Modeling an mRNA Vaccine

Using paper cut-outs, students model the process of translation to make a small piece of a coronavirus spike protein—the protein that the mRNA vaccine codes for.

Distribute sets of cut-outs and instructions. To save classroom time, cut out the modeling pieces ahead of time. Modeling instructions can be viewed online or printed and re-used.

Note: Be sure your students have some familiarity with how cells transcribe and translate the information in genes to make proteins.

• After completing the lesson, the learner will be able to describe how cells produce proteins from mRNA vaccines.

Prep time: 60 minutes
Class time: 20 minutes

Copies
(Optional) Scissors, tape

Cut-Outs (pdf)
Student Instructions (pdf)

• Does a cell treat the mRNA from a vaccine any differently from the mRNA the cell makes itself?
• When a virus infects a cell, it injects genetic material that codes for all the proteins needed to make more viruses. How is an mRNA vaccine different from this?

The mRNA sequence in this activity is based on tozinameran, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, from the following article:

Nance, K. D., & Meier, J. L. (2021). Modifications in an emergency: the role of N1-methylpseudouridine in COVID-19 vaccines. ACS central science, 7(5), 748-756.