Genes As Information

Alleles What alleles you have will determine what traits you have. Each person has two alleles, or versions, of each gene For example, if you have dimples you might have the allele combination Dd DdDd

Why do you have two? You have two pairs for each chromosome

Dd Why are there two? The gene is on both pairs, but the version of the gene might be different. Each version is an allele One allele is on one of the pairs.

Gene is a section of DNA Chromosomes are made of tightly wound DNA. A section of the DNA is the gene. Chromosome Allele

DNA DNA contains information in the form of A T C G. The letter stands for the chemical that is present on the rung of the double helix

There are lots of types of information!

This is information for proteins The combination ATCG is the instructions for the protein that will be made. ATGAGCCAGACACAACGCAAAACGCTGA CGCTATTTGTGCTGGTACTGATCGGCATTA ATATGCGCCCGCTACTGACCTCGATAGGT CCA TTACTGCCGCAACTGCGGCA CGCAA CTGGCATGAGCTTTACCTGGTTTCACTACT GACCGCCCTTCCGGTCATCGCGATGGGG GTGCTGGCGCTTGCCGGAGGCTGGGTTA ACCGCCACGTTAGTGAAA ACCGCAGTATC GCGCTAAGTCTGCTGGCGATTAGCATTGG CGCGATGCTGCGTGAGCTGGCGCCGCA AAGCGGTCTGCTGCTTAGCAGCGCGCTG CTCGGCGGGATTGGCATCGGCGTGA TTC AAGCGAT…

Similar to a recipe for cookies The recipe for a cookie gives you instructions for how to make a cookie. Combine: 2 1/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs 2 cups Semi-sweet chocolate chips Bake at 350 for 15 min

Changes in the DNA If there is a change in the DNA then the instructions for making the protein will be different. If the instruction for making a protein is different than the protein made with those instruction will be different. ATGAGCCAGACACAACGCAAAACGCTGA CGCTATTTGTGCTGGTACTGATCGGCATTA ATATGCGCCCGCTACTGACCTCGATAGGT CCA TTACTGCCGCAACTGCGGCA CGCAA CTGGCATGAGCTTTACCTGGTTTCACTACT GACCGCCCTTCCGGTCATCGCGATGGGG GTGCTGGCGCTTGCCGGAGGCTGGGTTA ACCGCCACGTTAGTGAAA ACCGCAGTATC GCGCTAAGTCTGCTGGCGATTAGCATTGG CGCGATGCTGCGTGAGCTGGCGCCGCA AAGCGGTCTGCTGCTTAGCAGCGCGCTG CTCGGCGGGATTGGCATCGGCGTGA TTC AAGCGAT…

Changes in the recipe If there is a change in the cookie recipe than the instruction for making the cookie will be different. If the instruction for making a cookie is different than the cookie made with those instruction will be different. Combine: 2 1/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs 2 cups Semi-sweet chocolate chips Bake at 350 for 15 min

Changes can effect the outcome If peanut butter is added to the recipe than you make peanut butter cookies. They are still cookies but they are different than the original chocolate chip. Combine: 2 1/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup of peanut butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs Bake at 350 for 15 min

Changing the brand of chocolate chips will not change that is it a chocolate chip cookie. So some changes have little or no effect on the end product. Combine: 2 1/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs 2 cups ChocoLOTS brand) Semi- sweet chocolate chips Bake at 350 for 15 min Changes can effect the outcome

Changing the word “sugar” to “salt” will make a big change in the cookies. They won’t even be cookies! Combine: 2 1/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 3/4 cup Salt 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs 2 cups Semi-sweet chocolate chips Bake at 350 for 15 min Changes can affect the outcome

Mutations are changes in DNA DNA is the recipe for proteins If the DNA is changed the protein will also change The change could: Have no effect on the protein Change the protein Make it not work anymore

Gene is the information for a protein The recipe is holding information for making cookies. The same way if the dna sequence of a gene is the information for making proteins.