1. DNA, RNA &
Protein Synthesis

2. What is DNA?
The hereditary material in the nucleus of cells that tells the cell when to make proteins and what proteins it should make.
Regions of DNA that code for proteins are called genes.
These proteins give organisms their traits, such as eye color.
DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid.

3. DNA Structure Discovered in 1953 by James Watson and Francis Crick.
DNA is a double-helix = 2 strands twisted around each other like a spiral staircase.
DNA is made of repeating subunits called nucleotides.
Nucleotides have 3 parts:
Deoxyribose sugar
Nitrogen base
Phosphate group

4. DNA Nucleotide

5. DNA Structure continued…
The sides of the DNA ladder are repeating phosphates and sugars.
The steps of the ladder are the nitrogen bases.
There are 4 different nitrogen bases in DNA:
Adenine
Guanine
Cytosine
Thymine
Purines = Have a double ring structure
Pyrimidines = Have a single ring structure

6. Nitrogen Bases in DNA

7. Complementary Base Pairing
Watson and Crick discovered that the following base pairing rule exists in DNA structure:
Adenine is complementary (fits together) with Thymine
Held together by 2 hydrogen bonds
Cytosine is complementary with Guanine
Held together by 3 hydrogen bonds
Each pairing includes one purine and one pyrimidine.

8. Label the small portion of DNA shown below:
Label the following:
Sugars
Phosphates
Nitrogen bases
Hydrogen bonds

9. Make the sequence for ½ of the DNA CTGGACT
Build a DNA Model
Black= sugar
White hollow= phosphate
White solid= hydrogen bond
Blue= cytosine
Green= thymine
Orange= adenine
Yellow= guanine
Make the sequence for ½ of the DNA CTGGACT

10. If the sequence of half of a DNA strand is TAGGCC, draw the entire DNA strand. Label the phosphate groups, deoxyribose sugars, nitrogen bases, and hydrogen bonds.

11. Replication
During interphase, chromosomes create new chromatids. This process of making new DNA strands is called replication.
This process happens in the nucleus of the cell.
Each new DNA produced has ½ from the original strand and ½ that is newly built.
DNA helicase breaks the hydrogen bonds that hold the 2 strands of DNA together.
DNA polymerase forms the new halves of DNA by putting the correct nucleotides into position. It also proofreads the new DNA built for any errors.
This process occurs once in a cell’s lifetime.

13. Let’s Practice Replication!
Build the DNA model with the sequence GTTCA.
G=yellow
T=green
C=blue
A=orange

14. Transcription
Transcription is the making of RNA by using the DNA code as a template.
RNA is single stranded so only ½ of the DNA is used as a template. This half is called the sense strand. The other is the non-sense strand.
RNA polymerase starts at the promoter on the DNA and builds the new strand of RNA until it reaches the termination signal.
RNA produced leaves the nucleus through nuclear pores to enter the cytosol. Why can it leave?
3 types of RNA are produced: messenger RNA (mRNA), ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and transfer RNA (tRNA)

15. Contrasting DNA and RNA
1 strand
Ribose sugar
Exits nucleus
Bases
AUGC
A pairs with U
G pairs with C
DNA
2 strands
Deoxyribose sugar
Remains in the nucleus
Bases
ATCG
A pairs with T
G pairs with C

17. Let’s Practice Transcription!
Build the DNA model with the sequence CTGGATC.
G=yellow, T=green, C=blue, A=orange U= purple ribose=purple pentagons
The side of the DNA listed above is the sense strand.
If the promoter is after the 1st “C” and the termination signal is before the last “C”, what is the RNA strand produced?

18. 3 Types of RNA
mRNA (messenger)- carries the DNA’s instructions for making proteins out of the nucleus to the ribosomes in the cytosol.
Every 3 nucleotides on mRNA is called a codon. Each codon codes for an amino acid.
See codon table

20. tRNA (transfer)- carries a specific amino acid on one end and an anticodon on the other end. The anticodon complements the codon on mRNA.
Draw the tRNA structure:
3. rRNA (ribosomal)- Along with protein, this makes up the structure of a ribosome.

21. Translation (Protein Synthesis)
1. mRNA leaves the nucleus and enters the cytosol.
2. mRNA attaches to a ribosome.
3. At the start codon (AUG), a tRNA brings its amino acid into position.
Adjacent amino acids bond together with a peptide bond and the tRNA leaves.
The ribosome then moves onto the next codon.
6. This process continues until the STOP codon is reached.
7. The new protein is released.

22. Draw the translation process

24. DNA code TGA ______________ _______________
mRNA codon _____________ UCU _______________
tRNA anticodon _____________ ________________ _______________
Amino acid ____________ ______________ tryptophan

25. DNA code CAT ______________ _______________
mRNA codon _____________ GUU _______________
tRNA anticodon _____________ ________________ _______________
Amino acid ____________ ______________ methionine