Polypeptide Simulation Mystery Cache

This final for this cache is not at the posted location, but the posted location is near to the site the local technical college used to call home many years ago.  The final for this cache will be found near another important facility in the community.  Both of these organizations play important roles in educating future healthcare workers.  In fact, thanks to a grant from a local foundation, and through a strong partnership, these two organizations developed a simulation center during 2020-21 that is used for healthcare and health and wellness-focused training and education for both the regional workforce and the local community. 

The puzzle below relies on a simulation of constructing a peptide chain, or the first level of what it takes to build a protein.  Basic science concepts like this are important to the healthcare workforce.

Amino acids are organic, or carbon-based, compounds that contain both amine and carboxyl functional groups, along with a side chain that is unique to each amino acid.  Side chains are composed primarily of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, as well as a few other elements like sulfur.  There are around 500 naturally occurring amino acids, but only 20 are encoded in the human genetic code.  The genetic code is the sequence of nucleotide bases in DNA and RNA that provide instructions for the production of amino acid chains which come together in a specific order to form peptide chains, and ultimately in a 3D structure to create proteins, through the processes of transcription and translation.  Proteins are large, complex molecules that control much of the functioning of the body. Each unique protein has a specific function in the body such as acting as enzymes, transport molecules, or hormones. 

Nucleotide bases in RNA are composed of ribose sugars, a phosphate molecule and one of four nitrogenous bases designated C (cytosine), G (guanine), A (adenine), and U (uracil).  Three contiguous nucleotide bases, or triplets, in RNA form the codon, or instruction, for each specific amino acid that comes next in the order of the peptide chain.  Any of the four bases may occupy one of the three possible codon positions.  Therefore, there are 64 possible codon combinations (eg: UAA, TGA, ACU, etc.), and the genetic code is considered degenerate because a single amino acid may be coded for by more than one codon.  Usually, the second position doesn’t make much difference, but sometimes, it’s everything.  The START codon is always AUG, which is also the same as the codon for the amino acid methionine.  Three STOP codons exist: UAG, UAA, and UGA.

Molecular weights in Daltons for the 20 encoded amino acids are:

Molecular weights in Daltons

The coordinates you are looking for are encoded below, and the RNA Codon Table is helpful in decoding them.  

AUG-CAG-AAA-UGU-UGC-GCG-GUA-CGU-UGA-AUG-UAU-GCC-GAA-GCU-UUU-AUC-GCA-UAA

RNA Codon Table

This cache was placed in June 2020 with the permission of Dr. Bobbi Damrow, Vice President of Workforce Development and Community Engagement at the college.