DNA Bracelets
Dr Rosalind Franklin’s work helped to determine the structure of DNA. Your DNA contains the code that makes you, you, and this code is represented by four letters: A, T, C and G. Three of these letters together makes an amino acid, for example C A T codes for the amino acid Histidine. There are 20 amino acids, each is also represented by a letter of the alphabet, Histidine is represented by the letter “H”. Chains of these amino acids make proteins which are really important in your body, they help with digestion, movement, defence against viruses and many other things. Amino acid chains all end with stop codes, which act like a full stop at the end of a sentence.
By using stop codes to fill the gaps for the 6 letters that do not represent amino acids (B, J, O, U, X and Z) we can make a full alphabet. Now you can write words and sentences using this adapted DNA code.
Here you will find instructions for making word bracelets using the DNA code. Either use the example words in the downloadable file that already have the DNA code worked out for you, or work out the code of a word of your choice. Use the handy table below to match the letters to the DNA code.
Stuck for ideas, try spelling your name using the DNA code.
To create your bracelets, you will need:
- String, cut to 30cm
- 4 different coloured beads.
- Sort your beads into different coloured piles, one for each letter of the DNA code, A, T, C and G.
For example, A = yellow bead, T = blue bead, C = green bead and G = red bead - Choose what word you are going to spell and work out what code to use for each letter using the table below.
- Add your beads onto your string in the order needed to spell your word. For example, to spell the “DNA” you would start with your beads for G, A and C, then you would add A, A and T, and finally T, G and C to make D N and A.
Using our colour examples this would be: red, yellow, green, yellow, yellow, blue, blue, red and green. - When you are finished, tie the ends of your string together to make your final bracelet.
If your word does not have enough or too many letters, so your bracelet does not fit, try attaching it to a key chain.
To find out more about Dr Rosalind Franklin and her other work, take a look at our page on Dr Rosalind Franklin’s Life.