Name ____________________________________________________ Period ________ Lab _______

SNORKS – DNA Determines the Traits of an Organism

Introduction: In this simulation, you will examine the DNA sequence of a fictitious organism: the Snork.
Snorks were discovered on the planet Dee Enae in a distant solar system. Snorks only have one
chromosome with 6 genes on it. Your job is to analyze the genes of its DNA and determine what traits
the organism has.
SNORK DNA AND TRAITS

Amino Acid Sequence A.A. Abbreviation Trait

1 TRYPTOPHAN – PROLINE – LEUCINE hairless
TRYPTOPHAN – PROLINE – ISOLEUCINE hairy
2 TRYPTOPHAN – ASPARAGINE – ASPARAGINE plump
ISOLEUCINE – VALINE – THREONINE skinny
3 SERINE – ALANINE – PROLINE 4 legged
SERINE – LEUCINE – GLYCINE 6 legged
4 PROLINE – SERINE – PHENYLALANINE round head
block (square)
GLYCINE – SERINE – PHENYLALANINE
head
5 LYSINE – PHENYLALANINE – PHENYLALANINE no tail
LYSINE – LEUCINE – PHENYLALANINE tail
6 PROLINE – ALANINE – ALANINE square eyes
PROLINE – ALANINE – PROLINE wide round eyes
7 GLUTAMINE – HISTIDINE – ASPARTIC ACID male (blue eyes)
GLUTAMINE – GLUTAMINE – VALINE female (pink eyes)

Observations and Analysis of Snork DNA

You are given a chromosome from a Snork with the following sequence. Each gene has only 3 amino
acids. Your job is to determine the sequence of amino acids for your specimen. Write the complimentary
DNA, mRNA, and amino acid (A.A.) sequence it codes for and the related trait in the table below.
Snork #1
ACCGGTTAT|AGCCGAGGG|TTTAACAAA|GGACGCCGA|GGGAGGAAA|GTTGTGCT
DNA
A
mRN  A C C G G T T A T | A G C C G A G G G | T T T A A C A A A | G G A C G C C G A | G G G A G G A A A | A T C A T C C T
A A
A.A.
 A C C G G T T A T | A G C C G A G G G | T T T A A C A A A | G G A C G C C G A | G G G A G G A A A | A T C A T C C T
A
Trait
 A C C G G T T A T | A G C C G A G G G | T T T A A C A A A | G G A C G C C G A | G G G A G G A A A | A T C A T C C T
A

Make your own original SNORK! Determine the DNA sequence necessary for your own SNORK. Your
SNORK must have 6 genes (1 of which must be for gender). Make a table with the correct DNA, mRNA,
amino acid, and traits.
Snork #2
DNA
 A C C G G T T A T | A G C C G A G G G | T T T A A C A A A | G G A C G C C G A | G G G A G G A A A | A T C A T C C T
A
mRN  A C C G G T T A T | A G C C G A G G G | T T T A A C A A A | G G A C G C C G A | G G G A G G A A A | A T C A T C C T
A A
A.A.
 A C C G G T T A T | A G C C G A G G G | T T T A A C A A A | G G A C G C C G A | G G G A G G A A A | A T C A T C C T
A
Trait
  Male / Female T | A G C C G A G G G | T T T A A C A A A | G G A C G C C G A | G G G A G G A A A | A T C A T C C T
A
Draw and color both SNORKS either on paper and upload or on google draw. Be creative!

SN

SN
OR
K
#1