Proteins are essential for all functions necessary for life in organisms. Proteins are created by reading the sequence of nucleotides in genetic material (DNA). During cellular processes known as transcription and translation, the DNA code is read, transferred into a copy called mRNA, and then the copy is read to create specific amino acids bonded together. The amino acids and their interactions create the specific shapes of proteins. In this activity you will be translating strands of DNA to mRNA, and then into small sequences of amino acids. The amino acids will then be bonded together based on their properties. The proteins will be analyzed for correct bonding patterns since the shape of the protein is directly related to the amino acid sequence and the protein's function.