Question 1

DNA methylation and histone acetylation are examples of which of the following processes?

Accepted Answer

A)  genetic mutation 
B)  chromosomal rearrangements 
C)  epigenetic phenomena 
D)  translocation 
A)  genetic mutation 
B)  chromosomal rearrangements 
C)  epigenetic phenomena 
D)  translocation C

Question 2

Which of the following molecules is a protein produced by a regulatory gene?

Accepted Answer

A)  operon 
B)  inducer 
C)  promoter 
D)  repressor 
A)  operon 
B)  inducer 
C)  promoter 
D)  repressor D

Question 3

Which of the following processes would allow the detection of alternative splicing of transcripts from a given gene?

Accepted Answer

A)  Compare the DNA sequence of the given gene to that of a similar gene in a related organism. 
B)  Measure the relative rates of transcription of the given gene compared to that of a gene known to be constitutively spliced. 
C)  Compare the sequences of different primary transcripts made from the given gene. 
D)  Compare the sequences of different mRNAs made from the given gene. 
A)  Compare the DNA sequence of the given gene to that of a similar gene in a related organism. 
B)  Measure the relative rates of transcription of the given gene compared to that of a gene known to be constitutively spliced. 
C)  Compare the sequences of different primary transcripts made from the given gene. 
D)  Compare the sequences of different mRNAs made from the given gene. D

Question 4

There is a mutation that is found in E. coli in the repressor that results in a molecule known as a super-repressor because it represses the lac operon permanently. Which of the following characteristics would you expect to observe in such a mutant?

Accepted Answer

A)  It cannot bind to the operator. 
B)  It cannot make a functional repressor. 
C)  It cannot bind to the inducer. 
D)  It makes a repressor that binds CAP. 
A)  It cannot bind to the operator. 
B)  It cannot make a functional repressor. 
C)  It cannot bind to the inducer. 
D)  It makes a repressor that binds CAP.

Question 5

Altering patterns of gene expression in prokaryotes would most likely serve an organism's survival by ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  organizing gene expression, so that genes are expressed in a given order 
B)  allowing each gene to be expressed an equal number of times 
C)  allowing an organism to adjust to changes in environmental conditions 
D)  allowing environmental changes to alter a prokaryote's genome 
A)  organizing gene expression, so that genes are expressed in a given order 
B)  allowing each gene to be expressed an equal number of times 
C)  allowing an organism to adjust to changes in environmental conditions 
D)  allowing environmental changes to alter a prokaryote's genome

Question 6

Within a cell, the amount of protein made using a given mRNA molecule depends partly on

Accepted Answer

A)  the degree of DNA methylation. 
B)  the rate at which the mRNA is degraded. 
C)  the number of introns present in the mRNA. 
D)  the types of ribosomes present in the cytoplasm. 
A)  the degree of DNA methylation. 
B)  the rate at which the mRNA is degraded. 
C)  the number of introns present in the mRNA. 
D)  the types of ribosomes present in the cytoplasm.

Question 7

Absence of bicoid mRNA from a Drosophila egg leads to the absence of anterior larval body parts and mirror-image duplication of posterior parts. This is evidence that the product of the bicoid gene

Accepted Answer

A)  normally leads to formation of head structures. 
B)  normally leads to formation of tail structures. 
C)  is transcribed in the early embryo. 
D)  is a protein present in all head structures. 
A)  normally leads to formation of head structures. 
B)  normally leads to formation of tail structures. 
C)  is transcribed in the early embryo. 
D)  is a protein present in all head structures.

Question 8

For a repressible operon to be transcribed, which of the following conditions must occur?

Accepted Answer

A)  A corepressor must be present. 
B)  RNA polymerase and the active repressor must be present. 
C)  RNA polymerase must bind to the promoter, and the repressor must be inactive. 
D)  RNA polymerase must not occupy the promoter, and the repressor must be inactive. 
A)  A corepressor must be present. 
B)  RNA polymerase and the active repressor must be present. 
C)  RNA polymerase must bind to the promoter, and the repressor must be inactive. 
D)  RNA polymerase must not occupy the promoter, and the repressor must be inactive.

Question 9

When taken up by a cell, which of the following molecules binds to a repressor so that the repressor no longer binds to the operator?

Accepted Answer

A)  inducer 
B)  promoter 
C)  repressor 
D)  corepressor 
A)  inducer 
B)  promoter 
C)  repressor 
D)  corepressor

Question 10

The reason for differences in the sets of proteins expressed in a nerve and a pancreatic cell of the same individual is that nerve and pancreatic cells contain different ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  genes 
B)  regulatory sequences 
C)  sets of regulatory proteins 
D)  promoters 
A)  genes 
B)  regulatory sequences 
C)  sets of regulatory proteins 
D)  promoters

Question 11

Which of the following functions are characteristic of general transcription factors in eukaryotes?

Accepted Answer

A)  They bind to other proteins or to the TATA box. 
B)  They inhibit RNA polymerase binding to the promoter and begin transcribing. 
C)  They usually lead to a high level of transcription even without additional specific transcription factors. 
D)  They bind to sequences just after the start site of transcription. 
A)  They bind to other proteins or to the TATA box. 
B)  They inhibit RNA polymerase binding to the promoter and begin transcribing. 
C)  They usually lead to a high level of transcription even without additional specific transcription factors. 
D)  They bind to sequences just after the start site of transcription.

Question 12

Which of the following results would occur if the repressor of an inducible operon were mutated so that it could not bind the operator?

Accepted Answer

A)  the irreversible binding of the repressor to the promoter 
B)  the reduced transcription of the operon's genes 
C)  the continuous transcription of the operon's genes 
D)  the overproduction of cAMP receptor protein (CRP) 
A)  the irreversible binding of the repressor to the promoter 
B)  the reduced transcription of the operon's genes 
C)  the continuous transcription of the operon's genes 
D)  the overproduction of cAMP receptor protein (CRP)

Question 13

Which of the following statements correctly describes a characteristic of tumor-suppressor gene?

Accepted Answer

A)  They are frequently overexpressed in cancerous cells. 
B)  They are cancer-causing genes introduced into cells by viruses. 
C)  They encode proteins that help prevent uncontrolled cell growth. 
D)  They often encode proteins that stimulate the cell cycle. 
A)  They are frequently overexpressed in cancerous cells. 
B)  They are cancer-causing genes introduced into cells by viruses. 
C)  They encode proteins that help prevent uncontrolled cell growth. 
D)  They often encode proteins that stimulate the cell cycle.

Question 14

The fact that plants can be cloned from somatic cells demonstrates that ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  differentiated cells retain all the genes of the zygote 
B)  genes are lost during differentiation 
C)  the differentiated state is normally very unstable 
D)  differentiation does not occur in plants 
A)  differentiated cells retain all the genes of the zygote 
B)  genes are lost during differentiation 
C)  the differentiated state is normally very unstable 
D)  differentiation does not occur in plants

Question 15

Which of the following functions does the product of the p53 gene carry out?

Accepted Answer

A)  It inhibits the cell cycle. 
B)  It slows down the rate of DNA replication by interfering with the binding of DNA polymerase. 
C)  It causes cells to reduce expression of genes involved in DNA repair. 
D)  It allows cells to pass on mutations due to DNA damage. 
A)  It inhibits the cell cycle. 
B)  It slows down the rate of DNA replication by interfering with the binding of DNA polymerase. 
C)  It causes cells to reduce expression of genes involved in DNA repair. 
D)  It allows cells to pass on mutations due to DNA damage.

Question 16

Which of the following is an example of post-transcriptional control of gene expression?

Accepted Answer

A)  the addition of methyl groups to cytosine bases of DNA 
B)  the binding of transcription factors to a promoter 
C)  the removal of introns and alternative splicing of exons 
D)  gene amplification contributing to cancer 
A)  the addition of methyl groups to cytosine bases of DNA 
B)  the binding of transcription factors to a promoter 
C)  the removal of introns and alternative splicing of exons 
D)  gene amplification contributing to cancer

Question 17

The functioning of enhancers is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  a eukaryotic equivalent of prokaryotic promoter functioning. 
B)  transcriptional control of gene expression. 
C)  the stimulation of translation by initiation factors. 
D)  post-translational control that activates certain proteins. 
A)  a eukaryotic equivalent of prokaryotic promoter functioning. 
B)  transcriptional control of gene expression. 
C)  the stimulation of translation by initiation factors. 
D)  post-translational control that activates certain proteins.

Question 18

Gene expression is often assayed by measuring the level of mRNA produced from a gene. What level of the control of gene expression can by analyzed by this type of assay?

Accepted Answer

A)  replication control 
B)  transcriptional control 
C)  alternative splicing 
D)  translational control 
A)  replication control 
B)  transcriptional control 
C)  alternative splicing 
D)  translational control

Question 19

Which of the following mechanisms is used to coordinate the expression of multiple, related genes in eukaryotic cells?

Accepted Answer

A)  Environmental signals enter the cell and bind directly to promoters. 
B)  A given gene may have multiple enhancers, but each enhancer is generally associated with only that gene and no other. 
C)  The genes are organized into a large operon, allowing them to be coordinately controlled as a single unit. 
D)  A single repressor is able to turn off several related genes. 
A)  Environmental signals enter the cell and bind directly to promoters. 
B)  A given gene may have multiple enhancers, but each enhancer is generally associated with only that gene and no other. 
C)  The genes are organized into a large operon, allowing them to be coordinately controlled as a single unit. 
D)  A single repressor is able to turn off several related genes.

Question 20

Which of the following processes would result from a mutation that deactivates a regulatory gene of a repressible operon in an E. coli cell?

Accepted Answer

A)  continuous transcription of the structural gene controlled by that regulator 
B)  complete inhibition of transcription of the structural gene controlled by that regulator 
C)  irreversible binding of the repressor to the operator 
D)  continuous translation of the mRNA because of alteration of its structure 
A)  continuous transcription of the structural gene controlled by that regulator 
B)  complete inhibition of transcription of the structural gene controlled by that regulator 
C)  irreversible binding of the repressor to the operator 
D)  continuous translation of the mRNA because of alteration of its structure

Exam 18: Regulation of Gene Expression

DNA methylation and histone acetylation are examples of which of the following processes?

Which of the following molecules is a protein produced by a regulatory gene?

Which of the following processes would allow the detection of alternative splicing of transcripts from a given gene?

There is a mutation that is found in E. coli in the repressor that results in a molecule known as a super-repressor because it represses the lac operon permanently. Which of the following characteristics would you expect to observe in such a mutant?

Altering patterns of gene expression in prokaryotes would most likely serve an organism's survival by ________.

Within a cell, the amount of protein made using a given mRNA molecule depends partly on

Absence of bicoid mRNA from a Drosophila egg leads to the absence of anterior larval body parts and mirror-image duplication of posterior parts. This is evidence that the product of the bicoid gene

For a repressible operon to be transcribed, which of the following conditions must occur?

When taken up by a cell, which of the following molecules binds to a repressor so that the repressor no longer binds to the operator?

The reason for differences in the sets of proteins expressed in a nerve and a pancreatic cell of the same individual is that nerve and pancreatic cells contain different ________.

Which of the following functions are characteristic of general transcription factors in eukaryotes?

Which of the following results would occur if the repressor of an inducible operon were mutated so that it could not bind the operator?

Which of the following statements correctly describes a characteristic of tumor-suppressor gene?

The fact that plants can be cloned from somatic cells demonstrates that ________.

Which of the following functions does the product of the p53 gene carry out?

Which of the following is an example of post-transcriptional control of gene expression?

The functioning of enhancers is an example of

Gene expression is often assayed by measuring the level of mRNA produced from a gene. What level of the control of gene expression can by analyzed by this type of assay?

Which of the following mechanisms is used to coordinate the expression of multiple, related genes in eukaryotic cells?

Which of the following processes would result from a mutation that deactivates a regulatory gene of a repressible operon in an E. coli cell?

Evolution, the Themes of Biology, and Scientific Inquiry

The Chemical Context of Life

Water and Life

Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life

The Structure and Function of Large Biological Molecules

A Tour of the Cell

Membrane Structure and Function

An Introduction to Metabolism

Cellular Respiration and Fermentation

Photosynthesis

Cell Communication

The Cell Cycle

Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles

Mendel and the Gene Idea

The Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance

The Molecular Basis of Inheritance

Gene Expression: From Gene to Protein

Viruses

DNA Tools and Biotechnology

Genomes and Their Evolution

Descent with Modification: A Darwinian View of Life

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The Origin of Species

The History of Life on Earth

Phylogeny and the Tree of Life

Bacteria and Archaea

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Plant Diversity I: How Plants Colonized Land

Plant Diversity II: The Evolution of Seed Plants

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An Overview of Animal Diversity

An Introduction to Invertebrates

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Resource Acquisition and Transport in Vascular Plants

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Plant Responses to Internal and External Signals

Basic Principles of Animal Form and Function

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Osmoregulation and Excretion

Hormones and the Endocrine System

Animal Reproduction

Animal Development

Neurons, Synapses, and Signaling

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Sensory and Motor Mechanisms

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An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere

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