Molecules of Life Polymerization of InsulinHASPI Medical Chemistry Activity: Teacher Instructions

• This activity is accompanied by the handout: Molecules of Life• Print 1 copy of this PowerPoint for each class with 1 slide per page• Copy a class set of just the one page with the dotted lines and whole lines. Each student

just needs half of the page. These are the “Practice” Condensation reactions• Cut the rest of the amino acids out individually • Assign 4 students to the leadership roles

– A student tRNA for each chain will have the sequence of amino acids and their job is to find the student with the next a.a. and bring them to the

– A student “ribosome” on each team will have the tape and will help facilitate the linking of the chain with the new amino acid.

• Give out the remaining amino acids to the rest of your class, doubling up as neededNote – The amino acids are labeled by which chain they will go on to help facilitate the student’s ability to put them in the correct order!Practice Condensation Reaction InstructionsHave the students use the following sample set of amino acids to build a small peptide chain

– Have the students fold at the dotted line, and line up the fold with the solid lines to eliminate water• If desired, have the students write in water once eliminated.

N CH C

CH3

OH

O

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

SH

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH CH3

CH3

H

H

H

H

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

OH

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH2

CH2

CH2

NH2

H

H

N CH C

CH3

OH

O

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

SH

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH CH3

CH3

H

H

H

H

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

OH

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH2

CH2

CH2

NH2

H

H

Tyr LeuLysCysAla

Tyr LeuLysCysAla

2 Chains of Insulin

Amino acid sequence for A-Chain tRNA

Amino acid sequence for B-Chain tRNA

Gly GlnGluValIle

Cys IleSerThrCys

A Chain A Chain A Chain A Chain A Chain

A Chain A Chain A Chain A Chain A Chain

N CH C

H

OH

O

H

H

N CH C

CH

OH

O

CH3

CH2

CH3

H

H

N CH C

CH

OH

O

CH3

CH2

CH3

H

H

N CH C

CH

OH

O

CH3

CH3

H

H

N CH C

CH

OH

O

OH

CH3

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH2

C

OH

O

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH2

C

NH2

O

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

SH

H

H N CH C

CH2

OH

O

SH

H

H N CH C

CH2

OH

O

OH

H

H

Cys GlnTyrLeuSer

Leu CysTyrAsnGlu

A Chain A Chain A Chain A Chain A Chain

A Chain A Chain A Chain A Chain A Chain

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH2

C

OH

O

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

SH

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

SH

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

OH

H

H N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH CH3

CH3

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH CH3

CH3

H

H N CH C

CH2

OH

O

OH

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

OH

H

H N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH2

C

NH2

O

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

C

NH2

O

H

H

Gly GlnAsnValPhe

His SerGlyCysLeu

A Chain B Chain B Chain B Chain B Chain

B Chain B Chain B Chain B Chain B Chain

N CH C

CH

OH

O

CH3

CH3

H

H N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH2

C

NH2

O

H

H

N CH C

H

OH

O

H

H

N CH C

H

OH

O

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

SH

H

H N CH C

CH2

OH

O

OH

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

OH

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH CH3

CH3

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

C

NH2

O

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

N

NH

H

H

His AlaGluValLeu

Leu CysValLeuTyr

B Chain B Chain B Chain B Chain B Chain

B Chain B Chain B Chain B Chain B Chain

N CH C

CH3

OH

OH

HN CH C

CH

OH

O

CH3

CH3

H

H

N CH C

CH

OH

O

CH3

CH3

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH2

C

OH

O

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

SH

H

HN CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH CH3

CH3

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH CH3

CH3

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH CH3

CH3

H

HN CH C

CH2

OH

O

OH

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

N

NH

H

H

Gly PheGlyArgGlu

Phe LysProThrTyr

B Chain B Chain B Chain B Chain B Chain

B Chain B Chain B Chain B Chain B Chain

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH2

C

OH

O

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH2

CH2

NH

C

NH2

NH

H

HN CH C

H

OH

O

H

H

N CH C

H

OH

O

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH2

CH2

CH2

NH2

H

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

OH

H

N CH C

CH2

OH

OH

H N CH C

CH2

OH

O

OH

H

H N CH C

CH

OH

O

OH

CH3

H

H N C OH

O

H

Thr ArgArg

Ribosome tRNAtRNARibosome

B Chain B Chain B Chain

A Chain B Chain A Chain B Chain

You are the tRNA! Your Job is to go out and find the next amino acid.

Get the aa sequence from the

teacher

You are the tRNA! Your Job is to go out and find the next amino acid.

Get the aa sequence from the

teacher

You link the amino acids

together. You are in charge of

the tape!

You link the amino acids

together. You are in charge of

the tape!

N CH C

CH

OH

O

OH

CH3

H

H N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH2

CH2

NH

C

NH2

NH

H

H N CH C

CH2

OH

O

CH2

CH2

NH

C

NH2

NH

H

H