Deck 10: The Structure and Function of Dna

Question 1

Which of the following enzymes is responsible for RNA synthesis?

A)DNA polymerase
B)reverse transcriptase
C)RNA polymerase

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Evidence for the spiral nature of DNA came from ________.

A)X-ray crystallography studies
B)studies of disease-causing bacteria
C)bacteriophage studies

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The shared genetic code of all life on Earth is evidence that ________.

A)the genetic code arose relatively late in the history of life on Earth
B)DNA replication is error-free
C)all life shares a common ancestry
D)bacterial cells arose earlier than eukaryotic cells

Answer 3

C

Question 4

What name is given to the collection of traits exhibited by an organism?

A)genome
B)genotype
C)phenotype

Question 5

Transcription is the ________.

A)manufacture of a strand of RNA complementary to a strand of DNA
B)manufacture of two new DNA double helices that are identical to an old DNA double helix
C)modification of a strand of RNA prior to the manufacture of a protein
D)manufacture of a protein based on information carried by RNA

Question 6

The region of DNA where RNA synthesis begins is the ________.

A)start codon
B)promoter
C)stop codon
D)terminator

Question 7

If guanine makes up 60% of the bases in a DNA double helix, what percent of the bases is adenine?

A)60%
B)40%
C)20%
D)50%

Question 8

Thymine and cytosine differ from adenine and guanine in that ________.

A)thymine and cytosine are single-ring structures, whereas adenine and guanine are double-ring structures
B)thymine and cytosine are only found in DNA, whereas adenine and guanine are found in both DNA and RNA
C)thymine and cytosine are only found in DNA, whereas adenine and guanine are only found in RNA

Question 9

How many amino acids are common to all living systems?

A)10
B)20
C)30
D)100

Question 10

How many nucleotides make up a codon?

A)two
B)three
C)four
D)five

Question 11

In a DNA double helix, adenine pairs with ________ and guanine pairs with ________.

A)cytosine; thymine
B)guanine; adenine
C)thymine; cytosine
D)uracil; cytosine

Question 12

DNA contains the nitrogenous base ________ instead of ________, which is found only in RNA.

A)a deoxyribose sugar; a ribose sugar
B)uracil; thymine
C)uracil; guanine
D)thymine; uracil

Question 13

The CORRECT sequence of events that occurs during transcription is ________.

A)splicing, adding a cap, adding a tail
B)initiation, elongation, termination
C)adding a tail, adding a cap, splicing
D)elongation, initiation, termination

Question 14

If a strand of DNA has the sequence GACTTA, transcription will result in a(n)________.

A)single RNA strand with the sequence CUGAAU
B)DNA double helix with the sequence CTGAAT for one strand and TAAGTC for the complementary strand
C)single RNA strand with the sequence CTGAAT
D)DNA double helix with the sequence CUGAAU for one strand and UAAGUC for the complementary strand

Question 15

After replication, ________.

A)each new DNA double helix consists of two old strands
B)each new DNA double helix consists of one old strand and one new strand
C)each new DNA double helix consists of two new strands

Question 16

DNA replication ________.

A)is a slow process that results in virtually no errors
B)requires DNA polymerase and RNA polymerase
C)is a fast process that results in numerous errors
D)requires the cooperation of over a dozen enzymes and other proteins

Question 17

What type of chemical bond joins the bases of complementary DNA strands?

A)ionic
B)covalent
C)hydrogen

Question 18

If one strand of a DNA double helix has the sequence ATCCGA, what is the sequence of the other strand?

A)ATCCGA
B)TAGGCT
C)AGCCTA
D)UAGGCU

Question 19

The backbone of DNA consists of ________.

A)nitrogenous bases
B)a repeating sugar-nucleotide-sugar-nucleotide pattern
C)a repeating sugar-phosphate-sugar-phosphate pattern
D)paired nucleotides

Question 20

DNA and RNA are polymers composed of ________ monomers.

A)nucleotide
B)carbohydrate
C)fatty acid
D)amino acid

Question 21

A(n)________ is to bacteria as a ________ is to animal cells.

A)retrovirus; virus
B)phage; prophage
C)prophage; provirus
D)RNA virus; DNA virus

Question 22

A mutation within a gene that will insert a premature stop codon in mRNA would ________.

A)result in a longer polypeptide chain
B)result in a shortened polypeptide chain
C)change the location at which transcription of the next gene begins
D)have the same effect as deleting a single nucleotide in the gene

Question 23

Scientific research companies sell kits that allow researchers to produce proteins in test tubes via a process known as "in vitro translation." All of the following components are needed except one. Choose the exception.

A)amino acids
B)transfer RNA
C)DNA
D)ribosomes

Question 24

The DNA codon GTA codes for an amino acid carried by a tRNA with the anticodon ________.

A)ATG
B)CAU
C)CAT
D)GAU

Question 25

What is the ultimate source of all diversity?

A)natural selection
B)sexual recombination
C)meiosis
D)mutation

Question 26

Peptide bonds form between ________.

A)amino acids
B)an mRNA codon and a tRNA anticodon
C)a tRNA and the amino acid it is carrying
D)an mRNA transcript and the small ribosomal subunit

Question 27

How can bacteriophage DNA be spread from cell to cell without causing cell death?

A)by altering the way a cell splices its RNA
B)via a lytic cycle
C)via a lysogenic cycle
D)by changing the length of its DNA molecules

Question 28

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)must use its own ________ to reproduce.

A)DNA polymerase
B)reverse transcriptase
C)RNA polymerase
D)tRNA

Question 29

What cellular structure facilitates the process of translation?

A)lysosomes
B)smooth endoplasmic reticulum
C)peroxisomes
D)ribosomes

Question 30

Translation converts the information stored in ________ to ________.

A)DNA; RNA
B)RNA; a polypeptide
C)DNA; a polypeptide
D)RNA; DNA

Question 31

What protects mRNA from attack by cellular enzymes?

A)RNA splicing
B)the removal of exons
C)a cap and tail

Question 32

The absence of a terminator in transcription will result in ________.

A)a strand of mRNA that lacks its cap and tail
B)the production of a longer RNA molecule
C)the production of a shorter RNA molecule

Question 33

The expressed (coding)regions of eukaryotic genes are called ________.

A)promoters
B)exons
C)introns

Question 34

Mad cow disease is caused by ________.

A)a retrovirus similar to HIV
B)an enveloped virus
C)infectious proteins called prions

Question 35

As an experiment, you infect bacteria with an unknown virus to see how the virus affects the bacteria. After a few days, you notice that the bacterial population is growing normally and that the cells appear healthy. Assuming that the infection occurred successfully, what can you conclude from your observations?

A)The virus is a bacteriophage that is reproducing via the lytic cycle.
B)The virus is a retrovirus that is reproducing via the lytic cycle.
C)The virus is a bacteriophage that is reproducing via the lysogenic cycle.
D)The virus is a retrovirus that is reproducing via the lysogenic cycle.

Question 36

All of the following are examples of potential emerging viruses except one. Choose the exception.

A)a virus that is harmful to humans mutates very slowly over long periods of time
B)a virus that is normally harmless to humans undergoes rapid mutations
C)a virus that begins to infect people in Los Angeles, a popular tourist destination
D)a virus that affects primarily rabbits mutates and begins to infect humans

Question 37

What is the smallest number of nucleotides that must be added or subtracted to change the triplet grouping of the genetic message?

A)one
B)two
C)three
D)four

Question 38

Plant viruses ________.

A)often use RNA, rather than DNA, as their genetic material
B)benefit plants, rather than causing disease
C)cause diseases that can be easily cured
D)do not exist, as viruses attack only animals

Question 39

During translation, what is the CORRECT order of events that occur as an amino acid is added to a growing polypeptide chain?

A)codon recognition, peptide bond formation, translocation
B)translocation, codon recognition, termination
C)initiation, codon recognition, termination
D)peptide bond formation, translocation, codon recognition

Question 40

The RNA that is translated into a polypeptide is ________ RNA.

A)ribosomal
B)transfer
C)messenger

Question 41

Consider the following figure. It illustrates that a single amino acid substitution in the hemoglobin gene ________.

A)always involves adenine and uracil
B)changes an amino acid in the hemoglobin protein
C)is a silent mutation
D)causes a nonsense mutation

Question 42

All of the following are ways that viruses may give rise to new diseases except one. Choose the exception.

A)viruses can evolve into more dangerous forms
B)viruses can spread from one host species to another
C)viruses are made of DNA that cannot be used to make vaccines
D)viruses from small, isolated populations can spread

Question 43

An mRNA is expressed that begins with the sequence AUGGGGCGAAUU. Using the genetic code below, determine what peptide will be translated from this mRNA.

A)Ser-Pro-Thr-Val
B)Met-Gly-Arg-Ile
C)Asp-Met-Val-Gly
D)Val-Gly-Glu-Met

Question 44

Once viruses are detected, the number of viruses increases rapidly. This is because ________.

A)lysogeny produces large numbers of bacteriophages
B)DNA viruses reproduce more rapidly than RNA viruses
C)the host cell speeds the release process
D)the viruses lyse the hosts to release mature viruses quickly in a short amount of time

Question 45

Please read the following scenario to answer the following questions.
While working with cultured mouse cells, a researcher unknowingly treated the cells with a mutagen that causes the deletion or insertion of individual nucleotides in DNA. Subsequently, the researcher isolated and cultured a single cell from this group and noticed that the progeny of this cell were not producing a certain protein, and that this affected their survival.
The mutation would be most harmful to the cells if it resulted in ________.

A)a single nucleotide insertion near the start of the coding sequence
B)a single nucleotide deletion near the end of the coding sequence
C)a single nucleotide change in the middle of an intron
D)deletion of a triplet near the middle of the gene

Question 46

Assume that you want to take a sample of viruses so that you could use them to infect the most bacteria. At what point on the graph should you take your sample from if you want to achieve this goal?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 47

Prions are infectious molecules that can cause brain diseases in several animals. What type of molecule is a prion?

A)DNA
B)protein
C)RNA
D)carbohydrate

Question 48

Researchers tested RNA vaccines against the West Nile virus in dogs and cats. The study design for this experiment is shown in the figure. What group(s)was(were)the experimental groups?

A)placebo for dogs and cats only
B)low dose of vaccine for cats and dogs only
C)high dose of vaccine for cats and low dose of vaccine for dogs only
D)low dose and high dose of vaccine for cats and low dose of vaccine for dogs only

Question 49

At what point on the graph are the viruses increasing in number the fastest?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 50

The researcher isolated a different single cell and determined that it was producing a certain protein. However, the protein was much shorter than it should have been. What kind of mutation likely occurred in this protein?

A)one that introduced a silent mutation
B)one that substituted amino acids
C)one that introduced a premature stop codon
D)one that deleted an entire amino acid

Question 51

This figure shows the reproductive cycle of a virus that causes mumps. If a researcher wanted to develop a drug to prevent mumps proteins from being translated, what step would they target?

A)Step 2
B)Step 3
C)Step 4
D)Step 5

Question 52

Please read the following scenario to answer the following questions
If you were asked to study the pattern of bacterial growth (increase in numbers over time)during an infection, you would find that numbers of bacteria increase exponentially up to a certain point. Assume that you have been asked to interpret the growth of bacteriophages. You infect the host bacteria and measure the increase of phages over a defined period of time. You plot the results and observe the graph shown here.
The first thing you notice is that there is no immediate increase in viruses following infection. This is because ________.

A)it takes the virus time to adapt to the host
B)although the virus has infected the host, it takes time to complete the lytic cycle
C)the host is immune to the virus
D)the virus is in a lysogenic cycle throughout the experiment

Question 53

Researchers are currently investigating different forms of anti-HIV drugs. Which could be an effective drug to prevent HIV from being incorporated into human chromosomes?

A)a drug that prevents the HIV protein from being folded properly
B)a drug that increases the activity of reverse transcriptase
C)a drug that blocks DNA transport through the nuclear envelope
D)a drug that inhibits replication of the provirus

Question 54

What population is at the highest risk of being affected by Zika virus?

A)people over the age of 80
B)young adults (age 18 to 25)
C)children (age 5 to 10)
D)developing babies (less than one year old)

Question 55

Please read the following scenario to answer the following questions.
While working with cultured mouse cells, a researcher unknowingly treated the cells with a mutagen that causes the deletion or insertion of individual nucleotides in DNA. Subsequently, the researcher isolated and cultured a single cell from this group and noticed that the progeny of this cell were not producing a certain protein, and that this affected their survival.
The mutation that resulted from the accident was probably ________.

A)an amino acid substitution
B)one that changed the triplet grouping of the genetic message
C)an error in translation
D)a loss in regulation of gene expression

Question 56

Examine the genetic code table shown below. The codon CAU codes for the amino acid ________.

A)isoleucine
B)histidine
C)glutamine
D)leucine

Question 57

The accompanying figure shows the flow of genetic information in a eukaryotic cell. The transfer of information from RNA into a protein is known as ________.

A)DNA replication
B)transcription
C)translation

Question 58

How is Zika virus most commonly transmitted?

A)through human saliva
B)through a single species of mosquito
C)through medical needles
D)through spider bites

Question 59

RNA vaccines have shown promise but have yet to be tested in humans. However, further evidence needs to be collected before human clinical trials can begin. Which would be the best experiment to perform to test the efficacy of an RNA vaccine against Zika virus in mice?

A)Give one group of healthy mice the vaccine. Then infect the mice with the Zika virus and test their blood for the presence of Zika virus.
B)Give one group of healthy mice the vaccine and another healthy group a placebo. Then infect both groups with the Zika virus and test their blood for the presence of Zika virus.
C)Give one group of mice already infected with Zika virus the vaccine and another healthy group a placebo. Then infect the healthy group with the Zika virus and test the blood of both groups for the presence of Zika virus.
D)Give one group of mice already infected with Zika virus the vaccine and another group already infected with the Zika virus a placebo. Then test the blood of both groups for the presence of Zika virus.