Skip to main content
Biology LibreTexts

DNA Mutation Activity

  • Page ID
    21218
  • \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

    DNA Mutation Simulation

    Access the simulation here.

    1. Transcribe and Translate your original DNA. Review those terms and write a short definition.

    Transcription:

    Translation:

    2. Identify the major players shown in the simulation: mRNA, Codon, Amino Acid, tRNA, anticodon, ribosome. Use the figure below to label these parts.

    ribosome.png

    3. When the protein is completed, write the sequence of amino acids shown, there are 11. (Hint: click the "stop" button to make the model stop jiggling.)

    4. Click on the edit DNA, you will now see the original sequence used to make the protein: ATGCCGGGCGGCGAGAGCTTGCTAATTGGCTTATAA

    Edit the DNA by changing all of the first codon to AAA. Check the new protein created by your new DNA. Describe how this changed the protein.

    5. Return the codon to its original state (ATG). Now place an additional A after the G, your strand will read ATGA. Check the new protein created by your new DNA. Describe how this changed the protein.

    6. Return the mRNA to its original state (ATG). Now change the second codon from CCA to CCC. Check the new protein created by your new DNA. Describe how this changed the protein.

    Final Analysis

    There are three mutations you explored in this activity. You can use what you observed in the activity to help you answer the questions or search other sources if you are still confused.

    7. First, you created a POINT mutation in your DNA. Describe what a point mutation is an how this can affect the protein created by the gene.

    8. The second mutation you explored is called a FRAMESHIFT mutation. Explain what this means and how it affects the protein.

    9. The third mutation you explored is a special kind of point mutation called a SILENT mutation. Explain what this means.


    This page titled DNA Mutation Activity is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Shannan Muskopf (Biology Corner) .

    • Was this article helpful?