Authors: Susan Byrne and Thomas Mack
The solver is presented with a series of 14 DNA sequences. Each sequence begins with a clue in the usual amino acid translation alphabet, followed by a stop codon, and then a sequence from Anolis caroliensis (North American green anole lizard), the first lizard genome sequenced (Alföldi J., et al. Nature 2011).
The answer to each clue is a dinosaur root word followed by "lizard". For example, RECEIVEDAURALLYAFTERLIGHTNING clues "thunder";" thunder-lizard" is brontosaurus; and so the first letter "B" is used. When arranged in the proper order, the letters spell AMBER, OCHRE, OPAL, which clue the final answer STOP CODON.
1A = duck (Anatosaurus) = TEAMSKATERNHLANAHEIM
2M = vicious (Masiakasaurus) = LATEGUITARISTSID
3B = thunder (Brontosaurus) = RECEIVEDAURALLYAFTERLIGHTNING
4E = light-weight (Elaphrosaurus) = ITISTHECLASSHEAVIERTHANFEATHERWEIGHT
5R = Sussex (Regnosaurus) = RIGHTNEARHAMPSHIREANDKENTWITHCHICHESTERANDLEWES
6O = weapon (Oplosaurus) = INFINALFANTASYSEVENEMERALDEG
7C = helmet (Corythosaurus) = RIDINGSAFETYHEADSHIELD
8H = western (Hesperosaurus) = LAWLESSFILMGENRESPAGHETTI
9R = thornbush (Rubeosaurus) = DETERRENTPRICKLYHEDGEPLANT
10E = riddle (Enigmosaurus) = (B) NRAVEHARRYSMAGICALNEMESISREALLASTNAME
11O = eye (Opthalmosaurus) = (Z) QEKEKATRINAANDIKEHADTHISATTHEIRCENTERS
12P = parrot (Psittacosaurus) = AVIANTHATCANMIMICTALKING
13A = silver (Argyrosaurus) = ERIKVENDTRECEIVEDTHISMEDALATATHENS
14L = mud (Limusaurus) = EARTHYWETDIRT
In the amino acid alphabet, U codes for selenocysteine, which is coded by TGA under certain circumstances. B codes for either asparagine (N) or aspartic acid (D). Z codes for either glutamic acid (E) or glutamine (Q).
The 14 sequences are presented to the solver in alphabetical dinosaur order: 1A, 13A, 3B, 7C, 4E, 10E, 8H, 14L, 2M, 6O, 11O, 12P, 5R, 9R.
In this order, the first letter of each clue phrase spells down TERRINLELIQARD, or "terrible lizard", cluing dinosaur.
Appended to the clue phrase sequences is another DNA sequence, which a BLAST search should identify as Anolis caroliensis (anole lizard). This lizard DNA clues that these are dinosaur root words ("thunder-lizard").
Three genes from the lizard are used, which specify the grouping for the words (amber, ochre, and opal, respectively). In addition, the stop codon between the clue phrase and the lizard DNA matches that of the word: TAG (amber) for 1A, 2M, 3B, 4E, and 5R; TAA (ochre) for 6O, 7C, 8H, 9R, and 10E; TAG (opal) for 11O, 12P, 13A, and 14L.
The ordering of the letters within each word can be specified by either: the position of the sequence; the length of the appended lizard sequence (shortest-longest); or the total length of the sequence.
| Clue Len. | mRNA Seq. Location | Lizard Gene Len. | Total Seq. Len. | Genome DNA Location | Gene Name | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1A | 63 | 43-133 | 91 | 154 | GL343369.1: 679050 - 679140 | keratin-associated beta protein 37 |
| 2M | 51 | 134-373 | 240 | 291 | GL343369.1: 678810 - 679049 | LI-AC-37 |
| 3B | 90 | 374-648 | 275 | 365 | GL343369.1: 677658 - 677932 | ENSACAG00000027550 |
| 4E | 111 | 649-948 | 300 | 411 | GL343369.1: 677358 - 677657 | |
| 5R | 144 | 949-1260 | 312 | 456 | GL343369.1: 677046 - 677357 | |
| 6O | 87 | 166-255 | 90 | 177 | GL343221.1: 826076 - 826165 | zinc finger protein 804A |
| 7C | 69 | 256-386 | 131 | 200 | GL343221.1: 774136 - 774266 | ZNF804A |
| 8H | 78 | 387-952 | 566 | 644 | GL343221.1: 764609 - 765174 | ENSACAG00000003720 |
| 9R | 81 | 953-2041 | 1089 | 1170 | GL343221.1: 763520 - 764608 | |
| 10E | 114 | 2042-3651 | 1610 | 1724 | GL343221.1: 761910 - 763519 | |
| 11O | 117 | 19-105 | 84 | 201 | 6: 35096247 - 35096330 | vitelline membrane outer layer protein 1 |
| 12P | 75 | 106-234 | 129 | 204 | 6: 35096331 - 35096459 | VMO1 |
| 13A | 105 | 235-366 | 132 | 237 | 6: 35098151 - 35098282 | ENSACAG00000007746 |
| 14L | 42 | 367-713 | 347 | 389 | 6: 35101248 - 35101594 |