Question 1

Which experiment provided the first strong evidence that DNA, and not protein, is the genetic material responsible for inheritance?

Accepted Answer

Hershey and Chase's experiment using T2 bacteriophage and E. coli

Question 2

According to Chargaff’s rules, if a DNA sample contains 30% adenine, what percentage of guanine would you expect to find?

Accepted Answer

$$20\%$$

Question 3

Which enzyme is responsible for relieving the strain caused by unwinding of the DNA double helix during replication?

Accepted Answer

Topoisomerase

Question 4

During DNA replication, why is the lagging strand synthesized in short fragments?

Accepted Answer

The lagging strand template runs in the 3' to 5' direction, so DNA polymerase must synthesize away from the replication fork in short segments

Question 5

Which of the following best describes the function of telomerase?

Accepted Answer

It adds repetitive nucleotide sequences to the ends of linear chromosomes to prevent gene loss

Question 6

A mutation changes a codon from $$UAC ($$tyrosine) to $$UAA ($$stop). What type of mutation is this?

Accepted Answer

Nonsense mutation

Question 7

Which of the following statements about the genetic code is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

It is ambiguous, with some codons specifying more than one amino acid

Question 8

What is the main difference between DNA polymerase and RNA polymerase?

Accepted Answer

DNA polymerase synthesizes DNA, while RNA polymerase synthesizes RNA

Question 9

Which of the following modifications occurs to eukaryotic pre-mRNA before it leaves the nucleus?

Accepted Answer

Addition of a 5' cap and a poly-A tail

Question 10

A tRNA has the anticodon $$3'	ext{-}GAA	ext{-}5' . $$Which mRNA codon will it recognize?

Accepted Answer

$$5'	ext{-}CUU	ext{-}3'$$

Question 11

Which process is responsible for removing introns from a pre-mRNA transcript?

Accepted Answer

RNA splicing by spliceosomes

Question 12

A patient is exposed to a chemical mutagen that causes the insertion of a single nucleotide into a gene coding region. What is the most likely result?

Accepted Answer

A frameshift mutation

Question 13

Which of the following best explains why eukaryotic cells can produce more proteins than the number of genes they possess?

Accepted Answer

Alternative RNA splicing allows different combinations of exons to be joined

Question 14

Which of the following is a function of the 5' cap added to eukaryotic mRNA?

Accepted Answer

Facilitates binding of ribosomes during translation

Question 15

Which of the following best describes the role of CRISPR-Cas9 in gene editing?

Accepted Answer

It introduces targeted double-strand breaks in DNA, allowing for gene knockout or correction

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT a function of histone proteins in eukaryotic cells?

Accepted Answer

Serving as enzymes for DNA replication

Question 17

A mutation in the TATA box of a eukaryotic gene would most likely affect which process?

Accepted Answer

Initiation of transcription

Question 18

Which of the following best describes the central dogma of molecular biology?

Accepted Answer

$$	ext{DNA} ightarrow 	ext{RNA} ightarrow 	ext{Protein}$$

Question 19

Which of the following is true about the directionality of nucleic acid synthesis?

Accepted Answer

Both DNA and RNA are synthesized in the $$5' \rightarrow 3'$$ direction

Question 20

Which of the following best explains why mutations are important for evolution?

Accepted Answer

They introduce genetic variation, which is the raw material for natural selection

The Molecular Basis of Inheritance & Gene Expression: Study Notes (Campbell Biology, Ch. 16 & 17)

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