Exam 20: The Molecular Revolution: Biotechnology and Beyond

The restriction enzymes BamHI and BclI cut at the points indicated by arrows: If one sample of DNA was cut with BamHI and another with BclI, and these two samples were mixed and treated with DNA ligase, what would occur?

The best type of scientist to organize a large amount of genome sequence data would be someone who specializes in ________.

If mRNAs could be ligated and replicated within plasmids, what enzyme commonly used in recombinant DNA technology would no longer be needed?

What can proteomics reveal that genomics cannot?

A recent study compared the Homo sapiens genome with that of Neanderthals. The results of the study indicated a mixing of the two genomes at some period in evolutionary history. Additional data consistent with this hypothesis could be the discovery of ________.

In a single polymerase chain reaction (PCR) cycle consisting of 15 seconds at 94°C, 30 seconds at 50°C, and 1 minute at 72°C, what is happening in the step run at 50°C?

Proteomics is defined as the ________.

The mechanism for the spread of long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) involves some unique features, including ________.

What information is critical to the success of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) itself?

What is the function of reverse transcriptase in retroviruses?

Viruses use the host's machinery to make copies of themselves. However, some human viruses require a type of replication that humans do not normally have. For example, humans normally do not have the ability to convert RNA into DNA. How can these types of viruses infect humans, when human cells cannot perform a particular role that the virus requires?

Bioinformatics includes ________. I. using computer programs to align DNA sequences II. creating recombinant DNA from separate species III. developing computer-based tools for genome analysis IV. using mathematical tools to make sense of biological systems

The genes needed for β-carotene synthesis are not normally expressed in endosperm. In the creation of golden rice, how did researchers ensure that these genes were expressed in rice endosperm?

If alternative splicing did NOT occur, then ________.

One example of an innovation from an unexpected source comes from studies of tumor-like plant growths. What information did the study of plant tumors provide that was critical for plant genetic engineering?

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) 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 receptor tyrosine kinase. 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?

An early step in shotgun sequencing is to ________.

Metagenomics aims to learn about the diversity of organisms, particularly microbes that inhabit natural environments. J. Craig Venter, a key figure in the race to obtain the human genome sequence, and his colleagues pioneered this approach in a study that analyzed DNA obtained from microbes collected from the Sargasso Sea, an intensively studied, nutrient-impoverished part of the Caribbean lying to the southeast of Bermuda. (C. J. Venter, K. Remington, J. F. Heidelberg, A. L. Halpern, D. Rusch, J. A. Eisen, D. Wu, I. Paulsen, K. E. Nelson, W. Nelson, D. E. Fouts, S. Levy, A. H. Knap, M. W. Lomas, K. Nealson, O. White, J. Peterson, J. Hoffman, R. Parsons, H. Baden-Tillson, C. Pfannkock, Y.-H. Rogers, and H. O. Smith. 2004. Environmental genome shotgun sequencing of the Sargasso Sea. Science 304:66-74.) -Refer to the paragraph on the Venter et al. paper and the accompanying table. Because DNAs for sequencing were chosen at random with no way of knowing which organism they came from, how could genes be identified?

Transgenic mice are useful to human researchers because they ________.

Metagenomics aims to learn about the diversity of organisms, particularly microbes that inhabit natural environments. J. Craig Venter, a key figure in the race to obtain the human genome sequence, and his colleagues pioneered this approach in a study that analyzed DNA obtained from microbes collected from the Sargasso Sea, an intensively studied, nutrient-impoverished part of the Caribbean lying to the southeast of Bermuda. (C. J. Venter, K. Remington, J. F. Heidelberg, A. L. Halpern, D. Rusch, J. A. Eisen, D. Wu, I. Paulsen, K. E. Nelson, W. Nelson, D. E. Fouts, S. Levy, A. H. Knap, M. W. Lomas, K. Nealson, O. White, J. Peterson, J. Hoffman, R. Parsons, H. Baden-Tillson, C. Pfannkock, Y.-H. Rogers, and H. O. Smith. 2004. Environmental genome shotgun sequencing of the Sargasso Sea. Science 304:66-74.) -Refer to the paragraph on the Venter et al. paper and the accompanying table. How do you think expected genes were placed into the categories shown in the table?