Question 1

Which of the following best describes the main advantage of 'next-generation sequencing' over the original Sanger sequencing method?

Accepted Answer

It allows for the rapid and parallel sequencing of hundreds of thousands of DNA fragments, making it much faster and less expensive.

Question 2

A researcher wants to clone a human gene into a bacterial plasmid. Which enzyme is used to join the human DNA fragment with the plasmid DNA?

Accepted Answer

DNA ligase

Question 3

Which of the following steps is NOT part of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) cycle?

Accepted Answer

Translation

Question 4

Why are plasmids commonly used as cloning vectors in genetic engineering?

Accepted Answer

They are small, circular DNA molecules that can be easily manipulated and introduced into bacterial cells.

Question 5

A scientist uses a restriction enzyme to cut a DNA molecule. What is the significance of the 'sticky ends' produced?

Accepted Answer

They allow complementary base pairing with other DNA fragments cut by the same enzyme.

Question 6

Which of the following best explains why cDNA is used to express eukaryotic genes in bacteria?

Accepted Answer

cDNA contains only exons, so it lacks introns that bacteria cannot process.

Question 7

Which technique would you use to separate DNA fragments by size for analysis after a restriction digest?

Accepted Answer

Gel electrophoresis

Question 8

A forensic scientist analyzes DNA from a crime scene using short tandem repeats (STRs). Why are STRs useful for forensic identification?

Accepted Answer

STRs are highly variable among individuals, making it unlikely that two unrelated people have the same STR profile.

Question 9

Which of the following is a key feature of the CRISPR-Cas9 system in gene editing?

Accepted Answer

It uses a protein that recognizes and cuts DNA at specific sequences guided by an RNA molecule.

Question 10

A patient with sickle-cell disease receives gene therapy using CRISPR-Cas9. What is the intended outcome of this treatment?

Accepted Answer

To correct the defective gene responsible for sickle-cell disease

Question 11

Which of the following statements about induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

iPS cells are created by introducing specific regulatory genes into differentiated cells.

Question 12

In the context of biotechnology, what is the main purpose of using an expression vector?

Accepted Answer

To ensure high-level expression of a cloned gene in a host cell

Question 13

Which of the following best describes the process of 'gene drive'?

Accepted Answer

A method to engineer an allele so it is inherited more frequently than the wild type allele

Question 14

A scientist wants to determine which genes are expressed in a specific tissue. Which technique would provide the most comprehensive data?

Accepted Answer

RNA sequencing (RNA-seq)

Question 15

Which of the following is a potential ethical concern associated with gene therapy and gene editing?

Accepted Answer

The possibility of unintended effects on other genes or cell functions

Question 16

What is the role of reverse transcriptase in the RT-PCR technique?

Accepted Answer

To synthesize a DNA strand complementary to an mRNA template

Question 17

Which of the following best explains why PCR is a powerful tool in forensic science?

Accepted Answer

It can amplify tiny amounts of DNA from crime scene evidence for analysis.

Question 18

A plant cell that can give rise to all the specialized cell types of the organism is described as:

Accepted Answer

Totipotent

Question 19

Which of the following is a reason why PCR cannot fully substitute for gene cloning in cells?

Accepted Answer

PCR occasionally incorporates errors into the amplified DNA strands.

Question 20

In a genome-wide association study, what is the significance of finding a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) frequently associated with a genetic disorder?

Accepted Answer

The SNP acts as a genetic marker, indicating the likely location of the disease-causing gene.

Biotechnology: DNA Tools and Applications

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