Question 1

Which protein is a tubulin homolog in bacteria, forms a contractile ring at the future site of cell division, and is essential for cytokinesis?

Accepted Answer

FtsZ

Question 2

What is the primary function of the periplasm in Gram-negative bacteria?

Accepted Answer

Protein folding, hydrolytic enzyme activity, and environmental sensing

Question 3

A bacterium is found to have a mutation in the gene encoding MreB. Which of the following is the most likely consequence?

Accepted Answer

The cell will lose its rod shape and become spherical.

Question 4

Which of the following best describes the function of bacterial microcompartments such as carboxysomes?

Accepted Answer

They optimize metabolic pathways with toxic or volatile intermediates by compartmentalization.

Question 5

Which of the following is a key structural component that allows endospores to survive extreme conditions such as heat and desiccation?

Accepted Answer

Calcium dipicolinate

Question 6

Gas vesicles in cyanobacteria primarily function to:

Accepted Answer

Provide buoyancy to regulate position in the water column

Question 7

Which evidence supports the endosymbiotic origin of mitochondria and chloroplasts?

Accepted Answer

Both organelles contain circular DNA and divide by binary fission

Question 8

A bacterium contains magnetosomes aligned in a chain. Which protein is required for this alignment?

Accepted Answer

MamK

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT a function of the periplasm in Gram-negative bacteria?

Accepted Answer

Photosynthesis

Question 10

A mutation in the crescentin gene of Caulobacter crescentus would most likely result in which phenotype?

Accepted Answer

Cells become rod-shaped instead of vibrioid

Question 11

Which of the following best explains why the 1,2-propanediol catabolic pathway in bacteria requires a large operon with many gene products?

Accepted Answer

To encode enzymes and structural proteins needed for compartmentalization and safe metabolism of toxic intermediates

Question 12

Which of the following inclusions is primarily used by bacteria to store carbon and energy?

Accepted Answer

Poly-\beta-hydroxyalkanoate granules

Question 13

Which of the following statements about FtsZ is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

FtsZ is a tubulin homolog that forms a contractile ring at the site of cell division.

Question 14

Which of the following is a function of bacterial microcompartments in biotechnology?

Accepted Answer

Encapsulation of toxic intermediates to increase yield and safety of engineered metabolic pathways

Question 15

Which of the following is a correct pairing of a prokaryotic cytoskeletal protein and its function?

Accepted Answer

FtsZ – forms contractile ring for cell division

Question 16

Which of the following best describes the structure of mitochondria that supports the endosymbiotic theory?

Accepted Answer

Double membrane, circular DNA, and 70S ribosomes

Question 17

Which of the following is a real-world application of understanding bacterial endospores?

Accepted Answer

Developing sterilization protocols for medical equipment

Question 18

Which of the following is TRUE regarding the thylakoid membrane in chloroplasts?

Accepted Answer

It is the site of ATP synthesis during photosynthesis.

Question 19

Which of the following is a plausible reason why gas vesicles are impermeable to water but permeable to gas?

Accepted Answer

To maintain buoyancy without dissolving in the cytoplasm

Question 20

Which of the following statements about the bacterial periplasm is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

It is the site of photosynthetic electron transport.

Lecture 13

Study Guide - Practice Questions