Question: 1. Begin by going to the website http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/ – this is the homepage for the G…

1. Begin by going to the website http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/
– this is the homepage for the Genetic Science Learning Center.
Start by going into the ‘Tour of Basic Genetics’ tutorial. Begin
with ‘What is DNA’. Review this section and answer the questions
below:

a) What is the shape of DNA?

b) DNA is comprised of a four letter alphabet: A, T, C and G
(these are the 4 nucleotides). The same nucleotides always pair
with each other – which nucleotide pairs with which?

c) If nucleotides are the letters, and letters make words (words
= amino acids – more on this later) and words make sentences – what
are the sentences made by DNA and what do they do?

2) Return to the ‘Tour of Basic Genetics’ page. Select ‘What is
a Gene’. Review this section and answer the questions below:

a) Give an example of a protein made by a human gene.

3) Return to the ‘Tour of Basic Genetics’ page. Select ‘What is
a Protein’. Review this section and answer the questions below:

a) Before a protein is made, DNA is copied into what molecule?
(it is very similar to DNA)

b) Where does this occur?

c) Where is protein made? What organelle/cell component assists
with the making of proteins?

4) Return to the ‘Tour of Basic Genetics’ page. Select ‘What is
a Chromosome’. Review this section and answer the questions
below:

a) If the DNA from a single cell were stretched out, how long
would it be?

b) How can this much DNA fit into a single cell?!

c) How many chromosomes does a human have? How many come from
our mom? How many come from our dad?

5) Once you feel comfortable with the above topics, return to
the homepage and click on “Molecules of Inheritance”. Start by
reviewing ‘How do Cells Read Genes’ and answer the questions
below:

a) If a gene is a sentence made up of 3 letter words, what are
the 3 letter words called?

b) All proteins begin with what amino acid?

c) What is the Genetic Code?

6) Finally, go to ‘Transcribe and translate a gene’ to build
your own protein and answer the questions below:

a) What is the amino acid sequence of the protein you
have just created?

7) Once you have made a protein, go to the next section titled
“What makes a Firefly Glow” (it’s below the section you just
completed). As you go through the tutorial, answer the questions
below.

a) Where in the cell does transcription take place? Where does
translation take place?

b) In order to become a fully functioning luciferase enzyme,
what has to happen to the amino acids?