Genetics Science Learning Center KEY

Objective: Students will browse the Genetics Science Learning Center Website to learn about basic genetics, including the structure of DNA, transcription and translation, and the relationship between genes, proteins and traits.

Site Location: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/ .........

What is DNA?

2. What does DNA stand for? ______deoxyribonucleic acid____
3. Why is DNA called a blueprint? ___it encodes a set of plans___
4. The "twisted ladder" shape of the DNA molecule is called a _double helix
5. Name the four bases found in a DNA molecule: ____A, C, T, G___
6. A DNA strand is made of __letters_____________ which make up _____words__________ which make up sentences.
7. These "sentences" are called _____genes____

What is a Gene?

8. What is a gene? ______instruction manuals______
9. Blood cells use a protein called ______hemoglobin___________________ to capture and carry oxygen.
10. When a gene is changed, it is said to be ____mutated____
11. A mutation in the hemoglobin gene causes what disorder: _hemophilia_

What is a Chromosome?

12. If you stretched out all the DNA from a single cell, how long would it be?? ______3 meters long__________
13. How many chromosomes are in a human cell? __46___ a mosquito? _6__ a carp? __104__

What is a Protein?

14. How is a protein like a car engine? ___________each part has a job__________
15. Receptor proteins are responsible for picking up ___________signals___________
16. Each gene in DNA encodes information on how to make a ____protein__________
17. Once in the cytoplasm, the ____ribosomes____________ reads the message.

What is Heredity?

18. The passing of traits from parents to child is the basis of _____heredity___________________
19. Every child receives___half____ of its chromosomes from his mother and half from his ____father____
20. When a sperm and egg join, they create a single cell called a ______zygote_____________________
21. Each child inherits a __unique (or complete)______________ set of chromosomes.

"What is a Trait?"

22. Give an example of a physical trait: ______hair color, eye color, height, etc..___
23. A dog fetching a bone is an example of what kind of trait? _________behavioral______
24. Scientists describe the set of information for each form of trait as an __allele__________________
25. What word is used to describe having two of the same alleles? ____homozygous_______ What letters would be used to describe someone with a hitchhiker's thumb? __hh____
26. What letters would be used to describe a heterozygous combination? ____Hh___
27. What combination of alleles are possible in a child if the parents are Hh and Hh (there are four)? _hh, HH, Hh, Hh___
28. Give an example of incomplete dominance: _______carnations_____________

"Build a DNA Molecule" return to the home page and find this activity

29. Build a DNA molecule. What is the base pair rule? _________A pairs with T, G pairs with C_____

Return to home page, click on "DNA to Protein" > "Transcribe and Translate a Gene"

30. Define transcription: __________________makes mRNA_____________________
31. Define translation: ______________makes protein___________________________________
32. Follow the instructions for the activity. List the amino acid sequence you created. ___met, leu, asp, phe

"What Makes a Firefly Glow" (return to "DNA to Protein")

33. Fireflies glow to attract a ___mate________ and to avoid _____predators___________
34. RNA polymerase binds to the ____luc______________ gene.
35. When transcription is complete, the LUC mRNA moves to the _____cytoplasm____________
36. The ribosome interprets the mRNA to produce a string of _______amino acids________
37. In order to become a functioning luciferase enzyme, the string must ____bend and fold_________________
38. The enzymes bind to _______luciferon______________to create light.