Question 1

Which of the following best describes the difference between a bacterial chromosome and a plasmid?

Accepted Answer

A chromosome is necessary for survival and contains essential genes, while a plasmid carries non-essential but potentially beneficial genes such as antibiotic resistance.

Question 2

Which of the following is a pyrimidine base found in DNA?

Accepted Answer

Thymine

Question 3

What is the function of DNA polymerase during DNA replication?

Accepted Answer

It adds nucleotides to the growing DNA strand using the template strand.

Question 4

A mutation changes the DNA sequence from $$5'-ATG GAA GCA CGT-3' to$$ $$5'-ATG GAG GCA CGT-3'. $$What type of mutation is this?

Accepted Answer

Silent mutation

Question 5

Which of the following best explains why a frameshift mutation is often more damaging than a point mutation?

Accepted Answer

It shifts the reading frame, altering every amino acid downstream of the mutation.

Question 6

Which process involves the uptake of 'naked' DNA from the environment by a competent bacterial cell?

Accepted Answer

Transformation

Question 7

Which of the following is true about the antiparallel nature of DNA?

Accepted Answer

One strand runs 5' to 3' and the other runs 3' to 5'.

Question 8

Which of the following best describes the role of plasmids in antibiotic resistance?

Accepted Answer

Plasmids encode enzymes that degrade antibiotics, allowing bacteria to survive in their presence.

Question 9

A bacterium acquires a gene for toxin production via a bacteriophage. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Transduction

Question 10

Which enzyme is responsible for unwinding the DNA double helix during replication?

Accepted Answer

Helicase

Question 11

Which of the following best describes a missense mutation?

Accepted Answer

A mutation that changes one amino acid to another in the protein sequence.

Question 12

Which of the following is a function of the F factor (conjugative plasmid) in bacteria?

Accepted Answer

It carries genes for sex pili and the transfer of plasmids between cells.

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a component of a DNA nucleotide?

Accepted Answer

Sulfur group

Question 14

A bacterial cell that has incorporated donor DNA into its own chromosome is called a:

Accepted Answer

Recombinant cell

Question 15

Which of the following best describes the role of transposons in bacterial genetics?

Accepted Answer

They are segments of DNA that can move from one location to another within a genome.

Question 16

If the mutation rate of a gene is $$1 	imes 10$$^{-6}$$, what is the probability that a mutation will occur in that gene during one cell division?

Accepted Answer

$$1 	imes 10$$^{-6}$$

Question 17

Which of the following is a real-life consequence of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria?

Accepted Answer

Development of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains in hospitals.

Question 18

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

Accepted Answer

It is universal, with the same codons specifying the same amino acids in almost all organisms.

Question 19

Which of the following best describes the process of conjugation in Gram-negative bacteria?

Accepted Answer

It requires a sex pilus for direct cell-to-cell contact.

Question 20

Which of the following is a possible outcome of a nonsense mutation in a gene?

Accepted Answer

The protein is truncated due to a premature stop codon.

Microbial Genetics: Structure, Function, and Genetic Variation in Prokaryotes

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