Dna Sci/230
Associate Program Material
DNA Worksheet
Answer the following in at least 100 words:
1. Describe the structure of DNA. DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic acid and looks like a spiral. The spiral is also known as a double helix. The strands are made up of our genetic information, composed of genes and chromosomes. There are four bases divided among purines and pyrimidines. On the purines there are Adenine (A) and Guanine (G). On the pyrimidines there are Cytosine (C) and Thymine (T). The base pairs are Adenine and Thymine (A-T) and Cytosine and Guanine (C-G). DNA is found in the nucleus of every human cell. Humans have 46 chromosomes. When a cell reproduces, the chromosomes get copied and distributed to each offspring.
2. How does an organism’s genotype determine its phenotype? The genes are transcribed to produce mRNA. The mRNA is translated to produce proteins. The proteins are more often than not enzymes,that catalyze reactions that would otherwise take forever to happen. These reactions involve the formation of products that are functioning in the cell for various things such as structural support, fibers, cytoskeleton, channels on membrane, enzymes that metabolize food molecules like glucose, energy production, transport, signal systems, pigmentation, attachment to other cells and more. These together, work in an orchestrated manner to produce characters that we can physically see. For example, there is a gene that produces protein involved in the production of melanin (skin pigment). When this gene is mutated or non-functional, the enzyme is not produced. Hence, the pathway of melanin production is shut down and that person does not produce any melanin pigment. This is what we see and call as albinism, the people without any pigment in their skin, hair and eyes
3. Describe each stage of the flow of information starting with DNA and ending with a trait.
DNA molecules store the necessary instructions for building
DNA Worksheet
Answer the following in at least 100 words:
1. Describe the structure of DNA. DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic acid and looks like a spiral. The spiral is also known as a double helix. The strands are made up of our genetic information, composed of genes and chromosomes. There are four bases divided among purines and pyrimidines. On the purines there are Adenine (A) and Guanine (G). On the pyrimidines there are Cytosine (C) and Thymine (T). The base pairs are Adenine and Thymine (A-T) and Cytosine and Guanine (C-G). DNA is found in the nucleus of every human cell. Humans have 46 chromosomes. When a cell reproduces, the chromosomes get copied and distributed to each offspring.
2. How does an organism’s genotype determine its phenotype? The genes are transcribed to produce mRNA. The mRNA is translated to produce proteins. The proteins are more often than not enzymes,that catalyze reactions that would otherwise take forever to happen. These reactions involve the formation of products that are functioning in the cell for various things such as structural support, fibers, cytoskeleton, channels on membrane, enzymes that metabolize food molecules like glucose, energy production, transport, signal systems, pigmentation, attachment to other cells and more. These together, work in an orchestrated manner to produce characters that we can physically see. For example, there is a gene that produces protein involved in the production of melanin (skin pigment). When this gene is mutated or non-functional, the enzyme is not produced. Hence, the pathway of melanin production is shut down and that person does not produce any melanin pigment. This is what we see and call as albinism, the people without any pigment in their skin, hair and eyes
3. Describe each stage of the flow of information starting with DNA and ending with a trait.
DNA molecules store the necessary instructions for building