Replication and Transcription Information

DNA Workout

In this part of the tour you will go complete two DNA Workshop activities.

1. DNA Replication

1. First access the DNA Workshop site by clicking the link below.
2. Read the short introduction and then open the DNA Workshop Activity link.
3. When the activity loads choose "DNA Replication" at the top left.
   Remember, DNA must copy itself for new cells to be made.
4. Now, you try building two strands of DNA from one! Unzip and read the explanation.
   • Just remember that the adenine always hooks up with thymine and cytosine always goes with guanine.
5. When you are finished compare the two strands.
   • They should be identical.

Resource Site: DNA Workshop Activity

2. Are you up for a challenge?

Do you want to see if you can crack the code of life?

1. Again, access the DNA Workshop site.
2. This time, when the activity loads choose "Protein Synthesis" at the top right.
   Protein synthesis is just a fancy way to say…make a protein. As you will see, proteins are originally made from DNA. Here, RNA will be made from a DNA template. It is very similar to DNA replication but there is a twist.
3. Now, you try making a protein! Unzip the DNA molecule.
   • To complete this activity, you will need to know that. A (Adenine) always pairs with T (Thymine) on the DNA, however, (U) Uracil will pair with A (adenine) that is on the DNA, while G (Guanine) always pairs with C (Cytosine) and vice versa.
4. When you are finished compare this process with the process of replication.
   • You should see that the two processes start out the same, but have some key differences. As you can see the end results are not the same.

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