Question 1

Which of the following is a method of signal amplification?

Accepted Answer

A)  Transcription-mediated amplification (TM
A)  
B)  Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) 
C)  Ligase chain reaction (LCR) 
D)  Branched DNA assay (bDN
A)  
A)  Transcription-mediated amplification (TM
A)  
B)  Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) 
C)  Ligase chain reaction (LCR) 
D)  Branched DNA assay (bDN
A)  D

Question 2

In PCR, an instrument is used to increase and decrease the temperature at set intervals as programmed by the technologist in order to:

Accepted Answer

A)  Prevent the Taq polymerase from being denatured 
B)  Avoid the formation of primer dimers on a post-PCR gel image 
C)  Determine the reaction that is occurring in the sample 
D)  Neutralize potential contamination from previous amplicons 
A)  Prevent the Taq polymerase from being denatured 
B)  Avoid the formation of primer dimers on a post-PCR gel image 
C)  Determine the reaction that is occurring in the sample 
D)  Neutralize potential contamination from previous amplicons C

Question 3

Real-time PCR differs from standard PCR in which way?

Accepted Answer

A)  Standard PCR is faster. 
B)  Real-time PCR is less sensitive. 
C)  Real-time PCR is quantitative. 
D)  Standard PCR is more specific. 
A)  Standard PCR is faster. 
B)  Real-time PCR is less sensitive. 
C)  Real-time PCR is quantitative. 
D)  Standard PCR is more specific. C

Question 4

A PCR assay is performed, and the results are being analyzed. The positive control has a band at the expected size; the negative template control has a band at the same size as the positive control; the contamination control has no band; and the amplification control has a band of expected size. All of the patient samples that were run had a band the same size as the band seen in the positive and negative template control wells. How are these results interpreted?

Accepted Answer

A)  This is an acceptable run, and the patients should all be reported as positive. 
B)  This run is not acceptable because the amplification control should not have a band. 
C)  This run is not acceptable because the contamination control should have a band. 
D)  This run is not acceptable because the negative template control should not have a band. 
A)  This is an acceptable run, and the patients should all be reported as positive. 
B)  This run is not acceptable because the amplification control should not have a band. 
C)  This run is not acceptable because the contamination control should have a band. 
D)  This run is not acceptable because the negative template control should not have a band.

Question 5

Which of the following techniques is a primer-directed in vitro enzymatic reaction for the production of multiple copies of a specific DNA fragment found in a clinical sample?

Accepted Answer

A)  Strand displacement amplification 
B)  Polymerase chain reaction 
C)  Cleavage-based amplification 
D)  Hybrid capture assay 
A)  Strand displacement amplification 
B)  Polymerase chain reaction 
C)  Cleavage-based amplification 
D)  Hybrid capture assay

Question 6

Which of the following is the most likely source of PCR contamination?

Accepted Answer

A)  Unfiltered dust particles 
B)  Environmental fungi 
C)  Eyelashes 
D)  PCR products from a previous reaction 
A)  Unfiltered dust particles 
B)  Environmental fungi 
C)  Eyelashes 
D)  PCR products from a previous reaction

Question 7

A PCR reaction that uses more than one primer pair is called:

Accepted Answer

A)  Long-range PCR 
B)  Multiplex PCR 
C)  Signal amplification 
D)  Quantitative PCR 
A)  Long-range PCR 
B)  Multiplex PCR 
C)  Signal amplification 
D)  Quantitative PCR

Question 8

Starting with a single target, how many copies are produced in a PCR reaction of 30 cycles?

Accepted Answer

A)  30 
B)  302 
C)  230 
D)  2 x 30 
A)  30 
B)  302 
C)  230 
D)  2 x 30

Question 9

The specificity of the PCR reaction is determined by which of the following components?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mg2+ concentration 
B)  Deoxynucleotides 
C)  DNA polymerase 
D)  Primers 
A)  Mg2+ concentration 
B)  Deoxynucleotides 
C)  DNA polymerase 
D)  Primers

Question 10

Which of the following PCR modifications was developed to allow for the amplification of an RNA template?

Accepted Answer

A)  Multiplex 
B)  Nested 
C)  Reverse transcriptase 
D)  Real-time 
A)  Multiplex 
B)  Nested 
C)  Reverse transcriptase 
D)  Real-time

Question 11

Transcription-mediated amplification obtains:

Accepted Answer

A)  DNA from RNA 
B)  RNA from DNA 
C)  DNA from DNA 
D)  DNA from RNA and RNA from DNA 
A)  DNA from RNA 
B)  RNA from DNA 
C)  DNA from DNA 
D)  DNA from RNA and RNA from DNA

Question 12

What is the purpose of an amplification control in PCR?

Accepted Answer

A)  To check for contamination 
B)  To distinguish true positives from false positives 
C)  To distinguish true negatives from false negatives 
D)  To protect the template from degradation 
A)  To check for contamination 
B)  To distinguish true positives from false positives 
C)  To distinguish true negatives from false negatives 
D)  To protect the template from degradation

Question 13

Which modification of PCR uses short primers with random sequences that generate the amplification of many different products?

Accepted Answer

A)  Reverse transcriptase 
B)  Real-time 
C)  Nested 
D)  Arbitrarily primed 
A)  Reverse transcriptase 
B)  Real-time 
C)  Nested 
D)  Arbitrarily primed

Question 14

Which of the following steps can be taken to minimize mis-priming in a PCR procedure?

Accepted Answer

A)  Use high-quality deoxynucleotides, buffers, and enzymes. 
B)  Seclude the polymerase from the template and primers before amplification. 
C)  Load the samples carefully for gel electrophoresis of PCR products. 
D)  Keep the reaction mix at room temperature prior to amplification. 
A)  Use high-quality deoxynucleotides, buffers, and enzymes. 
B)  Seclude the polymerase from the template and primers before amplification. 
C)  Load the samples carefully for gel electrophoresis of PCR products. 
D)  Keep the reaction mix at room temperature prior to amplification.

Question 15

Which of the following is the function of SYBR Green in quantitative PCR?

Accepted Answer

A)  Detection of the PCR product 
B)  Facilitates amplification 
C)  Prevents contamination 
D)  Minimizes mis-priming 
A)  Detection of the PCR product 
B)  Facilitates amplification 
C)  Prevents contamination 
D)  Minimizes mis-priming

Question 16

What is TaqMan?

Accepted Answer

A)  A qPCR probe system 
B)  High-efficiency buffer used in PCR 
C)  A special PCR enzyme 
D)  A video game 
A)  A qPCR probe system 
B)  High-efficiency buffer used in PCR 
C)  A special PCR enzyme 
D)  A video game

Question 17

Nucleic acid has been isolated from a urethral swab and a PCR is performed on the sample to detect Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The positive control has a band at the expected size; the negative template control and the contamination controls do not have bands; and the amplification control has a band of expected size. The patient sample has a band consistent with the amplification control band and does not have a band corresponding to the positive control band. How is this result interpreted?

Accepted Answer

A)  The patient has a positive PCR result for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. 
B)  The results are not acceptable because the control results are invalid. 
C)  The patient does not have Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and it is a true negative result. 
D)  The patient has a false negative result for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. 
A)  The patient has a positive PCR result for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. 
B)  The results are not acceptable because the control results are invalid. 
C)  The patient does not have Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and it is a true negative result. 
D)  The patient has a false negative result for Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Question 18

Which of the following PCR controls ensures that the enzyme is active, the buffer is optimal, and the primers are priming the correct target sequence and must have a PCR product detected in order to be valid?

Accepted Answer

A)  Positive control 
B)  Negative template control 
C)  Contamination control 
D)  Amplification control 
A)  Positive control 
B)  Negative template control 
C)  Contamination control 
D)  Amplification control

Question 19

TaqMan, molecular beacons, and scorpion-type primers are all used in which of the following procedures?

Accepted Answer

A)  Branched DNA assays 
B)  Quantitative PCR 
C)  Transcription-mediated amplification 
D)  Multiplex PCR 
A)  Branched DNA assays 
B)  Quantitative PCR 
C)  Transcription-mediated amplification 
D)  Multiplex PCR

Question 20

What type of PCR starts with an RNA template?

Accepted Answer

A)  Real-time PCR 
B)  Multiplex PCR 
C)  Reverse transcriptase PCR 
D)  Sequence-specific PCR 
A)  Real-time PCR 
B)  Multiplex PCR 
C)  Reverse transcriptase PCR 
D)  Sequence-specific PCR

Which of the following is a method of signal amplification?

In PCR, an instrument is used to increase and decrease the temperature at set intervals as programmed by the technologist in order to:

Real-time PCR differs from standard PCR in which way?

Which of the following techniques is a primer-directed in vitro enzymatic reaction for the production of multiple copies of a specific DNA fragment found in a clinical sample?

Which of the following is the most likely source of PCR contamination?

A PCR reaction that uses more than one primer pair is called:

Starting with a single target, how many copies are produced in a PCR reaction of 30 cycles?

The specificity of the PCR reaction is determined by which of the following components?

Which of the following PCR modifications was developed to allow for the amplification of an RNA template?

Transcription-mediated amplification obtains:

What is the purpose of an amplification control in PCR?

Which modification of PCR uses short primers with random sequences that generate the amplification of many different products?

Which of the following steps can be taken to minimize mis-priming in a PCR procedure?

Which of the following is the function of SYBR Green in quantitative PCR?

What is TaqMan?

Which of the following PCR controls ensures that the enzyme is active, the buffer is optimal, and the primers are priming the correct target sequence and must have a PCR product detected in order to be valid?

TaqMan, molecular beacons, and scorpion-type primers are all used in which of the following procedures?

What type of PCR starts with an RNA template?

DNA

RNA

Proteins

Nucleic Acid Extraction Methods

Resolution and Detection of Nucleic Acids

Analysis and Characterization of Nucleic Acids and Proteins

Chromosomal Structure and Chromosomal Mutations

Gene Mutations

DNA Sequencing

DNA Polymorphisms and Human Identification

Detection and Identification of Microorganisms

Molecular Detection of Inherited Diseases

Molecular Oncology

DNA-Based Tissue Typing

Quality Assurance and Quality Control in the Molecular Laboratory

Filters

Exam 7: Nucleic Acid Amplification

Which of the following is a method of signal amplification?

In PCR, an instrument is used to increase and decrease the temperature at set intervals as programmed by the technologist in order to:

Real-time PCR differs from standard PCR in which way?

Which of the following techniques is a primer-directed in vitro enzymatic reaction for the production of multiple copies of a specific DNA fragment found in a clinical sample?

Which of the following is the most likely source of PCR contamination?

A PCR reaction that uses more than one primer pair is called:

Starting with a single target, how many copies are produced in a PCR reaction of 30 cycles?

The specificity of the PCR reaction is determined by which of the following components?

Which of the following PCR modifications was developed to allow for the amplification of an RNA template?

Transcription-mediated amplification obtains:

What is the purpose of an amplification control in PCR?

Which modification of PCR uses short primers with random sequences that generate the amplification of many different products?

Which of the following steps can be taken to minimize mis-priming in a PCR procedure?

Which of the following is the function of SYBR Green in quantitative PCR?

What is TaqMan?

Which of the following PCR controls ensures that the enzyme is active, the buffer is optimal, and the primers are priming the correct target sequence and must have a PCR product detected in order to be valid?

TaqMan, molecular beacons, and scorpion-type primers are all used in which of the following procedures?

What type of PCR starts with an RNA template?

DNA

RNA

Proteins

Nucleic Acid Extraction Methods

Resolution and Detection of Nucleic Acids

Analysis and Characterization of Nucleic Acids and Proteins

Chromosomal Structure and Chromosomal Mutations

Gene Mutations

DNA Sequencing

DNA Polymorphisms and Human Identification

Detection and Identification of Microorganisms

Molecular Detection of Inherited Diseases

Molecular Oncology

DNA-Based Tissue Typing

Quality Assurance and Quality Control in the Molecular Laboratory

Filters