1. DNA and Transcription Tutorial
Start from Beginning
Transcription
Predicting Transcription
Review Questions
Place your keyboard aside. Only use the mouse.

2. Genes and DNA
DNA can be divided into segments called genes. It is estimated that human DNA is composed of ~25,000 genes among its 46 total chromosomes.
Quick Review. Proteins are made which smaller units called?
Monosaccharides make up complex sugars
monosaccharide
Amino acid
Fatty acid
nucleotide
Fatty acids make up lipids
Nucleotides make up nucleic acids

3. Genes Correct. Amino acids link to create proteins.
back
Genes
Correct. Amino acids link to create proteins.
Genes (small sections of DNA) are blueprints to make proteins for use throughout the body. Genes are found inside the nucleus of cells, but proteins are created outside of the nucleus.
Quick review. Which organelle creates proteins?
Chloroplasts creates sugars
Mitochondria creates ATP energy
mitochondria
chloroplast
lysosome
ribosome
Lysosomes break down food and pathogens

4. Meet Melissa Yes! Ribosomes make proteins.
back
Yes! Ribosomes make proteins.
Melissa is an architect and has designed a new high-rise apartment complex.
The construction blueprint holds the information needed to create the high-rise apartment complex.
A gene is like the construction blueprints. The gene holds the information needed to make a protein.
Quick Review. A gene is a small section of?
DNA
Proteins
RNA
Ribosomes
Ribosomes make proteins
Proteins are created from DNA codes
RNA is created from DNA. Stay tuned.

5. back
Transcription
Correct! Let’s move on though…
The DNA undergoes a process called transcription. Transcription is the process where the DNA code of a gene is used to make a molecule called messenger RNA (mRNA).
Examine the picture. The red letters are DNA nucleotides. The green letters are mRNA being created. Notice how mRNA nucleotides are attaching to the DNA sequence.
Quick review: Where is DNA stored?
Vacuole
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
Vesicle
Vacuole stores water and waste
Cytoplasm contains many organelles, but not the DNA
Vesicles usually transport proteins

6. Transcription (continued)
back
Yes, the nucleus stores DNA.
Remember that transcription will make mRNA. Here’s how. An enzyme called RNA Polymerase breaks apart the bonds that holds the 2 strands of DNA nucleotides together. T A C A G G T A T G T C C A
Key
Nitrogen base
sugar
phosphate

7. Transcription (continued)
back
Remember that transcription will make mRNA. Here’s how. An enzyme called RNA Polymerase breaks apart the bonds that holds the 2 strands of DNA nucleotides together.
One by one, the RNA polymerase moves down the DNA chain. T A C A G G T
RNA
Polymerase A T G T C C A
Key
Nitrogen base
sugar
phosphate

8. Transcription (continued)
back
Transcription (continued)
Remember that transcription will make mRNA. Here’s how. An enzyme called RNA Polymerase breaks apart the bonds that holds the 2 strands of DNA nucleotides together.
One by one, the RNA polymerase moves down the DNA chain. T A C A G G T
RNA
Polymerase T G T C C A A
Key
Nitrogen base
sugar
phosphate

9. Transcription (continued)
back
Remember that transcription will make mRNA. Here’s how. An enzyme called RNA Polymerase breaks apart the bonds that holds the 2 strands of DNA nucleotides together.
One by one, the RNA polymerase moves down the DNA chain. T A C A G G T
RNA
Polymerase G T C C A A T
Key
Nitrogen base
sugar
phosphate

10. Transcription (continued)
back
Remember that transcription will make mRNA. Here’s how. An enzyme called RNA Polymerase breaks apart the bonds that holds the 2 strands of DNA nucleotides together.
One by one, the RNA polymerase moves down the DNA chain. T A C A G G T
RNA
Polymerase T C C A A T G
Key
Nitrogen base
sugar
phosphate

11. Transcription (continued)
back
Remember that transcription will make mRNA. Here’s how. An enzyme called RNA Polymerase breaks apart the bonds that holds the 2 strands of DNA nucleotides together.
One by one, the RNA polymerase moves down the DNA chain. T A C A G G T
RNA
Polymerase C C A A T G T
Key
Nitrogen base
sugar
phosphate

12. Transcription (continued)
back
Remember that transcription will make mRNA. Here’s how. An enzyme called RNA Polymerase breaks apart the bonds that holds the 2 strands of DNA nucleotides together.
One by one, the RNA polymerase moves down the DNA chain. T A C A G G T
RNA
Polymerase C A A T G T C
Key
Nitrogen base
sugar
phosphate

13. Transcription (continued)
back
Remember that transcription will make mRNA. Here’s how. An enzyme called RNA Polymerase breaks apart the bonds that holds the 2 strands of DNA nucleotides together.
One by one, the RNA polymerase moves down the DNA chain. T A C A G G T
RNA
Polymerase A A T G T C C
Key
Nitrogen base
sugar
phosphate

14. Transcription (continued)
back
Now that the DNA has been separated, free-floating mRNA nucleotides bond to the now open DNA nucleotides. T A C A G G T
RNA
Polymerase A T G T C C A

15. Transcription Rules
back
Now that the DNA has been separated, free-floating mRNA nucleotides bond to the now open DNA nucleotides.
Before performing transcription, remember the table below.
DNA
mRNA A U T C G

16. Predicting Transcription
back
Predicting Transcription
Use the transcription table to predict which mRNA nucleotide will match the DNA nucleotide. T A C A G G T A A U
Remember:
DNA “A” with RNA “U”
DNA “T” with RNA “A”
DNA “C” with RNA “G”
DNA “G” with RNA “C”
Try Again
Click one C G A T G T C C A

17. Predicting Transcription
back
Use the transcription table to predict which RNA nucleotide will match the DNA nucleotide. T A C A G G T A U A U
Remember:
DNA “A” with RNA “U”
DNA “T” with RNA “A”
DNA “C” with RNA “G”
DNA “G” with RNA “C”
Try Again
Click one C G A T G T C C A

18. Predicting Transcription
back
Use the transcription table to predict which RNA nucleotide will match the DNA nucleotide. T A C A G G T A U G A U
Remember:
DNA “A” with RNA “U”
DNA “T” with RNA “A”
DNA “C” with RNA “G”
DNA “G” with RNA “C”
Try Again
Click one C G A T G T C C A

19. Predicting Transcription
back
Use the transcription table to predict which RNA nucleotide will match the DNA nucleotide. T A C A G G T A U G U A U
Remember:
DNA “A” with RNA “U”
DNA “T” with RNA “A”
DNA “C” with RNA “G”
DNA “G” with RNA “C”
Try Again
Click one C G A T G T C C A

20. Predicting Transcription
back
Use the transcription table to predict which RNA nucleotide will match the DNA nucleotide. T A C A G G T A U G U C A U
Remember:
DNA “A” with RNA “U”
DNA “T” with RNA “A”
DNA “C” with RNA “G”
DNA “G” with RNA “C”
Try Again
Click one C G A T G T C C A

21. Predicting Transcription
back
Use the transcription table to predict which RNA nucleotide will match the DNA nucleotide. T A C A G G T A U G U C C A U
Click one C G
Remember:
DNA “A” with RNA “U”
DNA “T” with RNA “A”
DNA “C” with RNA “G”
DNA “G” with RNA “C”
Try Again A T G T C C A

22. Predicting Transcription
back
Use the transcription table to predict which RNA nucleotide will match the DNA nucleotide. T A C A G G T A U G U C C A A U
Click one C G
Remember:
DNA “A” with RNA “U”
DNA “T” with RNA “A”
DNA “C” with RNA “G”
DNA “G” with RNA “C”
Try Again A T G T C C A

23. Predicting Transcription
back
Now that the mRNA is complete, it will detach from the DNA…
Exit the nucleus… And then hook up with a ribosome. T A C A G G T A U G U C C A A T G T C C A

24. Predicting Transcription
back
Now that the mRNA is complete, it will detach from the DNA…
Exit the nucleus… And then hook up with a ribosome. T A C A G G T A U G U C C A A T G T C C A

25. Fate of the DNA? Once the mRNA breaks away, the DNA will recombine.
back
Fate of the DNA?
Once the mRNA breaks away, the DNA will recombine. T A C A G G T A T G T C C A

26. Fate of the DNA? Once the mRNA breaks away, the DNA will recombine.
back
Fate of the DNA?
Once the mRNA breaks away, the DNA will recombine. T A C A G G T A T G T C C A

27. back
The final stage.
Remember Melissa? Her blueprint for the apartment complex needs to be copied and then taken to the construction site. In this analogy, Melissa would fax the blueprints over to the construction site. The fax would be the mRNA. The construction site is the ribosome.
Now that a copy of the blueprint has arrived, the construction team can begin to build the apartment complex. In a cell, now that the mRNA has arrived, the ribosome has the instructions to begin to make a protein.

28. The final stage. mRNA makes a copy of the DNA…
back A U G U C C A
ribosome
mRNA makes a copy of the DNA…
the mRNA exits the nucleus…
the mRNA links up with a ribosome.
Once at the ribosome, the process called translation will begin. Translation is the process where a ribosome builds a protein. The details of translation will be discussed another day. For now, let’s review.

29. Final Review #1
back
What will eventually be created by the DNA code of a gene?
ribosome
protein
nucleolus
Ribosomes will be used to make proteins
The nucleolus makes ribosomes

30. Final Review #2 Correct! Now try this one…
back
Final Review #2
Correct! Now try this one…
RNA polymerase separates DNA at the start of which process?
transcription
translation
replication
We will discuss translation another day
DNA helicase separates DNA during replication

31. Final Review #3 Correct. Now try this one…
back
Correct. Now try this one…
RNA polymerase is a type of which organic molecule?
Which chemicals end with ASE?
Nucleic Acid
Carbohydrate
Lipid
Proteins/enzyme
Which chemicals end with ASE?
Which chemicals end with ASE?

32. Final Review #4 Correct! Now try this one…
back
Final Review #4
Remember:
DNA “A” with RNA “U”
DNA “T” with RNA “A”
DNA “C” with RNA “G”
DNA “G” with RNA “C”
Try Again
Correct! Now try this one…
Which shows the process of transcription done properly?
Key
Black = DNA
Red = mRNA

33. Final Review #5 Correct. Now try this one…
back
Correct. Now try this one…
After exiting the nucleus, where will the finished mRNA travel?
Mitochondria makes ATP energy. mRNA is not needed for this.
The nucleolus makes ribosomes. mRNA is not needed for this.
mitochondria
ribosome
nucleolus

34. Replication is not performed while making a protein.
Final Review #6
back
Correct…now try this last one…
Once arriving at the ribosome, which process will begin next?
Transcription already happened to make the mRNA that has arrived at the ribosome.
Replication is not performed while making a protein.
Replication
Transcription
Translation

35. Good job… I hope this tutorial was helpful. Turn in your handout
Good job… I hope this tutorial was helpful. Turn in your handout. Feel free to start over if you would like to do some review.