suspect would you charge with the crime?

8.  Fill in this table on the basic tools of gene manipulation used in DNA technology.