Question

Medal WILL Be Given

Demonstrate and explain the process of transcription and translation as it relates to the strand of DNA below.

GCA AGT ACC TGA

... okay, I've read my reading on this particular topic over and over.
I do not understand how to do this, so PLEASE help me out and explain.

Answer 1

First write out the RNA sequence that results from the transcription of the DNA sequence. This will be CGU UGA UGG ACU, with the spaces to indicate codons for the next step. The step afterwards is to look at a codon-amino acid chart to find out which amino acids will be transcribed for. That's all there is.

Answer 2

For the demonstration part. For the explanation, explain that RNA polymerase transcribes the DNA molecule into RNA and that the ribosome then uses the resulting RNA to transcribe a protein.

Answer 3

How do you find how to get the sequence: CGU UGA UGG ACU

... exactly? I want to know how to do it. Am I missing something obvious?

Answer 4

[Thank you for your help, by the way!]

Answer 5

To find the RNA sequence, use the base pairing rules that should have been stated in the textbook. G pairs with c, a pairs with u,t pairs with a, and c pairs with g. These are similar to the rules for DNA.

Answer 6

Well lets try breaking it down.

Transcription is simply making a mRNA and it follows 4 rules:

A becomes U
T becomes A
G becomes C
C becomes G

As such GCA AGT ACC TGA strand of DNA will be translated into CGU UCA UGG ACU

Translation is the next step where tRNA will attach to the newly transcribed mRNA and use triplets we found above as codes for specific aminoacids.

These follow a special table http://bioinfo.bisr.res.in/project/crat/pictures/printImage.png

Looking at the table you will see that CGU codes for Arg (arginine aminoacid)
UCA codes for leu (leucine)
UGG is trp (triptophan)
and ACU codes for thr (threonine)

Therefore your originale DNA sequence will be turned into Arg-Leu-Trp-Thr protein!

Answer 7

Oh...
OOOH. I see the light of reason!
Alright, I understand now. Thank you so very much, you two!
You were both very helpful, but I'm going to give the Medal to Garm since his explanation was a bit easier to follow :)