Name________________________________________

Date_______

Genomes, Chromosomes, and DNA Web Quest

Topic: Genomes and Chromosomes
Go to: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/handbook/hgp/genome
1. What is a genome?
A genome is an organisms complete set of DNA, including all of its genes

2. On the left hand side, click on cells and DNA. Explore this site to answer the
following questions:
a. What is a chromosome?
the part of a cell that contains the genes which control how an animal or
plant grows and what it becomes

b. When are chromosomes visible?

Under a microscope

c. What is a centromere?
the point or region on a chromosome to which the spindle attaches during
mitosis and meiosis

d. How many chromosomes do people have?

46 chromosomes

Go to: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/traits/karyotype/
3. What is a karyotype?
an organized profile of a person's chromosomes

4. Match the chromosomes to complete the karyotype (turn on hints for help). Is the
karyotype from a male or female? How do you know?
Male because the X and Y chromosomes are present.
Modeling Instruction AMTA 2012

Unit 6 Growth and Reproduction

Name________________________________________

Date_______

5. Predict what would happen if a person has the incorrect number of

chromosomes. Write your prediction here.
If you had less I think you would have down syndrome. If you had less you could
die.
6. Do a quick google search to find the answer to question 5.
One more called Down Syndrome
One less called Turner Syndrome

As a class you determined that chromosomes must be duplicated before the cell can
divide. This process is called DNA Replication.
Topic: DNA Replication
Go to: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/dna/shockwave.html
Click: DNA replication (upper left) and then click unzip Read the script, answer the
questions below, and then, click OK.
1.

In a real cell, what does the DNA molecule do before it unzips?

Other Enzymes do work and the molecule unwinds

2.

What molecules break the rungs (bases) apart?

DNA molecule

Drag the correct bases over to synthesize the new DNA halves.
Read script, answer questions, and then click OK.
3.

How many base pairs are in the real human genome?

3 Billion

Modeling Instruction AMTA 2012

Unit 6 Growth and Reproduction

Name________________________________________

Date_______

Go to: http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/dna_double_helix/
Click on Play DNA Game; Click next and reading each page, continue to click next
until you come to the game.; Click on organism #1 and match the base pairs as fast as
you can! It is hard.
Click Next and then click on each organism until you identify the one that belongs to
chromosome #1; continue playing the game with the other two chromosomes, filling in
the chart below.
Be careful, other teams may get different results.
Chromosome #
1

How many
chromosomes?
46

How many
base pairs?
3,000
(in million)

How many
genes?
34,000

What is the
organism?
Human

4.4
(in million)

39,000

Mycobacterium
tuberculosis

16

11.7
(in million)

63,000

Bakers yeast

Topic: Mutations
Go to: http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/mutations_03
Read the information and fill out the table below:
Type of mutation
Substitution

Description
a mutation that exchanges one base
for another

Insertion

mutations in which extra base pairs

are inserted into a new place in the
DNA.
mutations in which a section of DNA
is lost, or deleted.

Deletion
Frameshift

Effect on resulting protein

DNA is divided into codons three

bases long, insertions and deletions
can alter a gene so that its message
is no longer correctly parsed

Modeling Instruction AMTA 2012

Unit 6 Growth and Reproduction

Name________________________________________

Modeling Instruction AMTA 2012

Date_______

Unit 6 Growth and Reproduction