Explain how genes control our traits with a specific example. Your explanation should contain the following
words: transcription, translation, gene, mRNA, and protein. You should include the name of a specific gene and
a specific protein and try to explain how the role of that particular protein relates to the trait.
Genes create instructions for proteins and then the proteins carry out those instructions. A specific example of
this would be insulin, or the gene HNF1A. When going from a gene to a protein, the insulin gene will first go
through transcription. Transcription is what converts our genes into mRNA. The messenger RNA, or mRNA, is
the in-motion version of RNA. The mRNA moves to the cytoplasm where proteins are created, and then goes
through translation to become a protein. If the HNF1A trait is mutated and not enough insulin will be produced
in the body, then that is what creates type 1 Diabetes.
If you have not, have you considered doing so? What are some factors that may be preventing people from
getting their DNA tested with these kits? What are some concerns? Alternatively, what are some of the benefits
of DNA testing? (you don’t have to discuss both concerns and benefits, one or the other is fine).
There are many benefits to having your DNA tested. I would love to learn more about my ancestry and just
haven’t gotten around to it. A lot of people who protest getting their DNA tested are concerned about the
government storing their DNA or other conspiracy theories. Other than that and the high cost of the testing, I
can’t think of any other reason someone wouldn’t want to learn more about their ancestry