Question 1

Which of the following best describes the function of restriction enzymes in recombinant DNA technology?

Accepted Answer

They recognize palindromic sequences and cleave DNA at specific sites.

Question 2

A scientist is cloning a gene using a plasmid vector. Which feature of the plasmid ensures that only bacteria containing the recombinant plasmid will grow on selective media?

Accepted Answer

Selectable marker gene

Question 3

Which of the following steps in PCR is responsible for separating double-stranded DNA into single strands?

Accepted Answer

Denaturation

Question 4

CRISPR-Cas9 is a revolutionary tool in genetics. What is its primary mechanism of action?

Accepted Answer

It introduces double-stranded breaks at specific DNA sequences guided by RNA.

Question 5

Which of the following best explains why narrow-sense heritability ($$h^2) is $$important in predicting response to selection?

Accepted Answer

It measures the proportion of phenotypic variance due to additive genetic factors only.

Question 6

A population of 1000 individuals has the following genotype frequencies for a gene with two alleles, $$A$$ and $$a$$: $$AA = 0.36$$, $$Aa = 0.48$$, $$aa = 0.16. Is $$this population in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

Accepted Answer

Yes, because the observed genotype frequencies match the expected frequencies calculated from allele frequencies.

Question 7

Which equation would you use to calculate the frequency of carriers (heterozygotes) for a recessive genetic disorder in a population at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

Accepted Answer

$$2pq$$

Question 8

A population has allele frequencies $$p = 0.7$$ and $$q = 0.3. $$What is the expected frequency of heterozygotes under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

Accepted Answer

$$0.42$$

Question 9

Which of the following is an example of directional selection?

Accepted Answer

Selection favors one homozygous extreme.

Question 10

A new allele arises in a population due to mutation. Which evolutionary force is most likely to increase its frequency rapidly if it confers a significant fitness advantage?

Accepted Answer

Natural selection

Question 11

Which of the following best describes the founder effect?

Accepted Answer

A reduction in genetic variation due to a small group colonizing a new area.

Question 12

Which Hardy-Weinberg assumption is violated by inbreeding?

Accepted Answer

Random mating

Question 13

Which of the following is a postzygotic reproductive isolating mechanism?

Accepted Answer

Hybrid inviability

Question 14

Which concept defines a species as the smallest diagnosable group with a unique evolutionary history?

Accepted Answer

Phylogenetic Species Concept

Question 15

Which of the following best explains why mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is useful for tracing maternal lineages in evolutionary studies?

Accepted Answer

mtDNA is inherited only from the mother and mutates relatively rapidly.

Question 16

A researcher is studying a quantitative trait in plants. Which of the following would increase the narrow-sense heritability ($$h^2) of $$the trait?

Accepted Answer

Increasing the additive genetic variance

Question 17

Which of the following best describes the effect of gene flow on genetic variation within populations?

Accepted Answer

It increases genetic variation within populations.

Question 18

In a population, the frequency of allele $$A is$$ $$0.8$$ and allele $$a is$$ $$0.2. $$What is the expected frequency of genotype $$aa$$ under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

Accepted Answer

$$0.16$$

Question 19

Which of the following is a key difference between somatic and germline gene editing?

Accepted Answer

Somatic editing affects only the individual and is not heritable, while germline editing can be passed to offspring.

Question 20

Which of the following best describes stabilizing selection?

Accepted Answer

It favors the heterozygote and maintains intermediate phenotypes.

Genetics Study Guide: Recombinant DNA, Gene Function, Quantitative Genetics, and Population Genetics

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