Gene Expression Simulation

1. Click the following web address: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/gene-

expression-essentials
2. Click on the play icon on the simulation
3. When the Gene Expression Essential Home Screen is up, click on Expression.
4. Answer the following questions:
a. Examine the piece of DNA that runs across the screen. What are the parts of a
“gene”? Grab a positive transcription factor from the box. Where does it stick to
the DNA? Grab a negative transcription factor, where does it stick to DNA?
b. Find a way to create an mRNA. What does it take to make an mRNA?
c. The mRNA is a strand of RNA nucleotides that match up with one of the DNA
strands called the “template”. What part of the gene is the template?
d. Grab a ribosome and get it close to the free-floating mRNA. What happens? Can
you use the mRNA more than once?
e. Describe in numbered steps, or full sentences paragraph style, what it takes to
make a protein using the information in DNA?
f. Please describe for each term below and what it does in the creation of a
specific protein?
1) DNA __________________________________________________________________
2) Gene _________________________________________________________________
3) Positive transcription factor _______________________________________
4) Negative transcription factor ______________________________________
5) Regulatory region __________________________________________________
6) Transcribed region _________________________________________________
7) Transcription _______________________________________________________
8) Translation ________________________________________________________
9) Ribosome ___________________________________________________________
10)RNA polymerase __________________________________________________
11)mRNA _______________________________________________________________
12)Protein _____________________________________________________________
13)mRNA destroyer ___________________________________________________
5. Click over the second gene. How is it different from the first?
6. How is the third gene different from the first two?