Protein Synthesis
For this project, we created a poster to show how a gene becomes a protein through central dogma/protein synthesis. Our protein was myosins. We tracked how myosin went from a gene in DNA to a protein. This is the process: myosins attatches to an RNA polymerase in the nucleus. The polymerase unzips the DNA and connects to one side of the unzipped DNA using base pairings. This creates mRNA (messenger RNA). After the mRNA is made, it is sent to the cytoplasm where it connects to a ribosome. The mRNA calls for specific codons to match the anticodons. That is when tRNA (transfer RNA) is made. The tRNA is carried through the ribosome where the connection of codons and anticodons creates a polypeptide chain of amino acids. The chain is sent to the endoplasmic reticulum where it begins to fold and turns into the protein of myosins.
Concepts
Central Dogma- how a gene goes through synthesis to become a protein
DNA- the carrier of genetic information
mRNA- carries a portion of the DNA code to other parts of the cell for processing. Combined with the tRNA to make the amino acids
tRNA- carries amino acids to the ribosome for polymerization into a polypeptide chain. Combined with the mRNA to make the amino acids
Protein- a chain made up of amino acids
DNA- the carrier of genetic information
mRNA- carries a portion of the DNA code to other parts of the cell for processing. Combined with the tRNA to make the amino acids
tRNA- carries amino acids to the ribosome for polymerization into a polypeptide chain. Combined with the mRNA to make the amino acids
Protein- a chain made up of amino acids
Homeostasis
For this project, my group and I learned about homeostasis and how the human body works to keep internal stability. Our project used the concept of homeostasis to look at several body processes and determine how homeostasis affected each process. My group decided to look at blood sugar. We were to come up with an experiment and test it and put our results on a poster like the one below. However, since we were using blood and had to prick our fingers to get it, we couldn't actually test our experiment. So we just came up with a random experiment and and results that seemed reasonable. Our experiment was to have a person our age eat a meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and see how it affected their blood sugar.
Concepts
Homeostasis- The process of keeping stable internal conditions in the body
Allostasis- the process by which the body responds to stressors in order to regain homeostasis.
Blood Sugar- The amount of sugar in the blood stream
Insulin- Insulin is a hormone involved in blood sugar homeostasis. When the body detects that there is too much glucose (the sugar in blood sugar) in the bloodstream, insulin is released into the bloodstream. It then travels to the liver, where it slows the conversion of glycogen (the storage form of glucose) into glucose. This has the effect of lowering the blood sugar levels of the body
Glucagon- Glucagon is a hormone that performs the reverse function of insulin. When the body detects too little glucose in the bloodstream, glucagon is released. Once in the bloodstream, glucagon travels to the liver, where it accelerates the conversion of glycogen to glucose. This has the effect of heightening the amount of glucose in the bloodstream.
Allostasis- the process by which the body responds to stressors in order to regain homeostasis.
Blood Sugar- The amount of sugar in the blood stream
Insulin- Insulin is a hormone involved in blood sugar homeostasis. When the body detects that there is too much glucose (the sugar in blood sugar) in the bloodstream, insulin is released into the bloodstream. It then travels to the liver, where it slows the conversion of glycogen (the storage form of glucose) into glucose. This has the effect of lowering the blood sugar levels of the body
Glucagon- Glucagon is a hormone that performs the reverse function of insulin. When the body detects too little glucose in the bloodstream, glucagon is released. Once in the bloodstream, glucagon travels to the liver, where it accelerates the conversion of glycogen to glucose. This has the effect of heightening the amount of glucose in the bloodstream.
Reflection
Overall, these projects were not the greatest projects, but they were still very interesting. I was very confused at first with both projects, especially the homeostasis project. I was sick on the first day of the project, so I was not there to be introduced to it, so I wasn't sure what was going on. I would often ask my group what we were doing, but they wouldn't really tell me exactly and so for most of the project, I had no idea what was going on. In addition, I was going through a lot during this project outside of school, so I did not really want to work on the project. But since we were able to pick our groups, my group consisted of my friends who got off task very often, so we had a pretty bad work ethic as a group. However, considering that we weren't able to conduct an experiment, our test results and experiment were pretty good and accurate. I was not proud of myself or my group during the homeostasis project. We did not work well together at all and I did not contribute to the project very much which I am ashamed of. The protein synthesis project, however, went very well. My group worked very well together and I was able to understand it very well.