Central Dogma of Molecular Biology

Eusebia L. Hernandez

Description

This worksheet focuses on the biological processes of central dogma of molecular

biology namely replication, transcription and translation or protein synthesis. Teacher and
students consider this topic as difficult because the process is highly abstract and hard to
conceptualize. Hence this worksheet will help students practice illustrate the steps in central
dogma.

Content standard

The learners understand Central Dogma of Molecular Biology.

Performance standard

The learners shall be able to identify requirements, enzymes and products in DNA
replication, transcription, and protein synthesis.

Learning competency

The learners should be able to illustrate the steps in DNA replication, transcription, and
protein synthesis.

Code

STEM_BIO11/12- IIIa-b-5

Learning objectives

a. Identify the proteins and enzymes in DNA replication.

b. Illustrate the process of replication, transcription and translation.
c. Cite the significance of accuracy in the process of central dogma of molecular biology to
the organism.

Task 1: Guess the Word

Direction: Arrange the jumbled letters to reveal the mystery word

1. X Y O D E _________________
2. C C N U B R L I I O E _________________
3. D C I A _________________

A Review on DNA and RNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the blueprint of life which means that the looks,
intelligence, talents and skills that we have are all because of DNA. Since it is the blueprint of
life, no two individuals have the same DNA sequence.
a. Nucelotide b. DNAThe DNA is made up of long chain of
model
nucleotides where each nucleotide is composed of phosphate group, sugar (deoxyribose) and
nitrogen bases . The pairing of the nitrogen base are as follows: adenine (A) pairs with thymine
(T); guanine (G) pairs with cytosine (C). A long chain of nucleotides .

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a single stranded nucleic acid which functions in transcription
and translation process. It has the same components with DNA however the sugar is ribose
while in nitrogen base instead of adenine pairs with thymine it has uracil instead.
 Source : www.ncbi.com

Task 2: Doble Kara: The Replication

The DNA is located inside the nucleus. To make replication possible a portion of the
DNA strand should be unwind first by the enzyme DNA helicase. Once the strand unwound, the
initiator protein, OriC and DNA polymerase starts the replication process where the nitrogen
bases undergo complementary base pairing.

Direction: Replicate the given DNA strand through complementary base pairing.

1. Old DNA strand : ATG GCG TGA GGT CTC ACT CGC CAT TCA CAG GGC CTC

New strand

2. Old DNA strand:

GAT ATG ACA TTA TCT CGT CAT TAG GTG TTA CCT
New strand :

3. Old strand :
ATG CCC GGG TTT ACG GTA GAT CTC CCG GGA CTA AAA
New strand :

Questions:

1. When nitrogen bases undergo complementary base pairing, what is the

complementary base pair of Adenine (A)? Thymine (T)?
____________________________________________________________

2. What is the base pair of Guanine (G)? Cytosine (C)?

____________________________________________________________

3. Why is it important to unwind the DNA prior to replication?

____________________________________________________________
Task 3: Decode me

The new strand of DNA needs to be decoded using the messenger RNA (mRNA) since
there is no specific amino acid that translates thymine as nitrogen base of the DNA molecule the
RNA has uracil instead. Enzyme RNA polymerase is responsible for the transcription process.
Once the enzyme reaches the terminator (stop codon) sequence, it halts the transcription
process.

Direction: Transcribe the given DNA to mRNA.

1. DNA strand : ATG GAT CTC CCG GGA CTA AAA CAA CCC

mRNA strand

2. DNA strand :
ATG TCT CGT CAT TAG GTG TTA CCT GAT ATG

mRNA strand :

3. DNA strand : ATG CTC ACT CGC CAT TCA CAG GGC CTC GTA

mRNA strand :

Questions:

1. What have you observe to the pairing of nitrogen base in transcription?

__________________________________________________________

2. If RNA polymerase is lacking, is it possible for the transcription to occur?

Explain.
__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

3. Why DNA should be transcribed into mRNA prior to translation?

__________________________________________________________

4. Differentiate DNA from mRNA.

__________________________________________________________

Task 4:The three-letter word

 Once the DNA has been transcribed, it can be translated into amino acid in the process
of translation or protein synthesis. This happens in the ribosome where the tRNA brings specific
amino acid to each respective mRNA codon. This means that the head of the tRNA brings the
anticodon while the tail brings the specific amino acid.

Direction: Using the Genetic Code Chart below, translate the given mRNA strands. Be sure to
provide the anticodon of the mRNA before giving the specific amino acid to each mRNA codon.

Source: www.khancademy.com

1. mRNA strand : AUG CAG UAC AAC GCG ACA GCC CAA

tRNA :
UAC GUC AUG UUG CGC UGU
Amino acid : CGG GUU

mRNA strandAUG
: CCA GUG GUU CGC GCU ACU

tRNA : UAG GGU CAC CAA GCG CGA UGA

Amino acid : Met-Pro-Val-Val-Arg-Ala-Thr

2. mRNA strand :
AUG AAA UUC GAG CAU UGC UCG
tRNA :

Amino acid :

Question:

1. What is the codon for methionine?

_____________________________________________________________

2. What happens when the tRNA reaches codon UGA?

 _____________________________________________________________
3. Explain the importance of translation process in gene expression (e.g.
hemoglobin protein) of the organism?
_____________________________________________________________

The Final Challenge

Direction: Perform the three processes of central dogma of molecular biology on the
given DNA strand.

DNA strand : ATG ACT CGC GAC TGG GAT CAT ACT

Step 1 new DNA

Step 2 mRNA

Step 3.1 tRNA :

3.2 Amino acid

Questions:

1. What is the product in step 1?

__________________________________________________________

2. What is the product in step 2?

__________________________________________________________
3. What is the product in step 3?
__________________________________________________________
4. Why is it important that there is accuracy in the process of central dogma?
__________________________________________________________

References
 Biochemistry textbooks; SwissPDB Viewer software (free download); Protein Data Bank
(www.pdb.org)

Reece, J.B., Urry, L.A., Cain, M.L., Wasserman, S.A., Minorsky, P.V., and Jackson, R.B.
2012. Campbell Biology, (9th ed). The Benjamin Cummings Publishing
Co., Inc.

http://.www.khanacademy.com

http://.www.ncbi.com

Answer key

Task 1

1. DEOXY 2. REBONCULEIC 3.ACID

Task 2

1. TAC CGC ACT CCA GAG TGA GCG GTA AGT GTC CCG GAG
2. CTA TAG TGA AAT AGA GCA GTA ATC CAC AAT GGA
3. TAC GGG CCC AAA TGC CAT CTA GAG GGC CCT GAT TTT

Questions

1. A pairs with T; T pairs with A

2. G pairs with C; C pairs with G
3. To break the hydrogen bonds therefore exposing the nitrogen bases in each strand
available for replication.

Task 3

1. UAC CUA GAG GGC GAU UUU GUU GGG

2. UAC AGA GCA GUA AUC CAC AAU GGA CUA UAC UAC
3. AUC GAG UGA GCG GUA CCG GAC CAU AUG

Questions

1. A pairs with U (uracil) instead of T

2. No because RNA polymerase is required for the elongation of the mRNA strand.
Absence or mutation of the enzyme implies no transcription process.
3. Because tRNA cannot DNA strand due to the presence of Thymine hence it should
be decoded first to mRNA which can be read by the tRNA.
4. DNA is double stranded which serves as the blueprint of each organism while mRNA
is single stranded that will be later on translated to protein.

Task 4

1. tRNA UAC GUC AUG UUG CGC UGU CGG GUU

AMINO ACID Met-GluN-Tyr-AspN-Glu-Thr-Ala-GluN

2. tRNA UAG GGU CAC CAA GCG CGA UGA

AMINO ACID Met-Pro-Val-Val-Arg-Ala-Thr

3. tRNA UAG UUU AAG CUA GUA ACG AGC

 AMINO ACID Met-Lys-Phe-Glu-His-Cys-Ser

Question

1. AUG
2. Translation stops
3. Translation is the last step in central dogma. Hence nonoccurrence of translation,
expression of a certain gene (e.g.hemoglobin) implies abnormality/mutation that will
be expressed by the organism. In the case of mutation of hemoglobin where oxygen
binds in the blood, it results to lack of oxygen supply in the blood.

Final challenge

New DNA strand TAC TGA GCG CTG ACT CTA GTA TGA

Mrna AUG ACU CGC GAC UGA GAU GAU ACU

tRNA AUC UGA GCG CUG AUA CUA GUA UGA

Amino acid Met- Thr- Arg- Asp- Tryp- Asp- His- Thr

Questions

1. DNA
2. mRNA
3. Amino acid
4. Precision and accuracy is important during central dogma of molecular biology to
avoid abnormalities/mutation of the organism. An error during the process implies a
permanent change of the organism.