Students often wonder if all the DNA in a gene is a code for a protein. Working in teams or small groups, they answer their own question while getting a glimpse of bioinformatics, which is the study of information DNA encodes.
Initiate their investigation by examining the amino acid sequence of the ß-globin gene
Locate reading frames
Utilize triplet codons
Discover introns and exons
Once students have grasped these eukaryotic gene features, you can examine landmark amino acids, including Glu6 site of a sickle cell mutation, His63 the distal histidine, and His92 is the proximal histidine that binds the heme group. All maps, including the teacher key, are laminated to allow for years of use.
