Assignment
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Assignment
Background Information:
Scientists have found that almost all living organisms have a gene that codes for a protein called Cytochrome C.
This protein is important in releasing energy from food. Scientists study similarities such as the gene that codes for Cytochrome C in hopes to learn more about the universal genetic code and the relationship between living organisms on Earth.
Procedure:
The charts below lists a portion of the amino acids found in the Cytochrome C protein of several different organisms. Use the chart to compare the amino acid sequence in humans to the sequences of the other organisms listed. For each organism, identify any amino acid that is different or missing when compared to the amino acids in the human sequence.
1. Click on the following link to open the activity chart:
Amino Acid Sequences in Cytochome-C Proteins.
2. Compare the human/chimpanzee to each other organism, entering the number of differences in the chart (Tip: the next comparison is human/chimpanzee vs. horse). Note that a minus sign (-) indicates that an amino acid is missing in that sequence. When comparing two sequences, an amino acid in one sequence and a (–) in another would count as a difference.
3. You will submit the completed chart and the reflection to your instructor.
Human vs.________ # of differences in the amino acid sequence
Rhesus monkey
Horse
Donkey
Common zebra
Pig, cow, sheep
Dog
Gray whale
Rabbit
Kangaroo
Chicken, turkey
Penguin
Pekin duck
Snapping turtle
Rattlesnake
Bullfrog
Tuna
Screwfly fly
Silkworm moth
Tomato horn worm
Wheat
Rice
Baker’s Yeast
Candida Yeast
Neurospora
Reflection Questions:
Summarize your amino acid comparison in paragraph form. To guide your summary, reflect on the following https://courses.vlacs.org/file.php/2510/educator_biology_v15_gs/module01/01_05c_a.htm 1/2
7/30/2015
Assignment
questions.
1. What does it mean when scientists say that living organisms share a universal genetic