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Messenger RNA Mystery Cache

Hidden : 9/17/2008
Difficulty:
3.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

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Geocache Description:

DNA carries the genetic information of a cell and consists of thousands of genes. Each gene serves as a recipe on how to build a protein molecule. Proteins perform important tasks for the cell functions or serve as building blocks.

When proteins are needed, the corresponding genes are transcribed into RNA. This process known (transcription) produces a molecule known as messenger RNA (mRNA).


463px-GeneticCode21-version-2.svg

Since the DNA is transcribed into mRNA in the nucleus, and protein synthesis takes place in the cytoplasm, the main body of the cell, the mRNA has to exit the nucleus to the cytoplasm.The mRNA is believed to be "tagged" by proteins which serve as export signals and movedthrough a nuclear pore into the cytoplasm.

The information contained in the nucleotide sequence of the mRNA is read as three letter words(triplets), called codons. Each word stands for one amino acid, as well as a couple of nonsense codons. The synthesis of proteins directed by a mRNA template is called translation and occurs in a cellular organelle called a Ribosome. During translation amino acids arelinked together to form a polypeptide chain which will later be folded into a protein.

During transcription or translation damage to the sequence can occur, this is known as a mutation and can occur in several ways. A point mutation, or single base substitution, is a type of mutation that causes the replacement of a single base nucleotide with another nucleotide of the genetic material, DNA or RNA. Deletion mutation is the loss of genetic material. Any number of nucleotides can be deleted, from a single base to an entire piece of chromosome. Small deletions are less likely to be fatal; large deletions are usually fatal -there are always variations based on which genes are lost.Deletion of a number of base pairs that is not evenly divisible by three will lead to a frameshift mutation, causing all of the codons occurring after the deletion to be read incorrectly during translation, producing a severely altered and potentially nonfunctional protein.

To find this cache, you need to decrypt the code of life itself. In order to get all the required letters, I've assigned the stop/nonsense codons letters(apologies to any genetecists and protein scientists). As with all translation there is the possibility of a mutation.These links may help:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_code

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Start_codon

http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/dna/index.html

http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/gene-code/

Sequence GC1GC0V

augaugauga ugaugaugug ccugccacga gaucucugcc accaauugac

gcacccacuu cauauuuacc uacugaaacg aagaugaagg gcgggaagag

uccacauggu gauuuugaua acguuccgag guagaaaauu ccgaaugcug

aaacgacucc ugggaaagca ccacuuggug agacgaaggc cgagaagaau

cgaacugaau gauaaacuaa acggaguccu uuugacgaac cuacaacauu

aacgaaagcg aauguugaaa ugacucccac gcuccccccu accauuaaaa

uaccaucaac ggga

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Chmmyr: cbvag zhgngvbaf pnpur: va ohfu

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)