DNA Transcription and Translation Worksheet

Name ______________________________________ Class Time ________DNA – Transcription & Translation
(answer and upload to D2L)
Transcription
1. RNA, Ribonucleic Acid is very similar to DNA. RNA normally exists as a
single strand (and not the double stranded double helix of DNA). It contains
the same bases, adenine, guanine and cytosine. However, there is no
thymine found in RNA, instead there is a similar compound called uracil.
2. Transcription is the process by which RNA is made from DNA. It occurs in
the nucleus. Color or label the bases according to the key below.
Thymine = orange (T)
Adenine (A) = dark green
Guanine (G) = purple
Cytosine (C) = yellow
Uracil (U) = brown
Color or label the strand of DNA dark blue (D) and the strand of RNA light
blue (R). Color the nuclear membrane (E) gray.
Translation
1. Translation occurs in the cytoplasm, specifically on the ribosomes. The
mRNA made in the nucleus travels out to the ribosome to carry the message
of the DNA. Here at the ribosome, that message will be translated into an
amino acid sequence. Color the ribosome light green (Y) and note how the
RNA strand threads through the ribsosome like a tape measure and the amino
acids are assembled. The RNA strand in the translation area should also be
colored light blue, as it was colored in the nucleus.
2. Important to the process of translation is another type of RNA called
Transfer RNA (F) which function to carry the amino acids to the site of protein
synthesis on the ribosome. Color the tRNA red.
3. A tRNA has two important areas. The anticodon, which matches the codon
on the RNA strand. Remember that codons are sets of three bases that code
for a single amino acid. Make sure you color or label the bases of the
anticodon the same color as the bases on your DNA and RNA strand – they
are the same molecules!
4. At the top of the tRNA is the amino acids. There are twenty amino acids
that can combine together to form proteins of all kinds, these are the proteins
that are used in life processes. When you digest your food for instance, you
are using enzymes that were originally proteins that were assembled from
amino acids. Each tRNA has a different amino acid which link together with a
peptide bond. Color all the amino acids (M) orange or label them AA.
Questions:
1. How many different kinds of bases can be found on DNA _______
2. How many different kinds of bases can be found on RNA _______
3. What base is found on RNA but not on DNA? _____________
4. What base is found on DNA but not on RNA? _____________
5. How many bases are in a codon? ______ In an anticodon? _________
6. How many amino acids are attached to a single transfer RNA? ______
7. Transcription occurs in the ____________________; translation occurs
in the ________________________.
8. The process of making RNA from DNA is called ___________________
and it occurs in the _________________________
9. The process of assembling a protein from RNA is called
____________________________________________________ ,
and it occurs in the ________________________________________.
10.
Describe two ways in which RNA differs from DNA:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Protein Synthesis Overview Diagram
Label the summary of protein synthesis diagrammed below using the following terms: transcription, translation, DNA, mRNA,
ribosome, tRNA, rRNA amino acid, polypeptide, nucleus, codon, anticodon, nucleus, and cytoplasm.
Practicing DNA Transcription and Translation
For the following examples, give the appropriate sequence of DNA, mRNA, tRNA
and/or amino acids (AA).Remember: A codon chart can only be used for
decoding a strand of mRNA.
Example 1:
DNA:
TAC
GCG
CCT
AGG
GGG
TGG
mRNA:
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
AA:
_____
_____
_____
_____
______
______
Example 2:
DNA:
TTC
GAT
TAG
ATG
CCG
AAG
mRNA:
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
tRNA:
_____
_____
_____
_____
______
_____
AA:
_____
_____
_____
_____
______
_____
Example 3:
DNA:
C__
_G_
A__
_A_
__C
_T_
mRNA:
_U_
__A
__C
__A
_G_
_A_
tRNA:
_AU
G_U
_UG
G_U
CC_
G_A
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
AA:
_____