Gene Expression—Translation

How do cells synthesize polypeptides and convert them to functional proteins?

Why?

The message in your DNA of who you are and how your body works is carried out by cells through
gene expression. In most cases this means synthesizing a specific protein to do a specific job. First,
mRNA is transcribed from the DNA code. Then, the mRNA sequence is translated into a polypeptide
sequence.

Model 1 – Codons
mRNA nucleotides Amino acids
Second Base

U C A G
UUU Phe UCU Ser UAU Tyr UGU Cys U
UUC Phe UCC Ser UAC Tyr UGC Cys C

U UUA Leu UCA Ser UAA stop UGA stop A

UUG Leu UCG Ser UAG stop UGG Trp G
CUU Leu CCU Pro CAU His CGU Arg U
CUC Leu CCC Pro CAC His CGC Arg C

Base
Third
C CUA Leu CCA Pro CAA Gln CGA Arg A
CUG Leu CCG Pro CAG Gln CGG Arg G
First Base

AUU Ile ACU Thr AAU Asn AGU Ser U

AUC Ile ACC Thr AAC Asn AGC Ser C

A AUA Ile ACA Thr AAA Lys AGA Arg A

AUG Met (start) ACG Thr AAG Lys AGG Arg G
GUU Val GCU Ala GAU Asp GGU Gly U
GUC Val GCC Ala GAC Asp GGC Gly C

G GUA Val GCA Ala GAA Glu GGA Gly A

GUG Val GCG Ala GAG Glu GGG Gly G

1. Model 1 defines the code scientists have discovered that relates the nucleotide sequence of
mRNA to the amino acid sequence of polypeptides.
a. What do the letters U, C, A, and G in Model 1 represent?
RNA nucleoHdes

Gene Expression—Translation 1
 b. What do the abbreviations such as Phe, Ile, Ala, and Gly in Model 1 represent?
Amino acids
c. The language of mRNA is often described as a “triplet code.” Explain the significance of
this reference.
Because there nucleotides are used to code one amino acids
2. If an mRNA molecule had 300 nucleotides in the coding region of the strand, how many
amino acids would be in the polypeptide that was synthesized? Show mathematical work to
support your answer. 300/100 = 3

3. Consider the information in Model 1.

a. How many different codons (triplets) code for the amino acid Proline (Pro)? :

+ codons

b. Compare all of the codons for Proline. What are the similarities and differences?

Similarities= the protein codons have the same starting with CC difference- the third base
is different.

c. Considering that mistakes can occur during transcription and DNA replication, what
advan-tage is there for an organism to have multiple mRNA sequences code for the same
amino acid? If a codon fails for whatever reason, the mRNA will still successfully
furminto the amino acids.

2 POGIL™ Activities for AP* Biology

Gene Expression—Translation 3
 DNA → TAC CTT CGG ATG GTC ACT
mRNA → AUG GAA GCC UAC CAG UGA
polypeptide sequence → Mel Glu Ala Tyr Gln

5. According to the table in Model 1, what amino acid is at the beginning of every polypeptide?

AUG( methionine )

6. The codons shown in Model 1 are used in all species on Earth with very little variation. What
might scientists conclude from this?

Scientist might conclude that every species evolved from a common ancestor which is the idea
of the theory of evolution.

4 POGIL™ Activities for AP* Biology

Model 2 – Translation

Initiation Elongation

AC

Ser
Met His
Ala H 2O
Leu

Release
factor
A U G U U G G C C A G C C A U U A A

Termination

7. Refer to Model 2.
a. What are the three stages of translation?
Initiation, elongation, termination
b. Define each of the terms used in your answer to part a as they are used in everyday
language.
Initiation- to begin, to start t termination- to end elongation-to add on

Gene Expression—Translation 5
 8. According to Model 2, when the mRNA leaves the nucleus, to which cellular organelle does
it attach? It attaches to the ribosome

9. The mRNA attaches to the organelle at the sequence AUG. What is the significance of this
sequence of nucleotides? The significance is that AUG is the start codon

10. Describe the movement of the ribosome as translation occurs. It moves along the mRNA
chain from 5-3

Read This!

The ribosome is a large complex of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and proteins. It consists of two subunits.
The smaller subunit binds to the mRNA strand and the larger subunit holds the tRNA molecules in
place while the covalent peptide bond is formed between the amino acids. Several ribosomes can
attach to an mRNA molecule simultaneously. This allows for many polypeptide chains to be
synthesized at once.

11. The tRNA molecules in a cell are short sequences of nucleotides (about 80 bases) that
contain an anticodon and carry a specifi c amino acid.
a. Find the tRNA in Model 2 that is carrying the Histidine (His). What sequence of
nucleotides makes the anticodon on this tRNA molecule?

GUA

b. What codon on mRNA would match this anticodon?

CAU

c. Verify that the codon you wrote in part b codes to Histidine by looking at the table in
Model
d. What anticodon would be found on a tRNA molecule carrying Glycine (Gly)? (Note:
There are several correct answers here.)
CCG

6 POGIL™ Activities for AP* Biology

 12. The “t” in tRNA is short for transfer. In a complete sentence, explain why this molecule is
called transfer RNA.
Because it transfers the correct amino acid to the ribosome in order to produce the functional
protein
13. During elongation, how many tRNA molecules are held in the ribosome at the same time?
2 tRNA molecules are held in the ribosome at the same time

14. What will happen to the unattached tRNA once it has delivered its amino acid?
It gets released from the ribosome and it goes to get another amino acid

15. Describe two things that occur during termination as illustrated in Model 2.
Release factor- binds the last codon which halts the entire process of adding amino acids to the
pooypeptide. Water molecule- added to the end of the amino acid chain

16. Explain how the term “translation” applies to the synthesis of proteins from DNA
instructions.
Codons get translated into the language of proteins(DNA in the form of nitrogen bases)

Extension Questions
17. The codons of mRNA are a set of three nucleotides with four possible bases in combination.
a. Show mathematically that there are 64 permutations possible when three bases are used.
4x4x4= 64

b. Show mathematically that two bases as a codon would not be sufficient to code for all 20
known amino acids.

Gene Expression—Translation 7
 2x2x2=8

18. A silent mutation is one that does not affect protein structure. Write a code for an original
DNA strand containing at least 12 bases, and then mutate the original DNA so that the final
protein is unaffected.
Original-TAC AAA CCC GGA mutated- TAC AAG CCC GG

19. In prokaryotic cells, translation begins before transcription is finished. Give two reasons why
this would not be possible in eukaryotic cells.
1. Eukaryotic cells have a nucleus and prokaryotic cells do not.
2. Eukaryotic cells have introns that must be removed from the pre-mRNA chain before
translation can occur

8 POGIL™ Activities for AP* Biology