Science10 Q3

Module 4-wk4 DNA and Gene Mutation

Lesson 1 Protein Synthesis

What I Need To Know

COMPETENCY CODE
Explain how protein is made using information from S10LT-IIId-
DNA 37

In this particular lesson, you will gain knowledge on how the proteins are made
using the informations in the DNA.

What’s In

In Grade 9 Science, you learned how genetic information is organized in genes

on chromosomes and the different patterns of inheritance.
In this particular lesson, you will to gain information on how those genetic
information embedded in the DNA work to form proteins but first let’s have a quick
overview about the DNA and RNA with their chemical composition.

What’s New
True or False:
1. Conversion of messages carried by mRNA into amino acid sequences is called ___.
A. Translation B. DNA repair C. Transcription D. Replication
2. Which of the following is considered a start codon?
A. GUG B. UAG C. AGG D. AUG
3. Which of the following is NOT a stop codon?
A. UGA B. UAG C. GGA D. UAA
4. Which of the following bases pairs with guanine?
A. Guanine B. Cytosine C. Uracil D. Thymine
5. Genomic DNA is ________ resulting in the production of _________.
A. Translated, protein C. Transcribed, mRNA
B. Replicated, mRNA D. Transcribed, DNA

What Is It

DNA, which stands for deoxyribonucleic

acid, is found within the nucleus of every cell. Your
DNA is like your thumbprint. It is yours and yours
alone. DNA holds the genetic information needed to
make and control all cellular activities within a living
organism.

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 Examine the figure, it shows the composition of a DNA molecule.

DNA contains four bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine
(T). A and G are double-ring structures called purines; T and C are single-ring
structures called pyrimidines. The nucleotide is the building block of DNA. It is made
up of four bases, a five-carbon sugar deoxyribose, and a phosphate group.

Watson and Crick Model

In 1953, James Watson and Frances Crick worked out that DNA is like a “double
helix”. A helix is a screw-
shaped spiral. The DNA is
double helix because of the two
strands which wind around each
other. The double helix DNA is
like a winding staircase. The
two sugar-phosphate
backbones make up the sides
and the base pairs make up the
rungs or steps of the winding
staircase.
The model shows that
paired nucleotide, which always
occur as A-T or G-C, are linked by hydrogen bonds. This is called the complementary
base pairing. The figure above illustrates Watson and Crick model .

RNA stands for ribonucleic acid. Like DNA,

RNA is a long strand made up of building blocks
called nucleotides. But unlike DNA, RNA has a
single chain and does not entwine in a double helix.
Table 3 shows how DNA is compared to RNA. The
figure illustrates the structure of RNA.

RNA is a single stranded molecule with no

helix. The four bases are guanine, cytosine,
adenine, and uracil instead of thymine.
The RNA Structure

DNA versus RNA

DNA RNA
Sugar Deoxyribose Ribose
Bases A,T,G,C A,U,G,C
Strands Double strands Single strand
Helix Yes No

Translating the code of life: From DNA to RNA to protein.

Proteins control the activities of the cell, and so the life of the entire organism.
But, how does DNA make a unique protein that will perform special function?

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The following are the steps in
making proteins:

The DNA is inside the nucleus. It

contains the information for
making proteins. This information
has to be copied or transcribed
by the RNA called messenger
RNA (mRNA).
The copied information called
codon, which is made up of
three consecutive nitrogenous
bases, is sent to the
cytoplasm where it will enter
the ribosomal RNA.
Once inside the ribosome,
translation begins, meaning, Figure 17. Protein synthesis
the transfer of RNA (tRNA)
from the cytoplasm starts to
bring the anticodon, the three consecutive nitrogenous pairs, that fits the mRNA
codon. A codon is a base triplet of nucleotides in mRNA which calls for an amino
acid. Each anticodon represents one type of amino acid. Amino acids are the basic
units of protein molecules.
When all codons are converted into amino acids, translation stops and a protein
molecule is produced.

Hundreds of Amino Acids are linked together to make one Protein. There are 20
Types of Amino Acids and there are infinite combinations of amino acids. These long
chains are called polypeptide chains. Protein Synthesis is the process in which a cell
makes protein based on the message contained within its DNA. However, the DNA is
only found in the nucleus and proteins are only made outside the nucleus (cytoplasm).
The job of RNA (ribonucleic acid) is to carry messages from the DNA (in the
nucleus) to the ribosomes (in the cytoplasm).

Steps in Protein Synthesis:

1. Transcription – the genetic information from a strand of DNA is copied into a strand of
mRNA.
 DNA unzips: enzymes split apart base pairs and unwind the DNA double helix.
 Bases pair up: Free nucleotides in the cell find their complementary bases along
the new strands with the help of RNA polymerase.
 New backbone formed: the sugar-phosphate backbone is assembled to complete
the RNA strand, and separates from the DNA strand.
Example: What mRNA strand will be made from the following DNA sequence?

DNA strand: TACGCATGAACT

mRNA strand: A U G C G U A C U U G A

Because the pairings in converting DNA to RNA are:

Adenine – Uracil
Cytosine – Adenine

Note that Thymine in the DNA will be replaced with Uracil in the RNA.

2. Translation – the mRNA, with the help of the ribosome, forms a chain of amino acids
(eventually forming a protein) based on the information contained on mRNA.

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 Now that our mRNA molecule has been made, it’s time for its message to be made
into a protein sequence.

 First, divide the mRNA sequence into codons. Codons are three-base sections of
mRNA:
AUG|CGU|ACU|UGA
 Since each 3-letter combination “codes” for an amino acid, you need to figure out
what amino acid matches up with each codon:
AUG - ?
CGU - ?
ACU - ?
UGA - ?

Based on the table of genetic code the proteins present in the mRNA sequence
are:
AUG – Met
CGU – Arg
ACU – Thr
UGA – Stop

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 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Division of Bohol

SCIENCE 10: QUARTER 3-LIVING THINGS

MODULE 4: Protein Synthesis
STUDENT’S ANSWER SHEET

Name: ________________________________ Barangay: ______________

Grade & Section: _______________________ Purok: ________________ SCORE:

What’s New

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

What’s More
What mRNA strand will be made from the following DNA sequence? From the
mRNA strand that you’ll get, find the protein sequence that can be made.
DNA Sequence: C A T G T C G A T
RNA Sequence: _______________
Protein Sequence: ______________

What I Have Learned

True or False:
________1. Proteins control the activities of the cell.
________2. DNA can be found inside the nucleus.
________3. Codon is made up of 2 consecutive nitrogenous bases.
________4. The job of RNA (ribonucleic acid) is to carry messages from the DNA (in
the nucleus) to the ribosomes (in the cytoplasm).
________5. RNA is the building block of a protein.