Lecture 1-2 Cells

Question 1

What is the “Cell Theory” of Life

Answer 1

1. All Organisms are composed of cells
2. Cells are the smallest structural units of life
3. Cells only arise from other cells

Question 2

What are common features of living cells?

Answer 2

1. Boundaries or limiter = Cell plasma membrane
2. Mechanism for harvesting/utilizing energy
3. Mechanism of inheritance

Question 3

What type of membrane does a cell have?

Answer 3

surrounded by a lipid bilayer

Question 4

Define a membranes function?

Answer 4

creates a semi-permeable barrier/interface between a cell and its environment.

Also involved in diverse cellular processes

Question 5

Define an Autotroph

Answer 5

uses photosynthesis for metabolism

Question 6

Define Heterotroph

Answer 6

uses respiration for chemical energy

Question 7

What are the 3 steps in a cells inheritance?

Answer 7

DNA -> RNA -> Protein

Question 8

Define replication

Answer 8

makes copies of DNA which are inherited by daughter cells during cell division

Question 9

Define Transcription

Answer 9

copies DNA to RNA

Question 10

Define Translation

Answer 10

converts the sequence of messenger RNA to sequence of polypeptide (protein)

Question 11

What are the 2 main cell classes?

Answer 11

Prokaryote and Eukaryote

Question 12

What are some characteristics of a Prokaryote?

Answer 12

double membrane, circular DNA, no internal compartments

Question 13

What are some characteristics of a Eukaryote?

Answer 13

DNA chromosomes in nucleus

many organelles, membrane bound compartments

Question 14

List the membrane-bound compartments?

Answer 14

Nucleus, Rough ER, Smooth ER, Ribosomes, Endosomes, Lysosomes, Mitochondria, Peroxisomes

Question 15

Define a Nucleus?

Answer 15

repository of cell genome, DNA replication and transcription

Question 16

Define Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER)

Answer 16

synthesis of membrane and secretory proteins

Question 17

Define Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (SER)

Answer 17

lipid metabolism/biosynthesis

Question 18

Define Ribosome

Answer 18

not membrane bound, also found in prokaryotes.

protein synthesis

Question 19

Define Golgi Apparatus

Answer 19

processing and sorting of membrane and secretory proteins

Question 20

Define Endosomes

Answer 20

sorting of endocytosed material and membrane recycling

Question 21

Define Lysosomes

Answer 21

digestion and recycling of macromolecules and organelles

Question 22

Define Mitochondria

Answer 22

site of aerobic production of ATP

Question 23

Define Peroxisomes

Answer 23

redox chemistry

Question 24

Structural differences between animal and plant cells?

Answer 24

vacuole, cell wall and chloroplasts

Question 25

What are the 3 domains used to classify cells?

Answer 25

Archaea, Bacteria, Eukarya

Question 26

Features of viruses that distinguish them from cells

Answer 26

Cannot self-reproduce, limited metabolism

Question 27

T/F Transmission Electron Microscope can show details like ribosomes attached to the ER?

Answer 27

True - TEM resolves as small as 1-2 nm and ribosomes are 20nm

Question 28

I would use a transmission electron microscope to examine the surface topology of a cell?

Answer 28

False - SEM shows detailed surface in the 3-20 nm range

Question 29

Prokaryotes have a true nucleus?

Answer 29

False - prokaryotes do not have a true nucleus

Question 30

Organelles are generally membrane bound?

Answer 30

True - Organelles are specialized subunits within a cell that have a specific function and usually separately enclosed within their own lipid bilayer

Question 31

Why is resolution of an electron microscope better than that of a light microscope?

Answer 31

Electrons have a shorter wavelength than light

Question 32

What is GFP and what are the advantages over immunofluorescence?

Answer 32

a fluoresent protein that can be attached to another protein to visualize its localization. The advantage of this technique is that it can be used in living cells.

Question 33

GFP disadvantages over immunofluorescence?

Answer 33

GFP is a large protein, which may disrupt the initial proteins interactions or localization making it inactive

Question 34

What type of microscope is used to examine the surface topology of a cell?

Answer 34

Surface Electron Microscope (SEM)

Question 35

Chloroplasts evolved when a respiring eukaryote ingested a...

Answer 35

photosynthetic bacterium

Question 36

RNA based enzymes are called...

Answer 36

ribozymes

Question 37

Prokaryotes are comprised of domains Bacteria and ...

Answer 37

Archaea

Question 38

Microfilaments, microtubules, and intermediate filaments all form the ...

Answer 38

cytoskeleton

Question 39

The interior of a cell is much like a matrix of cytoplasm into which the different organelles are dispersed. What regulates the spatial arrangement of the organelles within the cytoplasm and prevents them from getting mixed up?

Answer 39

The cytoskeleton

Question 40

Would mitochondria be able to survive as an independent organism today, if they were taken out of the eukaryotic cell?

Answer 40

No. Most of the genes have been transferred to the nucleus from the mitochondria that are necessary for its survival.

Question 41

What is the difference between the cytoplasm and cytosol of the cell?

Answer 41

Cytoplasm is inside plasma membrane. | Cytosol is outside organelles

Question 42

List order of evolution from earliest to latest for the following organelles and cellular processes: Chloroplast, mitochondria, nucleus, respiration, photosynthesis

Answer 42

Photosynthesis, nucleus, respiration, mitochondria, chloroplast

Question 43

Discuss the lines of evidence for the evolution of chloroplasts and mitochondria by endosymbiosis

Answer 43

Double membrane, own DNA, prokaryotic like proteins, etc

Question 44

Which likely evolved first, RNA or DNA? Include evidence that supports your answer

Answer 44

RNA, it can store information and act as an enzyme

Question 45

What is the C-value paradox?

Answer 45

Genome size does not correlate with organismal complexity; for example some single celled protists have genomes much larger than that of humans.