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Exercise
1
Exercise 1 overveiw. Your project will be to take a gene from Paramecium and try to establish what its cellular functions are. This gene codes for the catalytic subunit of the protein phosphatase type 2B enzymes. The gene is available as a download from Genbank. Your job is to go to Genbank, find the files you need, and download the sequences as FASTA files. Once you have downloaded the files, you will need to present the data as a nucleotide sequence with the amino acid translation above or below the appropriate codon. This will require that you review the basics of gene structure. For example, once you have identified the start codon, is the translation product simply a matter of translating every triplet of nucleotides that follows? In addition, you should be aware that Paramecium, like all ciliates, have an altered genetic code. In Paramecium, TAA and TAG code for glutamine. That means that the only stop codon is TGA. To help you with the actual translation you might find it useful to use some software such as that which is available on all of our computers in room 305 (MacVector). |
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Help! How do I use MacVector?: MacVector is available for your use in Mateer305. It is a powerful suite of programs that will allow you to manipulate DNA and protein sequences. I have prepared a few simple guides that instruct you in how to use MacVector. These can be found on the Cell Physiology links page. Your assignment: Download the complete gene sequence for one of the Paramecium PP2B protein phosphatases available at Genbank. Print it out as an annotated sequence with the complete translation product noted. I will evaulate the annotation on its ability to accurately show the proper translated protein sequence beneath the DNA sequence. To see an example of an annotated sequence click here.
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