TranscriptionTranslation Activity

This table shows the nucleotide sequence in the “Beginning of Allele for Normal Hemoglobin”
vs. the “Beginning of Allele for Sickle Cell Hemoglobin”. What is the only difference?
Beginning of Allele for Normal Hemoglobin

CACGTAGACTGAGGACTC
Transcription produces: codon1 codon 2 codon 3 codon 4 codon 5 codon 6
GUG CAU CUG ACU CCU GAG
Beginning of Normal Hemoglobin mRNA
amino amino amino amino amino amino
Translation produces:
acid 1 acid 2 acid 3 acid 4 acid 5 acid 6
Val His Leu Thr Pro Glu
Beginning of Normal Hemoglobin Protein
Beginning of Allele for Sickle Cell Hemoglobin

CACGTAGACTGAGGACAC
Transcription produces: codon 1 codon 2 codon 3 codon 4 codon 5 codon 6
GUG CAU CUG ACU CCU GUG
Beginning of Sickle Cell Hemoglobin mRNA
amino amino amino amino amino amino
Translation produces:
acid 1 acid 2 acid 3 acid 4 acid 5 acid 6
Val His Leu Thr Pro Val
Beginning of Sickle Cell Hemoglobin Protein
1. Complete the above table. The table below provides the information you will need for
translation.
mRNA codon ACU CAU CCU CUG GAG GUG

Thr His Pro Leu Glu Val
Amino acid (Threonine) (Histidine) (Proline (Leucine (Glutamic acid) (Valine)
) )
2. Compare the amino acid sequence for the beginning of sickle cell hemoglobin vs. the
beginning of normal hemoglobin. What difference do you observe?
 The difference that I observe in the amino acid sequence for the beginning of sickle cell
hemoglobin vs. the beginning of normal hemoglobin is that in the beginning of sickle cell
hemoglobin the 6th amino acid is repeats the 1st amino acid which is Val and that isn’t
the case with the beginning of normal hemoglobin.
Sickle cell hemoglobin and normal hemoglobin differ in only a single amino acid out of more
than 100 amino acids in the complete hemoglobin protein. This difference in a single amino
acid results in the different properties of sickle cell hemoglobin compared to normal
hemoglobin.
Normal hemoglobin dissolves in the watery cytosol of red blood cells. Sickle cell hemoglobin
tends to clump in long rods instead of dissolving in the cytosol. One reason why is:
1
 Valine (Val) is much less water-soluble (hydrophobic) than glutamic acid (Glu)
(hydrophilic).
 Amino acid 6 is in a crucial location on the outer surface of the hemoglobin protein.
3. Explain how replacing glutamic acid (Glu) with valine (Val) as the sixth amino acid in
hemoglobin can result in pain and organ damage.
 It makes the hemoglobin to become less soluble under decreasing oxygen
concentrations and turn into crystals that distort the red blood cells into a sickle shape.
Each person has more than 20,000 genes that code for the amino acid sequence in different
proteins. Proteins have many functions in our bodies, including carrier proteins like
hemoglobin, messenger proteins like growth hormone, structural proteins like collagen, and
enzymes like RNA polymerase. Our genes act via these proteins to influence our risk of diseases,
such as sickle cell anemia, and a broad array of other characteristics, such as our height or the
color of our eyes.
4. Considering that we are all made up of the same 4 nucleotides in our DNA, the same 4
nucleotides in our RNA, and the same 20 amino acids in our proteins, why are we so different
from each other?
 The order that the nucleotides are arranged in form different codes to create traits. RNA
in humans is used for transporting and making the amino acid proteins. The order of
amino acid proteins also changes the polypeptide formed, and changes more traits, and
characteristics.
Challenge Questions
The COVID-19 pandemic has been caused by a new
type of coronavirus. A coronavirus includes several
types of proteins and an mRNA molecule.
A virus cannot reproduce on its own. Instead, the

coronavirus enters a person’s cells and uses the
cells’ organelles and molecules to produce new
viruses. For example, after the virus releases its
mRNA inside a cell, the viral mRNA directs the cell’s
organelles to make viral proteins that will be used
to make new viruses.
What process will the cell use to make viral

proteins?
 Transcription
Which of the cell’s organelles will make viral
proteins?
 RNA
2
Which cell molecules will be used to make viral
proteins?
 Cellular ribosomes
The viral proteins combine with other viral molecules produced by the cell to make multiple
new coronaviruses that are released from the cell. What do you think happens to these viruses?
 The virus continues to make more viral proteins to keep making new coronaviruses.

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How does replacing glutamic acid with valine as the sixth amino acid in hemoglobin result in pain and organ damage?

What allows humans to have different traits despite having the same DNA, RNA, and proteins?

This table shows the nucleotide sequence in the “Beginning of Allele for Normal Hemoglobin”

Beginning of Allele for Normal Hemoglobin

Beginning of Allele for Sickle Cell Hemoglobin

mRNA codon ACU CAU CCU CUG GAG GUG

A virus cannot reproduce on its own. Instead, the

What process will the cell use to make viral

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