In this lab we asked the question, How does the body produce proteins? Through this experiment we got a thorough understanding on the process of making proteins. First, a section of our DNA is copied by an enzyme which produces mRNA. Then, once the mRNA is produced it leaves the nucleus and travels to the cytoplasm. That process is called translation. The next process is transcription where the mRNA bonds with a ribosome. The ribosome then reads the sequence of the bases on the RNA 3 at a time, or in codons. Each codon corresponds with an amino acid, and to determine which amino acid goes with each codon, the codon is read by RNA polymerase. Once it is determined which amino acid goes with each codon, all the amino acids are bonded together making a protein.
However, during this process bases could be changed around which is called a mutation. There are many types of mutations such as insertion, deletion, and substitution. Insertion is when an extra base is added anywhere in the sequence. Deletion is when a base in the sequence is deleted. Finally, substitution is when a base in the sequence is substituted for something else. In the lab, we tested out the effect of these mutations in the gene, and what we have found is that insertion and deletion generally causes the most damage especially if the change happens in the beginning of the sequence. The reason it had more effect if the mutation is in the beginning of the sequence is because that one change can alter everything after it, but if the change was at the very end of the sequence there is not much to alter after it. Also substitution didn't have as big of an effect because it only changes the codon that it is part of.
In step 7 of the lab we got to choose our own mutation. The mutation I chose was the deletion of the very first base. This had a much more dramatic effect than any of the mutations I had experimented with before. This is because since the base changed was the first one, not only did it change all the codons after that, but it also caused the fourth codon to be one that coded for stop so the sequence was only 4 amino acids long. This clearly shows that where the mutation occurs has a big effect. Since my mutation was in the very beginning of the sequence, it cause a lot of damage.
This relates to my life, because there could be mutations in my body that could possibly give me a disease. Mutations can be beneficial, but they can also be detrimental. For an example, a disease caused by a mutation is Tay-Sachs. This disease occurs when there is a defective gene on chromosome 15, causing nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to die.
However, during this process bases could be changed around which is called a mutation. There are many types of mutations such as insertion, deletion, and substitution. Insertion is when an extra base is added anywhere in the sequence. Deletion is when a base in the sequence is deleted. Finally, substitution is when a base in the sequence is substituted for something else. In the lab, we tested out the effect of these mutations in the gene, and what we have found is that insertion and deletion generally causes the most damage especially if the change happens in the beginning of the sequence. The reason it had more effect if the mutation is in the beginning of the sequence is because that one change can alter everything after it, but if the change was at the very end of the sequence there is not much to alter after it. Also substitution didn't have as big of an effect because it only changes the codon that it is part of.
In step 7 of the lab we got to choose our own mutation. The mutation I chose was the deletion of the very first base. This had a much more dramatic effect than any of the mutations I had experimented with before. This is because since the base changed was the first one, not only did it change all the codons after that, but it also caused the fourth codon to be one that coded for stop so the sequence was only 4 amino acids long. This clearly shows that where the mutation occurs has a big effect. Since my mutation was in the very beginning of the sequence, it cause a lot of damage.
This relates to my life, because there could be mutations in my body that could possibly give me a disease. Mutations can be beneficial, but they can also be detrimental. For an example, a disease caused by a mutation is Tay-Sachs. This disease occurs when there is a defective gene on chromosome 15, causing nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to die.
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