Name: ______Per: ______

DNA WebQuest

Part A: DNA Replication

DNA Workshop – Replication and Protein Synthesis

1.  Go to www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/dna

2.  Click “text version of activity”

3.  Then click on “DNA Replication”, “All Wound Up” and “Protein Synthesis” as needed.

During what part of the cell cycle does DNA get replicated? ______

Unzip the DNA.

What kind of bonds are broken as the DNA “unzips”? ______

What breaks the rungs of the DNA ladder? ______

Where in the cell does DNA replication take place? ______

Which nitrogenous base does each of the following letters in the DNA molecule represent?

A ______C ______

G ______T ______

Match the bases to make two new DNA strands.

Which nitrogenous base does each of the following letters in the DNA molecule pair with?

A ______C ______

G ______T ______

How many base pairs does the Human Genome contain? ______

How many complete molecules of DNA do you begin with in DNA replication? ______

How many DNA molecules do you end up with? ______

Is the new DNA molecules completely new? Explain. ______

______

1.  Go to http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/dna_double_helix/

2.  Click on “Play DNA Game”; Click “next” and reading each page, continue to click next until you come to the game.; Click on organism #1 and match the base pairs as fast as you can! It is hard.

3.  Click Next and then click on each organism until you identify the one that belongs to chromosome #1; continue playing the game with the other two chromosomes, filling in the chart below.

Be careful, other people may get different results.

Chromosome # / How many chromosomes? / How many base pairs? / How many genes? / What is the organism?
1
2
3

Part B: DNA Transcription and Translation

From Gene to Protein

1.  Go to http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/dna/transcribe/

2.  Press “Click here to begin!”

What is the two-step process by which cells read a gene and produce a string of amino acids that

will eventually become a protein is called: ______and ______

How are rules for pairing bases different in transcription than they were in replication? ______

______

How many genes does the Human Genome contain? ______

Use the keyboard to type in the corresponding base pairs to transcribe the section of DNA.

Describe transcription in your own words. ______

______

How is mRNA different from DNA? ______

______

What happens to DNA after transcription is complete? ______

Translate the mRNA into a protein.

Describe translation in your own words. ______

______

What is the correct starting position on mRNA for translation? ______

Write the amino acids used to assemble your protein in order below. ______

______

Where does translation take place? ______

Once assembled, what is the key to a protein’s unique function? ______

1.  Go to: http://www.wisc-online.com/objects/index_tj.asp?objid=AP1302

2.  Read the animation page by page – just click the “next” button when you are ready to move on.

How does the mRNA leave the nucleus? ______

Is just one mRNA molecule made? Explain.______

______

How many amino acids does each codon code for?______

Describe the structure of a tRNA molecule. ______

______

Can a single mRNA be read more than once? Explain. ______

______

Part C: Mutations

1.  Go to http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/mutations_01

2.  In your own words, describe each type of mutation:

Substitution: ______

Insertion: ______

Deletion: ______

Frameshift: ______

Deletion: ______

What causes a mutation?

The effects of mutations

Where may mutations occur?

What are somatic mutations?

What are the effects of germ line mutations?

1.

2.

3.

What are Hox genes?

What is the effect of a mutation in the Hox gene?

Weird Fact: What happened to the fly with a H ox mutation?

Part D: EXTRA CREDIT

Go to http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/dna/firefly/

Explain What Makes a Firefly Glow in your own words, using all of the words below:

RNA Polymerase LUC gene Transcription mRNA

Luciferase Enzyme Ribosome Translation Amino Acids

Three dimensional Luciferin Oxyluciferin

Functional Luciferase Enzyme

______