Analysis of a bacterial gene indicates that 24% of the nucleotides in the coding strand contain the base A, 18% contain the base T, 26% contain the base G, and 32% contain the base C. What percent of the nucleotides in the mRNA transcribed from this gene will contain the base U? (Enter your answer as a number only without the percent sign, e.g. enter 5 not5%.)

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
· What type of thinking is required?
· What key words does the question contain and what do they mean?

Gather Content
· What do you already know about DNA and RNA?

Consider Possibilities
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?

Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?

Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?

Answer 1

18

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o This question addresses DNA and RNA.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o This question is asking you to analyze the information given, using logic, to dissect the problem and determine the answer.
· What key words does the question contain and what do they mean?
        o The coding strand is the strand of a gene that matches the resulting mRNA which is transcribed directly off of the template strand.

Gather Content
· What do you already know about DNA and RNA?
        o DNA uses the bases A, T, C, and G. RNA uses A, U, C, and G.
        o mRNA is transcribed directly off of the template strand. This results in an mRNA that matches the sequence of the coding strand – except that T is replaced with U.

Consider Possibilities
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
        o Since the mRNA matches the coding strand, we can expect the same percentages in the mRNA.

Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        o In the coding strand, there is 18% T. The mRNA will be similar, but use U instead of T.
        o Therefore the mRNA will have 18% U.

Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
        o This question asked you to determine the % of U in an mRNA based on the coding strand of the gene.
        o The question required you to analyze the information given, using logic, to dissect the problem and determine the answer.
        o Did you recognize that the mRNA will match the coding strand’s sequence?
        o Did you remember that U replaces T in RNA?