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Ch.11 Nucleic Acids Big Molecules with a Big Role
Frost - General, Organic and Biological Chemistry 4th Edition
Frost4th EditionGeneral, Organic and Biological ChemistryISBN: 9780134988696Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 7, Problem 85c

Alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) is a 13-amino-acid peptide hormone responsible for pigmentations in hair and skin. Its peptide sequence is shown.
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c. Suggest a complementary template DNA sequence based on the mRNA sequence suggested in part b.

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1
Identify the mRNA sequence provided in part b. Recall that mRNA is complementary to the template DNA strand and uses uracil (U) instead of thymine (T).
Understand the base pairing rules for nucleotides: adenine (A) pairs with thymine (T) in DNA, and cytosine (C) pairs with guanine (G). In RNA, adenine (A) pairs with uracil (U).
Convert the mRNA sequence into its complementary DNA sequence by replacing each RNA base with its corresponding DNA base: A ↔ T, U ↔ A, C ↔ G, and G ↔ C.
Write the complementary DNA sequence in the 5' to 3' direction, ensuring that it is antiparallel to the mRNA sequence (which is typically written in the 5' to 3' direction).
Double-check the sequence for accuracy, ensuring that all base pairings follow the rules and the sequence is correctly oriented.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

mRNA and DNA Complementarity

mRNA (messenger RNA) is synthesized from a DNA template during transcription and carries the genetic information needed for protein synthesis. The sequence of mRNA is complementary to the DNA template strand, meaning that adenine (A) pairs with uracil (U) in RNA, while cytosine (C) pairs with guanine (G). Understanding this complementarity is essential for deducing the correct DNA sequence from the given mRNA.
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Peptide Sequence and Codons

A peptide sequence, like the one provided for α-MSH, is composed of amino acids that are encoded by specific codons in mRNA. Each codon consists of three nucleotides, and knowing the peptide sequence allows us to determine the corresponding mRNA sequence, which can then be used to infer the DNA template. This relationship between amino acids, codons, and nucleotides is fundamental in molecular biology.
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Transcription Process

Transcription is the biological process where the DNA sequence of a gene is copied into mRNA. This process involves the enzyme RNA polymerase, which binds to the DNA and synthesizes the mRNA strand by following the base-pairing rules. Understanding transcription is crucial for answering the question, as it provides the context for how the mRNA sequence is derived from the DNA template.
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