Expanded Genetic Code Research Paper

This a brief written report on the role of DNA, RNA and transmission on information within a cell to create amino acids.

- There are many mutations that happen naturally within DNA sequences over time. Most are minor, and have little effect upon an organism. However, some mutations actually provide species with useful adaptations that could help them evolve into more efficient species. Some mutations on a catalytic site completely alter the functioning state of a protein.

All codon codes are for an amino acid. when a codon is read, a corresponding amino acid is starting to be utilized . tRNA molecules holds two ends: one end has a binding site for particular amino acids and the other one has a specific sequence of nucleotides, the anticodon bases pair with codons.

d. In 3.a (above) you mutated one letter. What role do you think the redundancy of the genetic code plays in this type of change?

d. In 3.a (above) you mutated one letter. What role do you think the redundancy of the genetic code plays in this type of change?

The author explains the basics of DNA by describing the simple part of it, “proteins are the molecules that do all of the work in every organism, from carrying oxygen, to building tissue, to copying DNA for the next generation” (Carroll 73). He also explained the four bases that are building blocks that are held together by strong bonds and are represented by the letters A, C, G and T. Scientist also learned that A and T always pair with each other as well as G and C, this helps them because if they know one strand of DNA they already know the second because of how the bases match up. The author states that scientists have found about 500 genes that exist in all forms of life, the author explains that these genes are “immortal”. These genes have endured millions of years of evolution and have not been mutated because they are essential for every organism to have; these genes can have important jobs such as decoding of the DNA and RNA and making

It was also shown that the area where the genes moved into were not random but, in fact, had a particular method of where and when genes would transpose. To modern genetics, these ideas supported the idea that an organism’s genome could actually spur mutations if it could increase the survival of the organism. These ideas also change how we view genomics because now areas where there are noncoding regions could in fact have been areas where these transposons could have existed but have since lost function. Therefore, we can study these regions to find evidence that they may have previously been transposons. They may have lost their function due to the increase stability of our environment or some other reason. Interestingly, her work has some larger complications on evolution as a whole. In fact, her ideas suggest that evolution may not have needed generations upon generations to produce a result, but with transposons, could occur much faster than thought possible. This is because not just one codon is being mutated but entire sections are being moved around. However, it is important to note that the transposons are not imparting advantages with every occurrence but rather are increasing the variation

As well as this, certain blood proteins are found in a number of species. When genetic code (DNA and RNA) is used by a cell, it builds amino acids in a sequence, which forms protein. Chemical tests can determine whether one species has the similar blood proteins to another, thus showing evidence of evolutionary relationships. Organisms with a common ancestor have a close number of amino acid sequences in common. For example, chimpanzees and humans have no difference in their amino acid protein count in their haemoglobin – evidence for a common ancestor.

Anyways this RNA world theory claims that RNA is the origin of all living organisms on planet earth. Even though there is no experiment to back this hypothesis there is however research and claims in Carl Woese’s book by the name of “The Genetic Code”. RNA is a protein also known as ribonucleic acid, both RNA and DNA house tons of our (human beings) genetic codes. Seeing that the theory says that it might not be the exact origin of life on earth it stilled played a part in “evolution.” Also recent cells and those that came before it were said to have evolved and bonded with enzyme compound to make a unit. Enzymes bonded with RNA were stated that they made a “system” which stored and created life and evolved.

Does changing a babies genetic coding help or harm them? Since 1975 it has been possible to choose the gender of your baby before even becoming pregnant with a child. Now you can take genes from an unborn child and change their genetic coding to prevent genetic diseases. People should not be allowed to genetically engineer their baby, even though it has the potential to prevent disease, it is potentially harmful to the baby and not 100% effective.

A codon is the base triplets on the mRNA. Each is a copy of the base triplets on the DNA coding strand but in place of the base thymine there is the base uracil (1).

Changes in a genetic sequence are known as mutations. Mutations affect nucleic acids on many different levels. This is significant because nucleic acids are the building blocks of DNA. Some mutations affect only the individual that carries them, while others affect all of the carrier organism's offspring, and further descendants (Loewe 426). Although mutations go hand-in-hand with diversity for the greater good of organisms, they also can cause a wide range of consequences. Mutations can cause DNA to be altered through environmental, chemical, spontaneous, an flawed replication factors.

      In the past three decades, scientists have learned how to mix and match characteristics among unrelated creatures by moving genes from one creature to another. This is called “genetic engineering.” Genetic Engineering is prematurely applied to food production. There are estimates that food output must increase by 60 percent over the next 25 years to keep up with demand. Thus, the result of scientist genetically altering plants for more consumption. The two most common methods for gene transfer are biological and electromechanical. “Early experiments all involved changing DNA using bacterial vectors”(Randerson, 2001). Through other advances scientists proclaim how they can improve the human gene pool. All humans have

One of the fundamental discoveries of the 20th century was that DNA was the genetic code’s physical structure (Watson & Crick, 1953) and, since then, many studies have disclosed the complicated pattern of regulation and expression of genes, which involve RNA synthesis and its subsequent translation into proteins.

When DNA replicates or its transcribed into RNA can cause changes in the sequence of bases which makes up the genetic code. Know that a set of three bases in a gene in DNA codes for a particular amino acid.