DNA Starter Kit, 1 Group Set

Students will immediately become engaged with this interactive foam model of double-stranded DNA and single-stranded RNA. The DNA Starter Kit is schematic model that transforms from the familiar ladder shape to the double helix with twist. Students can explore the structure of colour-coded DNA bases showing purines and pyrimidines which connect to continuous sugar-phosphate backbone. Then they can delve into replication and transcription. Using individual nucleotide triphosphates, they can synthesize new strand of DNA one base at time showing the semi-conservative replication of DNA. Finally they can synthesize mRNA one base at time to show the process of transcription. Each kit includes: 51 bases (12 red adenine, 12 yellow thymine, 12 blue cytosine, 12 green guanine, 3 white uracil), 4 continuous grey backbones, 24 grey sugar-phosphates, 12 lavender sugar-phosphates and 48 orange phosphates.