From Gene to Protein - Transcription and Translation
In the lab, From Gene to Protein - Transcription and Translation, students learn how a gene provides the instructions for making a protein, and how the gene for sickle cell hemoglobin results in sickle cell anemia. Simple paper models are used to help students learn the basic molecular biology of transcription and translation.
Download Student Handout: PDF format or Word format
Download Teacher Preparation Notes: PDF format
We invite comments on this Hands-On Activity and the accompanying Teacher Preparation Notes, including suggestions for other teachers who are planning to use the activity, useful preparatory or follow-up activities, additional resources or any questions you have related to the activity, or a brief description of any problem you might have encountered. If you have a relevant Word document you would like to have posted on this comments page, such as a version of the protocol you have used in your classroom, or if you would prefer to send your comments or questions in a private message, please write Ingrid Waldron at iwaldron@sas.upenn.edu.
See also a complete list of activities:
Hands-on Activities for Teaching Biology to High School and Middle School Students
coding or sense strand vs. template or antisense strand of DNA
Since we are providing the DNA strand for the students to act as RNA polymerase and carry out transcription, we provide the template or anti-sense strand (not the coding or sense strand). With that in mind, you will see that the anti-codons of tRNA fit the mRNA sequence that the students will generate.
Great idea Ingrid but is
Great idea Ingrid but is your Hb DNA sequence the sense or anti-sense strand because mRNA is made from the antisense and therefore has the same sequence as the sense strand (the strand normally shown when giving the sequence of only one strand). Your anti-codons of tRNA don’t seem to fit the mRNA sequence.
Revised Student Handout
After presenting this activity in a professional development session for Philadelphia high school biology teachers in February, 2009, we have prepared this revised version of the Student Handout with multiple revisions to clarify the biology and the instructions and questions for the students. The newly revised Teacher Preparation Notes for this activity include some additional suggestions for discussion and modifications to adapt the activity, depending on your specific learning objectives.
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