In the Classroom
Biochemistry Wordsearches II Terry L. Helser Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, SUNY College, Oneonta, NY 13820-4015;
[email protected] Want to treat your students with some fun and help them learn biochemical vocabulary? A collection of wordsearches is available at JCE Online.1 Recent additions include puzzles on RNA, DNA, and protein synthesis. Each wordsearch contains names, terms, abbreviations, and acronyms that describe the process. After finding all the words in each search, use the remaining letters to solve an additional puzzle. For example, the clue in the RNA synthesis wordsearch leads to a sentence that describes transcription. The DNA synthesis wordsearch completes a sentence that describes replication. The protein synthesis puzzle culminates with a sentence that describes a key fact of the Central Dogma. Your success will be rewarded. Good hunting!
R E F S N A R T G N I D O C
456
E N H A N C E R S I G M A O
G A O R O T C A F Y O U N R
N N O I T A G N O L E O O E
E S Y N T H E S I S I E N S
S S G T P A O C P T A T T A
S O P E R O N R A R N A E R
E I N D U C T I O N R L M E
M E C L A C T P M A R P P M
R H Y B R I D T D R T M L Y
S T R A N D S I E U E E A L
N N R I B O S O M A L T T O
R H O D E P E N D E N T E P
Note 1. Go to http://www.jce.divched.org/Journal/Issues/2008/Apr/ absweb1.html to find a collection of wordsearches from past JCE issues.
Supporting JCE Online Material
http://www.jce.divched.org/Journal/Issues/2009/Apr/abs456.html Abstract and keywords Full text (PDF) Supplement RNA synthesis wordsearch puzzle and puzzle solution DNA synthesis wordsearch puzzle and puzzle solution Protein synthesis wordsearch puzzle and puzzle solution
Starting TRANSCRIPTION, like the I_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of the L_ _ O_ _ _ _ _ in E. coli, requires proteins binding or releasing regulatory DNA sequences. Examples in eukaryotes include E_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. If all signals are go, S_ _ _ _ F_ _ _ _ _ bound to RNA P_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ directs I_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. The holoenzyme binds the DNA promoter which separates the T_ _ _ _ _ _ _ and N_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, or C_ _ _ _ _, S_ _ _ _ _ _. Then, _ _ _ S_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ begins by making a small _ _ _–RNA H_ _ _ _ _. When sigma leaves, E_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ begins. The C_ _ _ enzyme links _ _ _, _ _ _, _ _ _, and _ _ _ nucleotides until a hairpin forms to signal for _ _ _-D_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ T_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. After further processing, the R_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (r_ _ _), T_ _ _ _ _ _ _ (t_ _ _), and M_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (m_ _ _) RNA products are functional. (How many other words of ≥3 letters can you find?).
Use the remaining letters to fill in the sentence below: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
Journal of Chemical Education • Vol. 86 No. 4 April 2009 • www.JCE.DivCHED.org • © Division of Chemical Education
