DNA Sequence question (1 Viewer)

wilsondw

Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2011
Messages
241
Location
1.6180339887498948482045868343656
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
"Construct a simple flow chart to show how changes in DNA sequences can results in changes in cell function"

This is a question from a past trial paper and I am not so sure how to approach it

Can someone please give me an example of how they would do this question

I would appreciate any help

Thanks
 

jamesischool

Forum Lurker
Joined
Sep 20, 2011
Messages
296
Location
The Shire
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
Uni Grad
2017
okey dokey this is really simple once you get your head around it :)
consider the normal coding of DNA. DNA gets unwound, transcribed into mRNA, travels to the cytoplasm where tRNA turns it into amino acids which get combined to make polypeptides. Now if the DNA experiences a mutation to the sequence such as a frame shift (assume you know what that is) then there is a possibility for the amino acids produced to form a malfunctioning polypeptide. to put this in flow chart form:
flow chart.png

if you're still confused just say so and i'll try to explain it better :) just think that when the DNA sequence changes, mRNA changes, amino acids which form are in a different order, the polypeptide is different and this can lead to abnormal cell functioning
 

sinophile

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2008
Messages
1,341
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
DNA codes for proteins by this mechanism:

DNA gets transcribed onto mRNA. mRNA goes to a ribosome and is used as a template for amino acids to attach to and form a polypeptide. The polypeptide folds into a protein. That protein could be an enzyme or the material the builds the cell or whatever.

A changed DNA sequence would ultimately create a different protein which would have different properties.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top