Concluding Questions:
1. Describe the process of transcription: unwinding, complementary base pairing, separating

Transcription is the process of a gene’s DNA sequence being translated to fit an RNA sequence.

Unwinding is the first step in transcription. The DNA must unwind its shape (double helix) to continue the process of transcription. Then, the DNA is in two strands are read and RNA variants of the DNA sequence are created.

Complementary base pairing is when certain nucleotides hydrogen bond with other nucleotides. In terms of transcription, certain DNA nucleotides will always bond with certain RNA nucleotides (and should because the RNA sequence should be complementary to the DNA’s). In short, the DNA nucleotides will H-bond with the RNA nucleotides in transcription’s complementary base pairing.

Separating happens when the RNA and the DNA complementary base pairing is over. The separating stage is when the start of an amino acid (AUG) chains all the amino acids until a stop sequence. After, the amino acid chains separate from the long strands of DNA and RNA.

(Complimentary base pairing)

2. How did today’s activity do a good job of modelling the process of transcription? In what ways was our model inaccurate?

Accurate:

• Was able to represent that the RNA sequence is dependant on the DNA sequence
• Showed that after complementary base pairing is over, the amino acids separate
• Made it easy to represent how the DNA and RNA bonds together

Inaccurate:

• It did not show the DNA unwinding
• It did not really show the process of RNA translating the DNA sequence
• It did not show the shape of the nucleic acids before and after transcription

3. Describe the process of translation: initiation, elongation, and termination.

Initiation: the ribosome holds the mRNA and reads the start codon (AUG/TAG)

Elongation: the ribosome moves along the mRNA strand. It reads a codon and creates a tRNA anticodon at the same time. The amino acids chain together and grow

Termination: when the ribosome reads a stop codon, it will cause the ribosome to release the mRNA, tRNA, and polypeptide strand because there is no tRNA anticodon for the mRNA codon.

(The tRNA bringing an anticodon, as well as the amino acid on the P starting a chain)

(The tRNA is leaving while the amino acid chain consists of 2 amino acids)

4. How did today’s activity do a good job of modelling the process of translation? In what ways was our model inaccurate

Accurate:

• Was able to show us that amino acids get chained together
• Showed that the ribosome does 2 tasks at once
• Made it easy to see the mRNA codon collaborating with the tRNA codon
• Illustrated the A and P sites correctly

Inaccurate:

• Was not able to show us the full process of translation, just the major bit
  Translation was conveyed better than transcription and so there are not too many inaccurate things about this lab.
  
  (The tRNA is leaving with the amino acid sequence)
  
  (Final chain of amino acids)