In Biology class, our topic was on protein synthesis. For this activity we worked on transcribing and translating the genes of this little alien. We were given a sheet with its DNA sequences and the different results for each gene’s transcription and translation. For example, gene A is CAAGGATAT. You would first transcribe it into its mRNA form which is GUUCCUAUA. Then you translate each codon, three bases, and you get Val-pro-ileu. This results to my alien being hairless.
There was a total of 9 DNA sequences to figure out what the genes of my alien would be. In the end, he received these traits; hairless, fat, 8 legs, long nose, no antennae, red skin, 10 fingers, no tail and 4 eyes. Once I got all the traits, I started to draw him out and made sure that he had all of them incorporated. Somewhere along the way I decided to make him a detective that is trying to find all the mutations that are causing trouble in the DNA world.
This activity relates to the real world by how people learn a language. First, you have to translate the phrase, “transcribe”. Then you have to find the meaning, “translate”. Then you have learned the word and it will be a part of you brain forever and it will help shape you way of speaking the language. Protein Synthesis is very important for the human body for it determines what you are going to look like and without it, we would look like a blob.
Sofia's Portafolio 