Name________________________ Score_____________

Section______________________ Date______________

Activity
The Genetic Code
(Protein Synthesis)

Objectives:
1. Determine the characteristics of an organism through different traits.
2. Transcribe and translate the following genes to predict how a fictitious organism will appear by
sketching it.

Materials:
Colored pencils
Pen and Paper

Procedures:
1. Guided by Table 1, fill in the labeled Gene A considering the following:
a. Take note of the sequence of nucleotides in DNA. On the lines provided in data table, write
the appropriate sequence of nucleotides om mRNA that are complementary to the given
DNA triplet codes, and the sequence of tRNA nucleotides that are complementary to your
given mRNA.

b. To fill in the blank after Amino Acid Sequence (refer to Table 2), use a hyphen(-) to
separate each amino acid number (e.g., 5-7-8-1). Record this information on the same data
table.

c. To find out the aswer for Trait, use Table 2. Find the trait that matches the amino acid
sequence (e.g., 5-7-8-1). Record this information on the blank provided the same data for
Gene A.

2. Repeat steps 1, a, b and c in filling in data tables (Genes B, C, D, E and F)

3. Using all the inherited traits you gathered, make a sketch of how the fictitious organism will appear.

TABLE 1 TABLE 2

Amino Acid Amino Acid

ACC 20
20-11-13 hairless
AGC 16
20-12-13 hairy
CGA 2
20-21-21 chubby
AAC 4
13-14-15 skinny
CGC 3
16-2 Four-legged
GGG 5
 12-7-8-1 long nose

AGG 7 5-7-8-1 short nose

AAA 8 9-8 freckles

UUU 9 9-4 No freckles

GGU 12 11-3-2 blue skin

UAU 13 11-3-3 orange skin

CCC 1 6-6-10 male

CAU 6 6-6-14 female

CUA 10

GGA 11

Answer the following items below given tables 1 and 2.

Gene A Gene D
DNA: ACC GGA TAT DNA: GGT AGG AAA CCC
mRNA: ________________________ mRNA:___________________________
tRNA: _________________________ tRNA: ___________________________
Amino Acid Sequence:_____________ Amino Acid Sequence:______________
Trait:__________________________ Trait:____________________________

Gene B Gene E
DNA: GGA CGC CGC DNA: TTT AAA
mRNA: ________________________ mRNA: __________________________
tRNA: _________________________ tRNA: ___________________________
Amino Acid Sequence:_____________ Amino Acid Sequence:______________
Trait:__________________________ Trait:____________________________

Gene C Gene F
DNA: AGC CGA DNA: CAT CAT CTA
mRNA: ________________________ mRNA: __________________________
tRNA: _________________________ tRNA: ___________________________
Amino Acid Sequence:____________ Amino Acid Sequence:______________
Trait: _________________________ Trait:____________________________
Draw a representation of your organism in the space provided. Use all inherited traits recorded in
your data.

Guide Questions:

1. From this activity, what can you say about how proteins
a. affect your genetic make up?

b. create individual differences?

c. are affected by your DNA composition?

d. become a very important constituent of your body?

2. How did your organism come out? A plant? An animal? Or an unknown organism?

3. Suppose you knew the make up of a specific protein in a cell. How would you determine its
particular DNA code?