Deck 1: Introduction to Genetics

Question 1

Which of the following theories of inheritance is currently considered TRUE?

A)Germ-plasm theory
B)Pangenesis
C)Blending inheritance
D)Inheritance of acquired characteristics
E)None of the above is considered true based on new evidence.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following scientists contributed significantly to the foundations of transmission genetics?

A)James Watson
B)Thomas Hunt Morgan
C)Francis Crick
D)Charles Darwin
E)Kary Mullis

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The contribution Charles Darwin made to biology was to:

A)demonstrate the connection between Mendel's principles of inheritance and evolution.
B)propose that evolution occurs by natural selection.
C)develop the theory of evolution, based on earlier theories of population genetics.
D)connect the fields of evolution and molecular genetics.
E)demonstrate that genes were located on chromosomes.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following topics of research belongs to the discipline of transmission genetics?

A)Inheritance pattern of gene alleles
B)Mechanism of DNA replication
C)Gene expression patterns
D)Evolution
E)Chemical modification of nucleic acids

Question 5

Which of the following examples of scientist and their contribution is matched INCORRECTLY?

A)Watson and Crick-Chemical structure of DNA
B)Mendel-Principles of heredity using pea plants
C)Flemming-An accurate description of mitosis
D)Morgan-Polymerase chain reaction
E)Sutton-Genes on chromosomes as units of inheritance

Question 6

The three-dimensional structure of DNA was first deciphered based on the work of:

A)James Watson.
B)Francis Crick.
C)Maurice Wilkins.
D)Rosalind Franklin.
E)All of the above answers are correct.

Question 7

Which of the following CORRECTLY describes the cell theory?

A)Genetic information from different parts of the body travels to the reproductive organs.
B)The cell is the compositional and functional unit of all life.
C)Inside the germ cells, there exists a fully formed miniature adult that enlarges in the course of development.
D)The genetic material itself blends, which cannot be separated out in future generations.
E)Traits acquired in a person's lifetime become incorporated into the person's hereditary information, which will be passed onto the person's offspring.

Question 8

Which one of the following topics belongs to a different subdiscipline of genetics when compared to the rest?

A)Mechanism of gene regulation
B)Allele frequencies of certain genes differ in different environments
C)Transcription
D)Replication of chromosomes
E)Translation

Question 9

The first complete DNA sequence of a nonviral, free-living organism was obtained for:

A)a bacterium in 1900.
B)a bacterium in 1945.
C)a bacterium in 1995.
D)humans in 1990.
E)humans in 2000.

Question 10

Identify a TRUE statement from the descriptions concerning genetics.

A)The theory of pangenesis states that all living organisms are composed of cells.
B)Bacteria are not useful in studying genes and inheritance because they are structurally and metabolically different from eukaryotic cells.
C)Charles Darwin accurately described the laws of inheritance in his landmark book, On the Origin of Species.
D)Many human traits, such as skin and hair color, are determined by more than a single gene.
E)Evolution can occur without genetic changes in the population.

Question 11

Which of the following scientists contributed significantly to the foundations of molecular genetics?

A)James Watson
B)Thomas Hunt Morgan
C)Walther Flemming
D)Charles Darwin
E)Walter Sutton

Question 12

Which of the following would be LEAST useful as a model for analyzing the mechanisms of inheritance?

A)Fruit flies
B)Humans
C)Yeast
D)Mice
E)Zebrafish

Question 13

Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A)All genomes are encoded in DNA only.
B)All genomes are encoded in nucleic acids.
C)All genomes are encoded in proteins only.
D)The genetic instructions are decoded completely differently in each organism.
E)The molecular mechanism suggests life evolved from multiple primordial ancestors.

Question 14

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)Each subdiscipline of genetics is very specific as to what is explored and does not overlap with the other subdisciplines.
B)All phenotypes or traits are always determined by multiple genes.
C)Albinism rises from the overexpression of the gene that controls the synthesis and storage of melanin.
D)Humans make excellent model organisms because they have long life spans.
E)None of the statements above are true.

Question 15

Choose the CORRECT match between the scientist and the field of genetics that they made a contribution to.

A)Watson and Crick-Transmission genetics
B)Mendel-Molecular genetics
C)Flemming-Population genetics
D)Darwin-Molecular genetics
E)Morgan-Transmission genetics

Question 16

The complete genetic makeup of an organism is referred to as its:

A)chromosome.
B)alleles.
C)locus.
D)genome.
E)phenotype.

Question 17

Which of the following pairings between the subdiscipline of genetics and the phenomenon is INCORRECT?

A)Evolution-Population genetics
B)Gene regulation-Molecular genetics
C)Allelic frequency alteration-Population genetics
D)Arrangement of genes on chromosome-Transmission genetics
E)Chemical nature of the gene-Transmission genetics

Question 18

Identify a FALSE statement from the descriptions of genetics.

A)Humans first applied genetics to the domestication of plants and animals between approximately 10, 000 and 12, 000 years ago.
B)Many of the model organisms used in genetic research are useful because they have short generation times.
C)Albinism results from a mutation in the genes that control the synthesis and storage of melanin.
D)All human traits that display blending inheritance are affected by a single gene.
E)The process by which genetic information is copied and decoded is similar for all forms of life.

Question 19

Which of the following theories of inheritance is no longer accepted as TRUE?

A)Pangenesis
B)Blending inheritance
C)Inheritance of acquired characteristics
D)Preformationism
E)None of the above is currently considered true.

Question 20

Which of the following species is considered a model genetic organism?

A)The plant, Linaria vulgaris
B)The deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus
C)The worm, Caenorhabditis elegans
D)The frog, Hyla chrysoscelis
E)The chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes

Question 21

Albinism is rare in most human populations, occurring at a frequency of about 1 in 20, 000 people.However, the trait occurs at a frequency of 1 in 200 in certain Hopi villages of Black Mesa in Arizona.Explain in terms of natural selection why the trait is so much more common among the Hopis of Black Mesa.

Question 22

List some traits of a species that make it ideal as a genetic model organism.

Question 23

A change in the frequencies of genetic variants within a population over time leads to:

A)a genome.
B)a phenotype.
C)a genotype.
D)mutations.
E)evolution.

Question 24

A form of a gene that has a slightly different sequence than other forms of the same gene but encodes the same type of an RNA or protein, is called a(n):

A)locus.
B)allele.
C)homologous chromosome.
D)heterozygote.
E)homozygote.

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT a part of a single nucleotide?

A)Nitrogenous base
B)Sugar
C)Hydrogen bond
D)Phosphate
E)Nitrogenous base and sugar are both correct.

Question 26

A measurable or observable trait or characteristic is called a:

A)phenotype.
B)genotype.
C)single-nucleotide polymorphism.
D)small interfering RNA.
E)gene bank.

Question 27

Albinism is rare in most human populations, occurring at a frequency of about 1 in 20, 000 people.However, the trait occurs at a frequency of 1 in 200 in certain Hopi villages of Black Mesa in Arizona.Explain in terms of natural selection why albinism is so rare in most human populations.

Question 28

Which of the following nitrogenous bases is found in RNA but not in DNA?

A)Guanine
B)Cytosine
C)Uracil
D)Adenine
E)Thymine

Question 29

Who developed polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a technique that quickly amplifies samples of DNA?

A)Kary Mullis
B)James Watson
C)Walter Sutton
D)Thomas Hunt Morgan
E)Maurice Wilkins

Question 30

Which of the following model organisms was initially used to discover a human gene SLC24A5 that helps to determine level of skin pigmentation?

A)Nematode (Caenorhabditis elegans)
B)Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
C)Fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster)
D)Clawed frog (Xenopus laevis)
E)Corn (Zea mays)

Question 31

_____ combines molecular biology and computer science.

A)Single-nucleotide polymorphism
B)MicroRNAs
C)Polymerase chain reaction
D)Bioinformatics
E)Eukaryotics

Question 32

Genetic information can be carried in which of the following biomolecules?

A)Proteins
B)DNA and not RNA
C)RNA and not DNA
D)Either DNA or RNA
E)Proteins and not RNA

Question 33

Which of the following model organisms is a prokaryote?

A)Drosophila melanogaster
B)Mus musculus
C)Saccharomycetes cerevisiae
D)Escherichia coli
E)Arabidopsis thaliana

Question 34

Permanent, heritable changes in genetic information (DNA)are called:

A)evolution.
B)defects.
C)phenotypes.
D)alleles.
E)mutations.

Question 35

Albinism is rare in most human populations, occurring at a frequency of about 1 in 20, 000 people.However, the trait occurs at a frequency of 1 in 200 in certain Hopi villages of Black Mesa in Arizona.In light of this example and others that you might be aware of, critique the idea that a particular allele is either always beneficial (adaptive)or always harmful (maladaptive).

Question 36

A giraffe reaches for food from the high branches of trees.Over a period of generations of this type of activity, the necks of giraffes increase in length.Which incorrect notion of inheritance would this example BEST represent?

A)Blending inheritance
B)Pangenesis
C)Inheritance of acquired characteristics
D)Preformationism
E)Cell theory

Question 37

Within cells, genes are located on structures called:

A)genomes.
B)chromosomes.
C)phenotypes.
D)genotypes.
E)alleles.

Question 38

Albinism in humans is sometimes caused by a mutation in the OCA2 gene.Albinism is a _____ while the mutant DNA sequence in the OCA2 gene that causes albinism is a _____.

A)genome; allele
B)allele; chromosome mutation
C)allele; genome
D)mutation; trait
E)phenotype; genotype

Question 39

Which CORRECTLY shows the flow of genetic information during gene expression?

A)RNA $\rightarrow$ DNA $\rightarrow$ protein
B)Protein $\rightarrow$ DNA $\rightarrow$ RNA
C)DNA $\rightarrow$ RNA $\rightarrow$ protein
D)DNA $\rightarrow$ protein $\rightarrow$ DNA
E)None of the above answers is correct.

Question 40

_____ is a change in genetic variant frequencies of a population over time.

A)Blending inheritance
B)Preformation
C)Genome
D)Evolution
E)Phenotype

Question 41

The "Green Revolution" involved which of the following?

A)An increase in food production by the genetic manipulation of crop plants
B)The development of new drugs through the biotech industry
C)Irrigation of formerly desert lands so that new farming locations could be developed
D)The use of genetics to develop alternative fuel sources so that oil and coal will no longer be needed
E)The completion of the human genome project that allows more diseases to be studied at a molecular level

Question 42

Write a paragraph explaining why genetics is considered a young science, even though people have been applying genetic principles for thousands of years.

Question 43

List and describe two significant events in the history of genetics that occurred during the twentieth century.

Question 44

Evolution can be viewed as which of the following?

A)The transition from somatic cells to sex cells by mitosis is followed by mutations created in the DNA.
B)A change in the environment of a group of plants is followed by the replacement of plants with DNA genomes by plants with RNA genomes.
C)A competition for food resources occurs between two species occupying the same location
D)There are several alleles for a single gene so that multiple phenotypes for a plant or animal is possible.
E)Genetic variation arises, and some genetic variants increase in frequency while others decrease in frequency.

Question 45

What is the BEST way to describe most of the variation in height in human populations?

A)It is the result of mainly epigenetic changes in a few dozen genes and some variation in the amount of medical care that individuals receive.
B)It is the result of variation in human diets and variation in genes that exist on one of our chromosomes.
C)Unlike variation in weight, variation in height is mainly the result of structural differences among the chromosomes.
D)Variation in height is due to variation in hundreds of genes and environmental factors.
E)Most of the variation in height is due to variation among blood groups.

Question 46

What common-sense observation makes the theory of acquired characteristics unlikely?

Question 47

The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is an important model system for studying inheritance in animals and genetic control of animal development, including humans.Evaluate fruit flies as a model system for human biology.What are their strengths and weaknesses as a model system?

Question 48

Describe a discovery in genetics or an area of current research that you are concerned about that might have a negative impact on your life in the future.Explain why you think it might have a negative impact on you personally.

Question 49

Describe one way in which discoveries in genetics currently impact your daily life apart from this course.

Question 50

In addition to eukaryotic, what is the other main type of cell?

A)Animal
B)Plant
C)Viral
D)Prokaryotic
E)Yeast

Question 51

Many good ideas in science ultimately turn out to be incorrect.Two of these are the inheritance of acquired characteristics and blending inheritance.Summarize the evidence that ultimately caused the idea to be rejected by modern geneticists.

Question 52

What common features of heredity suggest that all life on Earth evolved from a common ancestor?

Question 53

Describe one way in which discoveries in genetics will likely impact your life in the future.

Question 54

Which scientist is MOST closely associated with the Green Revolution?

A)Norman Borlaug
B)James Watson
C)Gregor Mendel
D)Walter Sutton
E)Kary Mullis

Question 55

Why might bacteria be good model organisms for studying the basics of inheritance? Describe two advantages over studying genetics in mice, dogs, or humans.

Question 56

The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is an important model system for studying inheritance in animals and genetic control of animal development, including humans.If researchers ultimately want to understand a biological process in humans, why might they want to study the process in fruit flies first?

Question 57

Why was it particularly surprising when albinism was found to be in a very high frequency among the Hopi Native Americans?

A)This condition is not found at all among other human populations.
B)The Hopi considered albinos to be "bad luck" and exiled them to other Native American groups to live.
C)The desert environment of the Hopi would normally not be considered favorable to the health of albinos.
D)Albinism is a genetic condition found only among individuals in societies with modern medical practices available since it is lethal before birth without medical intervention and would not appear among living individuals in societies without good medical care.
E)The Hopi, like many Native American populations, do not normally suffer from genetic disorders.

Question 58

Many good ideas in science ultimately turn out to be incorrect.The author mentions several such ideas in the history of genetics.In your own words, state one idea in the history of genetics that turned out to be incorrect.

Question 59

How do gene mutations differ from chromosome mutations? What characteristic do they both have in common?

Question 60

What common-sense observation makes the theory of preformationism unlikely?

Question 61

Briefly distinguish between mitosis and meiosis.

Question 62

Currently, many new areas of genetic research are being explored.Briefly mention some of these.

A)Pangenesis
B)Microchipping of chromosome segments
C)Polymerase chain reaction
D)DNA sequencing
E)RNA-dependent DNA synthesis

Question 63

Changes to genes or to chromosome structure that can affect gene expression but do not change the nucleotide sequence of the gene are called:

A)gene mutations.
B)chromosome mutations.
C)epigenetic changes.
D)single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).
E)blending.

Question 64

In animals, meiosis is the process that leads to:

A)new alleles.
B)gametes.
C)somatic cells.
D)a doubling of chromosomes.
E)loss of detrimental mutant alleles.

Question 65

What is a technique for rapidly amplifying a small piece of DNA?

A)that organisms vary over time.
B)the correct understanding of inheritance.
C)that heredity was fundamental to evolution.
D)that plants and animals both evolve.
E)that evolution involves selection.

Question 66

_____ are alternative forms of a gene, and they arise through the process of _____.

A)Polymerase chain reaction
B)Proteomics
C)Population genetics
D)Bioinformatics
E)Transmission genetics

Question 67

What is the complete set of genetic instructions for an organism called?

A)Chromosome
B)Genome
C)Phenotype
D)RNA complement
E)Acquired characteristics

Question 68

Recently, geneticists have associated particular single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)in humans with an increased risk for a heart attack.How do you think this study and similar studies, which have found other SNPs associated with other diseases, will impact medical practice in the future? What is a current limitation in using this type of information clinically?

Question 69

A defect in the production of _____ causes albinism in humans.

A)Genomes; evolution
B)Chromosomes; mitosis
C)Alleles; mutation
D)Genomes; meiosis
E)Genotypes; evolution