Exam I Content

Question 1

What are the three primary tenets of cell theory?

Answer 1

1. All cells come from pre-existing cells
2. The cell is the structural unit of life
3. All organisms are composed of one or more cells.

Question 2

What does Differential Gene Expression allow?

Answer 2

Cells can selectively use genetic information depending on environment and history.

Question 3

What is the main difference between Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes?

Answer 3

Prokaryotes do not have a defined nucleus. Eukaryotes have a true nucleus and defined organelles.

Question 4

What did Griffith’s R/S mouse study prove?

Answer 4

Something is being transferred from S to R. Transformation is discovered.

Question 5

What did the -ASE assay by Avery et al prove?

Answer 5

DNA is the genetic information being transformed and DNA carries the heritable information. This study is largely ignored because it wasn’t clear how DNA could do anything being made up of only four nucleotides.

Question 6

What did the experiment by Hershey and Chase prove?

Answer 6

T-2 Bacteriophage used on e-coli with radioactive markers confirmed that DNA carries the heritable information.

Question 7

How do the bases pair?

Answer 7

A - T
C - G
RNA = A - U

Question 8

What is colinearity?

Answer 8

The order of nucleotides in DNA specifies the order of amino acids in proteins.

Question 9

What is the central dogma?

Answer 9

DNA is transcribed to RNA and RNA is translated into proteins.

Question 10

What is an intron?

Answer 10

An interveneing non-coding sequence. Introns can exist both between and within genes.

Question 11

What is the bulk of human DNA?

Answer 11

Non-coding DNA

Question 12

What is a karyotype?

Answer 12

A visual display of a cell’s (or individual’s) complete set of chromosomes.

Question 13

What are the three key elements found in chromosomes?

Answer 13

1. Replication Origin
2. Centromere/Attachment Site
3. Telomere (Only in linear chromosomes)

Question 14

Where does chromosome duplicaiton begin?

Answer 14

The Origin of Replication (ori)

Question 15

What binds to the origins of replication?

Answer 15

Initiator Proteins, which bind and help initiate DNA replication at discrete times during the eukaryotic cell cycle.

Question 16

Where is the chromosome attachment site on a prokaryote?

Answer 16

On the plasma membrane to provide each daughter cell with a copy of the chromosome upon division.

Question 17

What is a centromere?

Answer 17

a specialized region of a eukaryotic chromosome that helps to ensure the correct distribution of duplicated chromosomes to daughter cells during mitosis.

Question 18

What is a kinetochore?

Answer 18

A cluster of proteins bound to centromeres that act as attachment points for spindle microtubules.

Question 19

What is a telomere?

Answer 19

Specialized structures at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes.

Question 20

What are the functions of telomere?

Answer 20

1. Maintain chromosomes as a linear piece of DNA in a cell. The telomere is a loop and it is tolerated by the cell.
2. Prevent the chromosomes from getting shorter with each round of DNA replication during cell division.

Question 21

What is the function of telomerase?

Answer 21

Telomerase is a reverse transcriptase which extends the leading strand so DNA POL can complete the laging strand

Question 22

What is chromatin?

Answer 22

A complex of eukaryotic DNA and proteins associated with the DNA.