Sunday, November 20, 2011

Friday, 11/18

In class on Friday, we did a lab regarding protein synthesis. The point of the lab was to understand the roles of mRNA(messenger RNA) and tRNA(translation RNA) in protein synthesis. To help our understanding, we constructed a model of protein synthesis. FIrst, we built two stands of DNA. Then we separated the two stands and built the corresponding strand of mRNA (using uracil instead of thymine). After that, we separated the mRNA strands form the DNA strands and made a codon of the mRNA strand, or the tRNA strand. Then we attached an amino acid to the right tRNA molecule by it's R-group. DNA polymerase is the enzyme needed for DNA replication. The enzyme used to build mRNA and tRNA is RNA polymerase.





The two steps in protein synthesis are transcription and translation. Transcription takes place in the nucleus and forms mRNA strands from one of the strands of DNA. Translation occurs in the cytoplasm on a ribosome and the codons of mRNA (tRNA) are translated into amino acids to form proteins.

Our homework for this weekend was to finish UP 23-28, UP 39-40 (online), UP 15-20, read section 13.3, and finish our tribune article, all due on Monday.

Don't forget to study for the unit test this Tuesday! 


Next scribe will be Elizabeth.

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