Question 1

The reason for using Taq polymerase for PCR is that

Accepted Answer

A) it is heat stable and can withstand the temperature changes of the cycler. 
B) only minute amounts are needed for each cycle of PCR. 
C) it binds more readily than other polymerases to primer. 
D) it has regions that are complementary to primers. 
E) All of these are correct. 
A) it is heat stable and can withstand the temperature changes of the cycler. 
B) only minute amounts are needed for each cycle of PCR. 
C) it binds more readily than other polymerases to primer. 
D) it has regions that are complementary to primers. 
E) All of these are correct. A

Question 2

Which of the following problems with animal cloning might result in premature death of the clones?

Accepted Answer

A) use of pluripotent instead of totipotent stem cells 
B) use of nuclear DNA as well as mtDNA 
C) abnormal regulation due to variant methylation 
D) the indefinite replication of totipotent stem cells 
E) abnormal immune function due to bone marrow dysfunction 
A) use of pluripotent instead of totipotent stem cells 
B) use of nuclear DNA as well as mtDNA 
C) abnormal regulation due to variant methylation 
D) the indefinite replication of totipotent stem cells 
E) abnormal immune function due to bone marrow dysfunction C

Question 3

Which of the following is true of embryonic stem cells but not of adult stem cells?

Accepted Answer

A) They can differentiate into many cell types. 
B) They make up the majority of cells of the tissue from which they are derived. 
C) They can continue to replicate for an indefinite period. 
D) They can provide enormous amounts of information about the process of gene regulation. 
E) One aim of using them is to provide cells for repair of diseased tissue. 
A) They can differentiate into many cell types. 
B) They make up the majority of cells of the tissue from which they are derived. 
C) They can continue to replicate for an indefinite period. 
D) They can provide enormous amounts of information about the process of gene regulation. 
E) One aim of using them is to provide cells for repair of diseased tissue. B

Question 4

Which of the following modifications is least likely to alter the rate at which a DNA fragment moves through a gel during electrophoresis?

Accepted Answer

A) altering the nucleotide sequence of the DNA fragment 
B) methylating the cytosine bases within the DNA fragment 
C) increasing the length of the DNA fragment 
D) decreasing the length of the DNA fragment 
E) neutralizing the negative charges within the DNA fragment 
A) altering the nucleotide sequence of the DNA fragment 
B) methylating the cytosine bases within the DNA fragment 
C) increasing the length of the DNA fragment 
D) decreasing the length of the DNA fragment 
E) neutralizing the negative charges within the DNA fragment

Question 5

For a particular microarray assay (DNA chip), cDNA has been made from the mRNAs of a dozen patients' breast tumour biopsies. The researchers will be looking for

Accepted Answer

A) a particular gene that is amplified in all or most of the patient samples. 
B) a pattern of fluorescence that indicates which cells are overproliferating. 
C) a pattern shared among some or all of the samples that indicates gene expression differing from control samples. 
D) a group of cDNAs that act differently from those on the rest of the grid. 
E) a group of cDNAs that match those in non-breast cancer control samples from the same population. 
A) a particular gene that is amplified in all or most of the patient samples. 
B) a pattern of fluorescence that indicates which cells are overproliferating. 
C) a pattern shared among some or all of the samples that indicates gene expression differing from control samples. 
D) a group of cDNAs that act differently from those on the rest of the grid. 
E) a group of cDNAs that match those in non-breast cancer control samples from the same population.

Question 6

A researcher has used in vitro mutagenesis to mutate a cloned gene and then has reinserted this into a cell. In order to have the mutated sequence disable the function of the gene, what must then occur?

Accepted Answer

A) recombination resulting in replacement of the wild type with the mutated gene 
B) use of a microarray to verify continued expression of the original gene 
C) replication of the cloned gene using a bacterial plasmid 
D) transcription of the cloned gene using cDNA 
E) attachment of the mutated gene to an existing mRNA to be translated 
A) recombination resulting in replacement of the wild type with the mutated gene 
B) use of a microarray to verify continued expression of the original gene 
C) replication of the cloned gene using a bacterial plasmid 
D) transcription of the cloned gene using cDNA 
E) attachment of the mutated gene to an existing mRNA to be translated

Question 7

Use the following information to answer the next few questions.
A group of six students has taken samples of their own cheek cells, purified the DNA, and used a restriction enzyme known to cut at zero, one, or two sites in a particular gene of interest.
-Their next two steps, in order, should be

Accepted Answer

A) use of a fluorescent probe for the gene sequence, then electrophoresis. 
B) electrophoresis of the fragments followed by autoradiography. 
C) electrophoresis of the fragments, followed by the use of a probe. 
D) use of a ligase that will anneal the pieces, followed by PCR. 
E) use of reverse transcriptase to make cDNA, followed by electrophoresis. 
A) use of a fluorescent probe for the gene sequence, then electrophoresis. 
B) electrophoresis of the fragments followed by autoradiography. 
C) electrophoresis of the fragments, followed by the use of a probe. 
D) use of a ligase that will anneal the pieces, followed by PCR. 
E) use of reverse transcriptase to make cDNA, followed by electrophoresis.

Question 8

Use the following information to answer the next few questions.
A group of six students has taken samples of their own cheek cells, purified the DNA, and used a restriction enzyme known to cut at zero, one, or two sites in a particular gene of interest.
-Why might they be conducting such an experiment?

Accepted Answer

A) to find the location of this gene in the human genome 
B) to prepare to isolate the chromosome on which the gene of interest is found 
C) to find which of the students has which alleles 
D) to collect population data that can be used to assess natural selection 
E) to collect population data that can be used to study genetic drift 
A) to find the location of this gene in the human genome 
B) to prepare to isolate the chromosome on which the gene of interest is found 
C) to find which of the students has which alleles 
D) to collect population data that can be used to assess natural selection 
E) to collect population data that can be used to study genetic drift

Question 9

A gene that contains introns can be made shorter (but remain functional)for genetic engineering purposes by using

Accepted Answer

A) RNA polymerase to transcribe the gene. 
B) a restriction enzyme to cut the gene into shorter pieces. 
C) reverse transcriptase to reconstruct the gene from its mRNA. 
D) DNA polymerase to reconstruct the gene from its polypeptide product. 
E) DNA ligase to put together fragments of the DNA that code for a particular polypeptide. 
A) RNA polymerase to transcribe the gene. 
B) a restriction enzyme to cut the gene into shorter pieces. 
C) reverse transcriptase to reconstruct the gene from its mRNA. 
D) DNA polymerase to reconstruct the gene from its polypeptide product. 
E) DNA ligase to put together fragments of the DNA that code for a particular polypeptide.

Question 10

An animal that has genes from another species is said to be

Accepted Answer

A) a mutant. 
B) transgenic. 
C) transposed. 
D) synthetic. 
E) an abomination. 
A) a mutant. 
B) transgenic. 
C) transposed. 
D) synthetic. 
E) an abomination.

Question 11

Use the following information to answer the next few questions.
Pharmacogenetics is an increasingly important discipline that uses genetic information to tailor the prescription of drug treatments to individuals. In the case of chemotherapy for breast cancer, for example, different patients need and/or respond to different treatments.
-Breast tumour biopsy specimens can be typed for a number of gene expression patterns. Together, these can provide risk analysis for the likely aggressive growth and metastasis of the tumour. How can this most help the physician and patient?

Accepted Answer

A) Some patients want to know as much as possible. 
B) This can help them to decide whether and what kind of chemotherapy is warranted. 
C) This can help them decide whether the tumour should be removed. 
D) Some physicians may use the information to decide what to do, but not tell the patient. 
E) This can help to aggregate health statistics. 
A) Some patients want to know as much as possible. 
B) This can help them to decide whether and what kind of chemotherapy is warranted. 
C) This can help them decide whether the tumour should be removed. 
D) Some physicians may use the information to decide what to do, but not tell the patient. 
E) This can help to aggregate health statistics.

Question 12

In recent times, it has been shown that adult cells can be induced to become pluripotent stem cells (iPS). In order to make this conversion, what has been done to the adult cells?

Accepted Answer

A) A retrovirus is used to introduce four specific regulatory genes. 
B) The adult stem cells must be fused with embryonic cells. 
C) Cytoplasm from embryonic cells is injected into the adult cells. 
D) An adenovirus vector is used to transfer embryonic gene products into adult cells. 
E) The nucleus of an embryonic cell is used to replace the nucleus of an adult cell. 
A) A retrovirus is used to introduce four specific regulatory genes. 
B) The adult stem cells must be fused with embryonic cells. 
C) Cytoplasm from embryonic cells is injected into the adult cells. 
D) An adenovirus vector is used to transfer embryonic gene products into adult cells. 
E) The nucleus of an embryonic cell is used to replace the nucleus of an adult cell.

Question 13

A paleontologist has recovered a bit of tissue from the 400-year-old preserved skin of an extinct dodo (a bird). To compare a specific region of the DNA from the sample with DNA from living birds, which of the following would be most useful for increasing the amount of dodo DNA available for testing?

Accepted Answer

A) SNP analysis 
B) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) 
C) electroporation 
D) gel electrophoresis 
A) SNP analysis 
B) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) 
C) electroporation 
D) gel electrophoresis

Question 14

What is the most logical sequence of steps for splicing foreign DNA into a plasmid and inserting the plasmid into a bacterium? I. Transform bacteria with a recombinant DNA molecule.
II. Cut the plasmid DNA using restriction enzymes.
III. Extract plasmid DNA from bacterial cells.
IV. Hydrogen-bond the plasmid DNA to nonplasmid DNA fragments.
V. Use ligase to seal plasmid DNA to nonplasmid DNA.

Accepted Answer

A) I, II, IV, III, V 
B) II, III, V, IV, I 
C) III, II, IV, V, I 
D) III, IV, V, I, II 
E) IV, V, I, II, III 
A) I, II, IV, III, V 
B) II, III, V, IV, I 
C) III, II, IV, V, I 
D) III, IV, V, I, II 
E) IV, V, I, II, III

Question 15

Why might a laboratory be using dideoxy nucleotides?

Accepted Answer

A) to separate DNA fragments 
B) to clone the breakpoints of cut DNA 
C) to produce cDNA from mRNA 
D) to sequence a DNA fragment 
E) to visualize DNA expression 
A) to separate DNA fragments 
B) to clone the breakpoints of cut DNA 
C) to produce cDNA from mRNA 
D) to sequence a DNA fragment 
E) to visualize DNA expression

Question 16

Use the following figure to answer the questions below. The DNA profiles that follow represent four different individuals.
  
-Which of the following statements is most likely true?

Accepted Answer

A) D is the child of A and C. 
B) D is the child of A and B. 
C) D is the child of B and C. 
D) A is the child of C and D. 
E) B is the child of A and C. 
A) D is the child of A and C. 
B) D is the child of A and B. 
C) D is the child of B and C. 
D) A is the child of C and D. 
E) B is the child of A and C.

Question 17

Plants are more readily manipulated by genetic engineering than are animals because

Accepted Answer

A) plant genes do not contain introns. 
B) more vectors are available for transferring recombinant DNA into plant cells. 
C) a somatic plant cell can often give rise to a complete plant. 
D) plant cells have larger nuclei. 
A) plant genes do not contain introns. 
B) more vectors are available for transferring recombinant DNA into plant cells. 
C) a somatic plant cell can often give rise to a complete plant. 
D) plant cells have larger nuclei.

Question 18

Use the following information to answer the next few questions.
CML (chronic myelogenous leukemia) results from a translocation between human chromosomes 9 and 22. The resulting chromosome 22 is significantly shorter than usual, and it is known as a Philadelphia (Ph') chromosome. The junction at the site of the translocation causes overexpression of a thymine kinase receptor. A new drug (Gleevec or imatinib) has been found to inhibit the disease if the patient is treated early.
-Which of the following would be a reasonably efficient technique for confirming the diagnosis of CML?

Accepted Answer

A) searching for the number of telomeric sequences on chromosome 22 
B) looking for a Ph' chromosome in a peripheral blood smear 
C) enzyme assay for thymine kinase activity 
D) FISH study to determine the chromosomal location of all chromosome 22 fragments 
E) identification of the disease phenotype in review of the patient's records 
A) searching for the number of telomeric sequences on chromosome 22 
B) looking for a Ph' chromosome in a peripheral blood smear 
C) enzyme assay for thymine kinase activity 
D) FISH study to determine the chromosomal location of all chromosome 22 fragments 
E) identification of the disease phenotype in review of the patient's records

Question 19

Pax-6 is a gene that is involved in eye formation in many invertebrates, such as Drosophila. Pax-6 is found as well in vertebrates. A Pax-6 gene from a mouse can be expressed in a fly and the protein (PAX-6)leads to a compound fly eye. This information suggests which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A) Pax-6 genes are identical in nucleotide sequence. 
B) PAX-6 proteins have identical amino acid sequences. 
C) Pax-6 is highly conserved and shows shared evolutionary ancestry. 
D) PAX-6 proteins are different for formation of different kinds of eyes. 
E) PAX-6 from a mouse can function in a fly, but a fly's Pax-6 gene cannot function in a mouse. 
A) Pax-6 genes are identical in nucleotide sequence. 
B) PAX-6 proteins have identical amino acid sequences. 
C) Pax-6 is highly conserved and shows shared evolutionary ancestry. 
D) PAX-6 proteins are different for formation of different kinds of eyes. 
E) PAX-6 from a mouse can function in a fly, but a fly's Pax-6 gene cannot function in a mouse.

Question 20

Which of the following is one of the technical reasons why gene therapy is problematic?

Accepted Answer

A) Most cells with an engineered gene do not produce gene product. 
B) Most cells with engineered genes overwhelm other cells in a tissue. 
C) Cells with transferred genes are unlikely to replicate. 
D) Transferred genes may not have appropriately controlled activity. 
E) mRNA from transferred genes cannot be translated. 
A) Most cells with an engineered gene do not produce gene product. 
B) Most cells with engineered genes overwhelm other cells in a tissue. 
C) Cells with transferred genes are unlikely to replicate. 
D) Transferred genes may not have appropriately controlled activity. 
E) mRNA from transferred genes cannot be translated.

Exam 20: Dna Tools and Biotechnology

The reason for using Taq polymerase for PCR is that

Which of the following problems with animal cloning might result in premature death of the clones?

Which of the following is true of embryonic stem cells but not of adult stem cells?

Which of the following modifications is least likely to alter the rate at which a DNA fragment moves through a gel during electrophoresis?

For a particular microarray assay (DNA chip), cDNA has been made from the mRNAs of a dozen patients' breast tumour biopsies. The researchers will be looking for

A researcher has used in vitro mutagenesis to mutate a cloned gene and then has reinserted this into a cell. In order to have the mutated sequence disable the function of the gene, what must then occur?

Use the following information to answer the next few questions. A group of six students has taken samples of their own cheek cells, purified the DNA, and used a restriction enzyme known to cut at zero, one, or two sites in a particular gene of interest. -Their next two steps, in order, should be

A gene that contains introns can be made shorter (but remain functional)for genetic engineering purposes by using

An animal that has genes from another species is said to be

In recent times, it has been shown that adult cells can be induced to become pluripotent stem cells (iPS). In order to make this conversion, what has been done to the adult cells?

Why might a laboratory be using dideoxy nucleotides?

Use the following figure to answer the questions below. The DNA profiles that follow represent four different individuals. -Which of the following statements is most likely true?

Plants are more readily manipulated by genetic engineering than are animals because

Pax-6 is a gene that is involved in eye formation in many invertebrates, such as Drosophila. Pax-6 is found as well in vertebrates. A Pax-6 gene from a mouse can be expressed in a fly and the protein (PAX-6)leads to a compound fly eye. This information suggests which of the following?

Which of the following is one of the technical reasons why gene therapy is problematic?

Introduction: Evolution and Themes of Biology

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

From Gene to Protein

Regulation of Gene Expression

Viruses

Genomes and Their Evolution

Descent With Modification: a Darwinian View of Life

The Evolution of Populations

The Origin of Species

The History of Life on Earth

Phylogeny and the Tree of Life

Bacteria and Archaea

Protists

Plant Diversity I: How Plants Colonized Land

Plant Diversity Ii: the Evolution of Seed Plants

Fungi

An Overview of Animal Diversity

An Introduction to Invertebrates

The Origin and Evolution of Vertebrates

Plant Structure, Growth, and Development

Resource Acquisition and Transport in Vascular Plants

Soil and Plant Nutrition

Angiosperm Reproduction and Biotechnology

Plant Responses to Internal and External Signals

Basic Principles of Animal Form and Function

Animal Nutrition

Circulation and Gas Exchange

The Immune System

Osmoregulation and Excretion

Hormones and the Endocrine System

Animal Reproduction

Animal Development

Neurons, Synapses, and Signalling

Nervous Systems

Sensory and Motor Mechanisms

Animal Behaviour

An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere

Population Ecology

Community Ecology

Ecosystems and Restoration Ecology

Conservation Biology and Global Change

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