Question 1

Select the ways in which modifications to the chromatin brought about by HOTAIR and associated proteins are proposed to inhibit transcription.

Accepted Answer

A)  Direct inhibition of RNA polymerase binding 
B)  Attraction of other chromatin-modifying enzymes 
C)  Formation of a double stranded RNA structure between HOTAIR and the mRNA preventing translation 
D)  Recruitment of repressors to the DNA 
A)  Direct inhibition of RNA polymerase binding 
B)  Attraction of other chromatin-modifying enzymes 
C)  Formation of a double stranded RNA structure between HOTAIR and the mRNA preventing translation 
D)  Recruitment of repressors to the DNA A, B

Question 2

With which injection did Mello and Fire observe the lowest amount of mex-3 probe staining?

Accepted Answer

A)  Injected with double-stranded RNA 
B)  Injected with mex-3 antisense RNA 
C)  Uninjected 
A)  Injected with double-stranded RNA 
B)  Injected with mex-3 antisense RNA 
C)  Uninjected A

Question 3

SmY RNAs are a family of ncRNAs in nematodes that are thought to be involved in a special type of RNA splicing. Based on this function, SmY RNAs are most likely members of which category of ncRNAs?

Accepted Answer

A)  snRNA 
B)  tRNA 
C)  snoRNA 
D)  siRNA 
A)  snRNA 
B)  tRNA 
C)  snoRNA 
D)  siRNA A

Question 4

Select the four most common types of molecules to which ncRNAs bind.

Accepted Answer

A)  DNA 
B)  RNA 
C)  Proteins 
D)  Small molecules 
E)  Lipids 
A)  DNA 
B)  RNA 
C)  Proteins 
D)  Small molecules 
E)  Lipids

Question 5

What is the name of the type of chemical modification on anti-miRNA oligonucleotides used to inhibit miRNA function that involves ribose sugars with an extra bridge connecting the 2' oxygen and the 4' carbon?

Accepted Answer

A)  Locked nucleic acids 
B)  Antagomirs 
C)  Enoxacin 
D)  RNaseMRP 
A)  Locked nucleic acids 
B)  Antagomirs 
C)  Enoxacin 
D)  RNaseMRP

Question 6

Into which gene of the CRISPR-Cas system are fragments of bacteriophage DNA inserted?

Accepted Answer

A)  Crispr 
B)  tracr 
C)  Cas9 
D)  Cas1 
E)  Cas2 
A)  Crispr 
B)  tracr 
C)  Cas9 
D)  Cas1 
E)  Cas2

Question 7

Select the features that made protobionts possible precursors of living cells.

Accepted Answer

A)  A boundary separating the internal contents of the protobiont from the external environment 
B)  Polymers inside the protobiont contained information. 
C)  Polymers inside the protobiont had catalytic functions. 
D)  Capability of self-replication 
E)  Presence of organelles 
A)  A boundary separating the internal contents of the protobiont from the external environment 
B)  Polymers inside the protobiont contained information. 
C)  Polymers inside the protobiont had catalytic functions. 
D)  Capability of self-replication 
E)  Presence of organelles

Question 8

You are working in a lab that studies snoRNAs. You mutate the antisense sequences in a C/D box snoRNA to completely different sequences. What results do you expect compared to wild type snoRNA? Check all that apply.

Accepted Answer

A)  Reduced binding of the snoRNA to the rRNA 
B)  Reduced methylated ribose in the rRNA 
C)  Reduced psuedouracil in the rRNA 
D)  Increased binding of the snoRNA to the rRNA 
E)  Increased methylated ribose in the rRNA 
A)  Reduced binding of the snoRNA to the rRNA 
B)  Reduced methylated ribose in the rRNA 
C)  Reduced psuedouracil in the rRNA 
D)  Increased binding of the snoRNA to the rRNA 
E)  Increased methylated ribose in the rRNA

Question 9

In an in vitro translation assay radioactive amino acids can be incorporated into proteins and the proteins separated from the unincorporated amino acids (higher counts per minute indicates more protein synthesis). Given the following data what are the conclusions that you would come to?

Accepted Answer

A)  Double stranded RNA is more efficient at inhibiting translation than antisense RNA 
B)  Antisense RNA is more efficient at inhibiting translation than double stranded RNA 
C)  No conclusion about the efficiency of translation inhibition can be made as the positive and negative controls did not perform appropriately 
D)  The experiment did not work since the antisense fibronectin did not have an effect on amino acid incorporation. 
A)  Double stranded RNA is more efficient at inhibiting translation than antisense RNA 
B)  Antisense RNA is more efficient at inhibiting translation than double stranded RNA 
C)  No conclusion about the efficiency of translation inhibition can be made as the positive and negative controls did not perform appropriately 
D)  The experiment did not work since the antisense fibronectin did not have an effect on amino acid incorporation.

Question 10

What human disease is associated with mutations in Drosha?

Accepted Answer

A)  Familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 
B)  Alzheimer disease 
C)  Heart arrhythmias 
D)  Lung cancer 
A)  Familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 
B)  Alzheimer disease 
C)  Heart arrhythmias 
D)  Lung cancer

Question 11

The ncRNA HOTAIR recruits what type of proteins to target genes?

Accepted Answer

A)  Histone-modifying complexes 
B)  Transcription factors 
C)  RNA polymerase 
D)  Histone acetyltransferase 
A)  Histone-modifying complexes 
B)  Transcription factors 
C)  RNA polymerase 
D)  Histone acetyltransferase

Question 12

In order of their occurrence what are the steps in RNA interference?

Accepted Answer

A)  Processing of RNA transcript by DGCR8, transport to cytoplasm, processing by Dicer, binding to RISC, binding to target mRNA 
B)  Processing by Dicer, processing of RNA transcript by DGCR8, transport to cytoplasm, binding to RISC, binding to target mRNA 
C)  Processing of RNA transcript by DGCR8, processing by Dicer, transport to cytoplasm, binding to RISC, binding to target mRNA 
D)  Processing of RNA transcript by DGCR8, binding to RISC, transport to cytoplasm, processing by Dicer, binding to target mRNA 
A)  Processing of RNA transcript by DGCR8, transport to cytoplasm, processing by Dicer, binding to RISC, binding to target mRNA 
B)  Processing by Dicer, processing of RNA transcript by DGCR8, transport to cytoplasm, binding to RISC, binding to target mRNA 
C)  Processing of RNA transcript by DGCR8, processing by Dicer, transport to cytoplasm, binding to RISC, binding to target mRNA 
D)  Processing of RNA transcript by DGCR8, binding to RISC, transport to cytoplasm, processing by Dicer, binding to target mRNA

Question 13

You work in a lab that is studying piRISCs and PIWI proteins. You have isolated piRISCs from a cell. What would be one way to identify which piRISCs are involved in cleaving TE RNA vs. those that halt transcription?

Accepted Answer

A)  One of the proteins in the pRISC that halts transcription should have a nuclear localization signal. 
B)  One of the proteins in the pRISC that halts transcription should have nuclease activity. 
C)  One of the proteins in the pRISC that halts transcription should have acetylation activity. 
D)  One of the proteins in the pRISC that halts transcription should function as a transcription factor. 
A)  One of the proteins in the pRISC that halts transcription should have a nuclear localization signal. 
B)  One of the proteins in the pRISC that halts transcription should have nuclease activity. 
C)  One of the proteins in the pRISC that halts transcription should have acetylation activity. 
D)  One of the proteins in the pRISC that halts transcription should function as a transcription factor.

Question 14

You are working in a lab that studies ncRNAs. You develop an assay to isolate ncRNAs and any associated molecules. You must then identify the molecules you have isolated. You find a molecule that is associated with an ncRNA that is not changed by protease, RNase, or DNase. The associated molecule is most likely

Accepted Answer

A)  a small molecule. 
B)  a protein. 
C)  an mRNA. 
D)  DNA. 
A)  a small molecule. 
B)  a protein. 
C)  an mRNA. 
D)  DNA.

Question 15

Select possible outcomes after RISC binds to an mRNA during RNA interference. Choose all that apply.

Accepted Answer

A)  Inhibition of translation without mRNA degradation 
B)  mRNA degradation 
C)  Movement of the RISC-mRNA complex to a P-body 
D)  Expulsion of the RISC-mRNA complex from the cell 
E)  Cell death 
A)  Inhibition of translation without mRNA degradation 
B)  mRNA degradation 
C)  Movement of the RISC-mRNA complex to a P-body 
D)  Expulsion of the RISC-mRNA complex from the cell 
E)  Cell death

Question 16

Select the ncRNA that facilitates the binding of telomerase to the telomere and acts as a template for DNA replication.

Accepted Answer

A)  TERC 
B)  snRNA 
C)  SRP RNA 
D)  Xist RNA 
A)  TERC 
B)  snRNA 
C)  SRP RNA 
D)  Xist RNA

Question 17

Abnormal levels of miRNAs are associated with nearly all forms of what type of human disease?

Accepted Answer

A)  Neurological disorders 
B)  Cancer 
C)  Cardiovascular disease 
D)  Gastrointestinal disease 
A)  Neurological disorders 
B)  Cancer 
C)  Cardiovascular disease 
D)  Gastrointestinal disease

Question 18

Ribozymes are RNA molecules with what type of activity?

Accepted Answer

A)  Catalytic 
B)  Binding 
C)  Protease 
D)  Decoy 
A)  Catalytic 
B)  Binding 
C)  Protease 
D)  Decoy

Question 19

The CRISPR-Cas system in bacteria is most similar to what system in vertebrates?

Accepted Answer

A)  Immune system 
B)  Circulatory system 
C)  Nervous system 
D)  Digestive system 
A)  Immune system 
B)  Circulatory system 
C)  Nervous system 
D)  Digestive system

Question 20

Select functions that ncRNAs can perform. Choose all that apply.

Accepted Answer

A)  Scaffold 
B)  Guide 
C)  Ribozyme 
D)  Blocker 
E)  Decoy 
A)  Scaffold 
B)  Guide 
C)  Ribozyme 
D)  Blocker 
E)  Decoy

Exam 17: Non-Coding Rnas

Select the ways in which modifications to the chromatin brought about by HOTAIR and associated proteins are proposed to inhibit transcription.

With which injection did Mello and Fire observe the lowest amount of mex-3 probe staining?

SmY RNAs are a family of ncRNAs in nematodes that are thought to be involved in a special type of RNA splicing. Based on this function, SmY RNAs are most likely members of which category of ncRNAs?

Select the four most common types of molecules to which ncRNAs bind.

What is the name of the type of chemical modification on anti-miRNA oligonucleotides used to inhibit miRNA function that involves ribose sugars with an extra bridge connecting the 2' oxygen and the 4' carbon?

Into which gene of the CRISPR-Cas system are fragments of bacteriophage DNA inserted?

Select the features that made protobionts possible precursors of living cells.

You are working in a lab that studies snoRNAs. You mutate the antisense sequences in a C/D box snoRNA to completely different sequences. What results do you expect compared to wild type snoRNA? Check all that apply.

In an in vitro translation assay radioactive amino acids can be incorporated into proteins and the proteins separated from the unincorporated amino acids (higher counts per minute indicates more protein synthesis). Given the following data what are the conclusions that you would come to?

What human disease is associated with mutations in Drosha?

The ncRNA HOTAIR recruits what type of proteins to target genes?

In order of their occurrence what are the steps in RNA interference?

You work in a lab that is studying piRISCs and PIWI proteins. You have isolated piRISCs from a cell. What would be one way to identify which piRISCs are involved in cleaving TE RNA vs. those that halt transcription?

Select possible outcomes after RISC binds to an mRNA during RNA interference. Choose all that apply.

Select the ncRNA that facilitates the binding of telomerase to the telomere and acts as a template for DNA replication.

Abnormal levels of miRNAs are associated with nearly all forms of what type of human disease?

Ribozymes are RNA molecules with what type of activity?

The CRISPR-Cas system in bacteria is most similar to what system in vertebrates?

Select functions that ncRNAs can perform. Choose all that apply.

Overview of Genetics

Mendelian Inheritance

Chromosome Transmission During Cell Division and Sexual Reproduction

Extensions of Mendelian Inheritance

Non-Mendelian Inheritance

Genetic Linkage and Mapping in Eukaryotes

Genetic Transfer and Mapping in Bacteria

Variation in Chromosome Structure and Number

Molecular Structure of Dna and Rna

Chromosome Organization and Molecular Structure

Dna Replication

Gene Transcription and Rna Modification

Translation of Mrna

Gene Regulation in Bacteria

Gene Regulation in Eukaryotes I: Transcriptional and Translation Regulation

Gene Regulation in Eukaryotes Ii: Epigenetics

Genetics of Viruses

Gene Mutation and Dna Repair

Recombination, Immunogenetics, and Transposition

Molecular Technologies

Biotechnology

Genomics I: Analysis of Dna

Genomics Ii: Functional Genomics, Proteomics, and Bioinformatics

Medical Genetics and Cancer

Developmental Genetics

Population Genetics

Complex and Quantitative Traits

Evolutionary Genetics

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