Question 1

The most widely used molecule in sequence-based evolutionary analyses are ________ genes.

Accepted Answer

A) ATPase 
B) electron transport 
C) SSU rRNA 
D) tRNA 
A) ATPase 
B) electron transport 
C) SSU rRNA 
D) tRNA

Question 2

Compared with today,the temperature on Earth during its first half-billion years was probably

Accepted Answer

A) considerably warmer. 
B) considerably colder. 
C) about the same as today. 
D) about the same as today on average,but the diurnal fluctuations were much greater. 
A) considerably warmer. 
B) considerably colder. 
C) about the same as today. 
D) about the same as today on average,but the diurnal fluctuations were much greater.

Question 3

Sequencing technology and molecular phylogenetic analyses have had very little impact on our understanding of the evolution and diversity of life on Earth.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

Lateral gene transfer is one plausible explanation as to why organisms in Archaea,Bacteria,and Eukarya still share so many genes among such distinct domains.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Which of the following statements is FALSE concerning the universal tree of life?

Accepted Answer

A) Previous versions of the universal tree of life were based largely on fossils and comparative biology,which overlooked the diversity of and relationships between most prokaryotes. 
B) The current universal tree of life is supported by multiple genes including SSU rRNA sequences. 
C) The current universal tree of life depicts three domains of life,two of which are prokaryotic. 
D) The current universal tree of life is based on molecular sequences and completely changes our view of evolutionary relationships between eukaryotic species. 
A) Previous versions of the universal tree of life were based largely on fossils and comparative biology,which overlooked the diversity of and relationships between most prokaryotes. 
B) The current universal tree of life is supported by multiple genes including SSU rRNA sequences. 
C) The current universal tree of life depicts three domains of life,two of which are prokaryotic. 
D) The current universal tree of life is based on molecular sequences and completely changes our view of evolutionary relationships between eukaryotic species.

Question 6

Life is believed to have originated at hydrothermal springs on the ocean floor rather than on near the surface of Earth.What conditions made the hydrothermal springs the likely place for the beginning of life? Relate the conditions of the early oceans to the likely metabolism of the first cells.

Accepted Answer

Aside from the temperature,the environme

Question 7

Polyphasic taxonomy uses methods that include

Accepted Answer

A) phenotypic methods. 
B) genotypic methods. 
C) phylogenetic methods. 
D) phenotypic,genotypic,and phylogenetic methods. 
A) phenotypic methods. 
B) genotypic methods. 
C) phylogenetic methods. 
D) phenotypic,genotypic,and phylogenetic methods.

Question 8

________ formed the semipermeable membrane-like surfaces for the earliest life forms.

Accepted Answer

A) Proteins 
B) Hydrogen sulfide 
C) Lipid bilayers 
D) RNA 
A) Proteins 
B) Hydrogen sulfide 
C) Lipid bilayers 
D) RNA

Question 9

Both deletions and insertions occur during the evolution of microbial genomes.Insertions bring in new genes that may be useful for the cell,but deletions

Accepted Answer

A) may increase fitness of a microorganism by eliminating unneeded genes. 
B) always result in a severe loss of fitness for the microorganism. 
C) are uncommon because they are usually lethal. 
D) always result in a severe loss of fitness but keep microbial genomes compact. 
A) may increase fitness of a microorganism by eliminating unneeded genes. 
B) always result in a severe loss of fitness for the microorganism. 
C) are uncommon because they are usually lethal. 
D) always result in a severe loss of fitness but keep microbial genomes compact.

Question 10

Prior to rRNA sequencing and the use of molecular phylogeny,Bacteria and Archaea were classified as in a single group of simple organisms called the Monera.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Explain the endosymbiotic theory.What is the evolutionary value of endosymbiosis?

Accepted Answer

The theory states that a chemoorganotrop

Question 12

How did cyanobacteria,oxygen,and ozone impact the evolution of eukaryotic cells?

Accepted Answer

The first phototrophs on Earth were anox

Question 13

Which of the following is an assumption used in the molecular clock approach?

Accepted Answer

A) Nucleotide changes accumulate in a sequence in proportion to time. 
B) Nucleotide changes are generally NOT transferred to progeny. 
C) Nucleotide changes are NOT random. 
D) Nucleotide changes are subject to intense selective pressure. 
A) Nucleotide changes accumulate in a sequence in proportion to time. 
B) Nucleotide changes are generally NOT transferred to progeny. 
C) Nucleotide changes are NOT random. 
D) Nucleotide changes are subject to intense selective pressure.

Question 14

Rhodobacter cells perform photosynthesis in the presence of light and grow heterotrophically in the dark.After being cultured in total darkness for multiple generations phenotypic and genotypic changes occur.What phenotypic changes occur and what evolutionary processes are driving them?

Accepted Answer

When a population of phototrophs is grow

Question 15

Oxygen was a driving factor in the formation of eukaryotic cells.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

At present there are four phyla in the domain Bacteria.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Horizontal gene transfer

Accepted Answer

A) is so rare over evolutionary history that it is not considered when examining microbial evolution. 
B) occurs within bacterial species. 
C) complicates the construction of phylogenetic trees and the interpretation of specific traits in relation to evolution. 
D) only affects the evolution of plasmids. 
A) is so rare over evolutionary history that it is not considered when examining microbial evolution. 
B) occurs within bacterial species. 
C) complicates the construction of phylogenetic trees and the interpretation of specific traits in relation to evolution. 
D) only affects the evolution of plasmids.

Question 18

Which is NOT a characteristic of a "primitive" state of microbial evolution?

Accepted Answer

A) hyperthermophilic 
B) aerobic metabolism 
C) small genome 
D) branching near the root of the evolutionary tree of life 
A) hyperthermophilic 
B) aerobic metabolism 
C) small genome 
D) branching near the root of the evolutionary tree of life

Question 19

A sequence variant of a gene is called a(n)

Accepted Answer

A) allele. 
B) mutation. 
C) nucleotide polymorphism. 
D) ribotype. 
A) allele. 
B) mutation. 
C) nucleotide polymorphism. 
D) ribotype.

Question 20

Which taxonomic tool would scientists use if they wanted to determine if an outbreak of food poisoning was caused by a particular strain of a pathogen?

Accepted Answer

A) fluorescence in situ hybridization 
B) DNA:DNA hybridization 
C) multilocus sequence typing 
D) fatty acid methyl ester analysis 
A) fluorescence in situ hybridization 
B) DNA:DNA hybridization 
C) multilocus sequence typing 
D) fatty acid methyl ester analysis

Exam 12: Microbial Evolution and Systematics

The most widely used molecule in sequence-based evolutionary analyses are ________ genes.

Compared with today,the temperature on Earth during its first half-billion years was probably

Sequencing technology and molecular phylogenetic analyses have had very little impact on our understanding of the evolution and diversity of life on Earth.

Lateral gene transfer is one plausible explanation as to why organisms in Archaea,Bacteria,and Eukarya still share so many genes among such distinct domains.

Which of the following statements is FALSE concerning the universal tree of life?

Life is believed to have originated at hydrothermal springs on the ocean floor rather than on near the surface of Earth.What conditions made the hydrothermal springs the likely place for the beginning of life? Relate the conditions of the early oceans to the likely metabolism of the first cells.

Polyphasic taxonomy uses methods that include

________ formed the semipermeable membrane-like surfaces for the earliest life forms.

Both deletions and insertions occur during the evolution of microbial genomes.Insertions bring in new genes that may be useful for the cell,but deletions

Prior to rRNA sequencing and the use of molecular phylogeny,Bacteria and Archaea were classified as in a single group of simple organisms called the Monera.

Explain the endosymbiotic theory.What is the evolutionary value of endosymbiosis?

How did cyanobacteria,oxygen,and ozone impact the evolution of eukaryotic cells?

Which of the following is an assumption used in the molecular clock approach?

Rhodobacter cells perform photosynthesis in the presence of light and grow heterotrophically in the dark.After being cultured in total darkness for multiple generations phenotypic and genotypic changes occur.What phenotypic changes occur and what evolutionary processes are driving them?

Oxygen was a driving factor in the formation of eukaryotic cells.

At present there are four phyla in the domain Bacteria.

Horizontal gene transfer

Which is NOT a characteristic of a "primitive" state of microbial evolution?

A sequence variant of a gene is called a(n)

Which taxonomic tool would scientists use if they wanted to determine if an outbreak of food poisoning was caused by a particular strain of a pathogen?

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