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TASK 9 – USING BIOINFORMATICS TO EXPLORE THE GENETIC CODE
AUTHORS
Jacinta Duncan – The Gene Technology Access Centre
DESCRIPTION OF TASK
In this task students use Biology WorkBench to run sequence alignments for the N antigen from a variety of influenza A strains. They translate the gene sequences in their alignment to discover that the genetic code is degenerate, resulting in persistent mutations in the third nucleotide of triplets and codons. They run a second alignment to investigate point and frame shift mutations and use their alignment to construct a phylogenetic tree to explore relationships between the virus strains used.
Link to VCE study design
Unit 3: Outcome 2
• Detecting ‘self’ and ‘non-self’ molecules: antigens and membrane receptors; pathogens – non-cellular agents
Unit 4: Outcome 1
• Molecular genetics:
Genome, gene expression; genes as units of inheritance
Principle events in transcription and translation
• Variation: mutations
BACKGROUND
Teachers should use the Instructional Power Point presentation to introduce this activity. Links to Neuraminidase sequences and The Biology WorkBench used in this task can also be found in the Power Point. The PowerPoint presentation should be completed in one lesson and the student activity in a second lesson.
MATERIALS
PowerPoint presentation to lead you through this exercise.
Student Worksheet - Teachers copy this for students
Student Instructions - Teachers copy this for students
Biology WorkBench - available as a link from slide 19 of the PowerPoint presentation or from the URL address http://workbench.sdsc.edu/.
Neuraminidase gene sequences link from slide 29 of the PowerPoint presentation.
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