Gene mutations and what they do to a protein
Grade 9 Science Worksheet
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
Original mRNA (model, not to scale), 5′ to 3′, cut into codons
AUG UCU GCU GGA UAA. Changed mRNA (model), 5′ to 3′, cut into codons: AUG UCA GCU GGA UAA. The marked letter is base 6 of the changed mRNA. Table excerpt of the standard genetic code: AUG, methionine; UCU, serine; GCU, alanine; GGA, glycine; UAA, stop; UCA, serine.
Bo translates both model mRNAs. How many amino acids differ between the chains, and what kind of change is it?
- Two amino acids are lost; the change is nonsense
- No amino acid differs, but the protein is harmed anyway
- One amino acid differs; the change is missense
- No amino acid differs; the change is silent
Original mRNA (model, not to scale), 5′ to 3′, cut into codons
AUG GAC UUG CAG AAA UAA. Changed mRNA (model), 5′ to 3′, cut into codons: AUG GAC UUG UAG AAA UAA. The marked letter is base 10 of the changed mRNA. Table excerpt of the standard genetic code: AUG, methionine; GAC, aspartic acid; UUG, leucine; CAG, glutamine; AAA, lysine; UAA, stop; UAG, stop.
Esme translates both model mRNAs. The original chain has five amino acids. How many are in the changed chain?
- 5 amino acids: the message keeps the same length
- 3 amino acids: the chain ends at UAG, before lysine
- 2 amino acids: the chain ends one codon early
- 4 amino acids: UAG adds one last amino acid, then the chain ends
Original mRNA (model, not to scale), 5′ to 3′, not yet cut
AUGGAUCUGAAACCUGGC. Copy (model), 5′ to 3′, not yet cut: AUGGAUCCUGAAACCUGGC. The marked letter is base 7 of the copy. Read six codons of each strand, starting at AUG. Table excerpt of the standard genetic code: AUG, methionine; GAU, aspartic acid; CUG, leucine; AAA, lysine; CCU, proline; GGC, glycine; GAA, glutamic acid; ACC, threonine; UGG, tryptophan.
Jun compares a model mRNA with a copy that has one extra base (marked). Both are read in threes from AUG. How many of the six amino acids differ?
- 1: just the amino acid at the insertion
- 4: the amino acids from the insertion onward
- 0: the extra base is not read as part of a codon
- 5: the amino acids after methionine
Original mRNA (model, not to scale), 5′ to 3′, not yet cut
AUGCCUGAUAAAUUUGGA. Copy (model), 5′ to 3′, not yet cut: AUGCCUAUAAAUUUGGA. The marked letter is base 7 of the original mRNA. Read five codons of each strand, starting at AUG. Table excerpt of the standard genetic code: AUG, methionine; CCU, proline; GAU, aspartic acid; AAA, lysine; UUU, phenylalanine; GGA, glycine; AUA, isoleucine; AAU, asparagine; UUG, leucine.
Kira’s copy of a model mRNA lacks the marked base. Five codons of the copy are read. How many of its five amino acids differ from the original’s first five?
- 2: the amino acids on each side of the deletion
- 1: just the amino acid at the deletion
- 5: the first five amino acids
- 3: the amino acids from the deletion onward
Original mRNA (model, not to scale), 5′ to 3′, cut into codons
AUG UGG CAG AAG UAA. Copy (model), 5′ to 3′, not yet cut: AUGUGGCAGACGAAGUAA. The marked letters are bases 9 to 11 of the copy. Table excerpt of the standard genetic code: AUG, methionine; UGG, tryptophan; CAG, glutamine; AAG, lysine; UAA, stop; ACG, threonine.
Milo compares a model mRNA with a copy that has three extra bases (marked). How do the two chains compare?
- 4 amino acids: just the single amino acid at the insertion site changes
- 7 amino acids: each extra base adds one amino acid
- 5 amino acids: threonine is new and the others keep their order
- 5 amino acids: the ones after the insertion are different
Original mRNA (model, not to scale), 5′ to 3′, cut into codons
AUG GAU CUG AAA GGC UAA. Copy (model), 5′ to 3′, not yet cut: AUGGAGAAAGGCUAA. The marked letters are bases 6 to 8 of the original mRNA. Table excerpt of the standard genetic code: AUG, methionine; GAU, aspartic acid; CUG, leucine; AAA, lysine; GGC, glycine; UAA, stop; GAG, glutamic acid.
Noah compares a model mRNA with a copy that lacks three bases (marked in the original). How do the two chains compare?
- 4 amino acids: the ones after the deletion are different
- 4 amino acids: two are replaced by one, and lysine and glycine stay
- 2 amino acids: three bases shorten the chain by three
- 5 amino acids: just the amino acid at the deletion changes
Change card (model data)
change what happened to the gene P 6 bases added Q 1 base added R 2 bases removed S 4 bases removed Pia reads a card of four model changes to one gene. Which change keeps the reading frame of the codons after it?
- No row: any added or removed bases shift the frame
- Q: one base is too few to move the frame
- S: 4 bases removed leaves whole codons behind
- P: 6 bases make two whole codons
Changed DNA template strand (model, not to scale), 3′ to 5′, cut into triplets
TAC CCT ATC GAA TTT ATT. Changed mRNA, made from the template (model), 5′ to 3′, cut into codons: AUG GGA UAG CUU AAA UAA. Original mRNA (model), 5′ to 3′, cut into codons: AUG GGA CAG CUU AAA UAA. The mRNA pairs with the template strand base by base. The marked letter is base 7 of the changed template. Model plant (not a real gene): the original mRNA builds a pigment enzyme of five amino acids. A plant with the enzyme makes purple pigment and has purple flowers. A plant without the enzyme has white flowers. Table excerpt of the standard genetic code: AUG, methionine; GGA, glycine; CAG, glutamine; CUU, leucine; AAA, lysine; UAA, stop; UAG, stop.
Ren reads a model gene card for flower color. A plant has the changed DNA. What color are its flowers, and why?
- Purple: the changed codon adds a new amino acid to the enzyme
- Purple: one changed letter is too small to stop the enzyme
- White: the enzyme is full length but has a different amino acid
- White: the enzyme ends after two amino acids, so no pigment is made
Changed DNA template strand (model, not to scale), 3′ to 5′, cut into triplets
TAC TTG CTA GAG GGA ATT. Changed mRNA, made from the template (model), 5′ to 3′, cut into codons: AUG AAC GAU CUC CCU UAA. Original mRNA (model), 5′ to 3′, cut into codons: AUG AAC GAU CUU CCU UAA. The mRNA pairs with the template strand base by base. The marked letter is base 12 of the changed template. Model plant (not a real gene): the original mRNA builds a pigment enzyme of five amino acids. A plant with the enzyme makes purple pigment and has purple flowers. A plant without the enzyme has white flowers. Table excerpt of the standard genetic code: AUG, methionine; AAC, asparagine; GAU, aspartic acid; CUU, leucine; CCU, proline; UAA, stop; CUC, leucine.
Tala reads a model gene card for flower color. A plant has the changed DNA. What color are its flowers, and why?
- Purple: the enzyme has the same amino acids, so pigment is still made
- Pale purple: the enzyme is made in smaller amounts
- White: a mutation in the pigment gene is harmful
- White: the changed letter makes a different enzyme
Model plants (model data)
plant change to the pigment gene enzyme flowers A none five amino acids purple B silent substitution same five amino acids purple C stop codon at codon 3 two amino acids white Zee reads cards for three model plants. Which statement do the cards support?
- Plant B has a mutation but the same enzyme; only plant C lost the pigment
- Plant B makes a different enzyme, since its gene has a changed letter
- Plants B and C both have harmed enzymes, because both have mutations
- Plant C makes a longer enzyme, since a stop codon adds amino acids