Protein Synthesis and Genetic Engineering

Question 1

In what phase of the cell cycle does protein synthesis take place?

Answer 1

G1 and G2 phase

Question 2

What do we call the process of converting DNA to RNA?

Answer 2

Transcription

Question 3

Where does transcription occur in eukaryotes?

Answer 3

Nucleus

Question 4

Where does transcription occur in prokaryotes?

Answer 4

Cytoplasm

Question 5

What enzyme adds nucleotides to the template strand?

Answer 5

RNA polymerase

Question 6

What sugar does DNA contain?

Answer 6

Deoxyribose

Question 7

What sugar does RNA contain?

Answer 7

Ribose

Question 8

What is messenger RNA?

Answer 8

A single stranded RNA that carries genetic information from DNA to the ribosome for protein synthesis

Question 9

What is ribosomal RNA?

Answer 9

It is the structural component of ribosomes

Question 10

What are transfer RNAs?

Answer 10

tRNA transport amino acids to the ribosome

Question 11

How is mRNA edited before it leaves the nucleus?

Answer 11

Introns are removed through splicing; exons are joined together

Question 12

What is a ribozyme?

Answer 12

An RNA molecule that acts as an enzyme

Question 13

What is RNAi?

Answer 13

RNA interference is a process where small RNA molecules silence gene expression

Question 14

What do we call the process of converting RNA to proteins?

Answer 14

Translation

Question 15

What is the ratio of nucleotides to 1 amino acid?

Answer 15

3 nucleotides are equal to 1 amino acid

Question 16

What do we call the group of nucleotides on mRNA that codes for a single amino acid?

Answer 16

Codons

Question 17

How many different ways can 4 letters be arranged in triplets?

Answer 17

64 different combinations

Question 18

Why is the genetic code described as redundant?

Answer 18

Multiple codons can code for the same amino acids

Question 19

What is the start codon?

Answer 19

AUG

Question 20

How many stop codons are there?

Answer 20

3 (UAA, UAG, UGA)

Question 21

Where are the ribosomal subunits put together in the cell?

Answer 21

Nucleolus

Question 22

What is associated with the ribosome besides RNA?

Answer 22

Protein

Question 23

What are the three binding sites on a ribosome?

Answer 23

A site, P site, E site

Question 24

What type of RNA binds to the ribosome?

Answer 24

tRNA

Question 25

What is the role of tRNA?

Answer 25

Delivers amino acids to the ribosome based on codon matching

Question 26

What do we call the 3 nucleotides at the bottom of the tRNA that bind with the mRNA?

Answer 26

Anticodons

Question 27

What are the three stages of translation?

Answer 27

Initiation, Elongation, Termination

Question 28

What codon shows up on the A site of the ribosome during initiation?

Answer 28

Start codon AUG

Question 29

What is the longest of the three stages of translation?

Answer 29

Elongation

Question 30

How much energy is used per peptide bond to make a protein?

Answer 30

1 ATP and 2 GTP

Question 31

At what stage does the protein release factor bind to the mRNA codon?

Answer 31

During termination at a stop codon

Question 32

What is the difference between the protein release factor and the other tRNAs?

Answer 32

The release factor does not carry an amino acid but signals termination

Question 33

Where in the cell does translation take place?

Answer 33

Cytoplasm

Question 34

What is a polyribosome?

Answer 34

A group of ribosomes translating the same mRNA simultaneously

Question 35

The endoplasmic reticulum is a membrane continuous with what other membrane?

Answer 35

Nuclear membrane

Question 36

What do we call the endoplasmic reticulum that has ribosomes attached to it?

Answer 36

Rough

Question 37

Where do proteins go to get a small sugar attached to them after they are made?

Answer 37

Golgi apparatus

Question 38

In what structure do proteins travel from the ER to the Golgi body?

Answer 38

Vesicles

Question 39

What moves vesicles along microtubule tracks from the ER to the Golgi?

Answer 39

Motor proteins

Question 40

What is the evidence that the 'RNA World' came before the DNA World?

Answer 40

RNA can store genetic information like DNA and catalyze chemical reactions like proteins

Question 41

What is a mutation?

Answer 41

A change in the DNA sequence of an organism

Question 42

Define point mutation.

Answer 42

A mutation affecting only one or very few nucleotides in a gene sequence

Question 43

Why is an insertion/deletion mutation worse than a substitution mutation?

Answer 43

They cause a frameshift disrupting the reading of codons

Question 44

What is the mutation rate in humans?

Answer 44

1.1-1.7 x10-8 mutations per nucleotide site per generation

Question 45

Why are most point mutations considered neutral?

Answer 45

They often occur in the portion of the DNA that does not code for proteins

Question 46

What is the role of mutations in evolution?

Answer 46

They are the primary source of genetic variation

Question 47

What did Linus Pauling use the amino acid sequence of hemoglobin for?

Answer 47

To determine the rate of substitution in protein sequences

Question 48

Why are mitochondrial mutation rates used as evidence for human evolution?

Question 49

Does every cell in a multicellular organism transcribe the same genes?

Answer 49

No, different cells transcribe different sets of genes based on their function

Question 50

Give an example of a protein produced in pancreatic cells but not in skin cells.

Answer 50

Insulin

Question 51

What is a transcription factor?

Answer 51

A protein that binds to specific DNA sequences to regulate gene transcription

Question 52

What is an operon?

Answer 52

A group of genes transcribed together as a single mRNA

Question 53

What is the promoter site in an operon?

Answer 53

A DNA sequence where RNA polymerase binds to initiate transcription

Question 54

What attaches to the promoter site to transcribe genes?

Answer 54

RNA polymerase

Question 55

What can block the promoter site?

Answer 55

A repressor protein

Question 56

What releases the promoter site from blocking?

Answer 56

An inducer molecule

Question 57

What is the 'on' switch for the lac operon?

Answer 57

Lactose

Question 58

How many genes code for enzymes in the lac operon?

Answer 58

3 genes (lacZ, lacY, lacA)

Question 59

What molecule attaches to a histone tail to prevent gene transcription?

Question 60

What tool do scientists use to transfer small amounts of liquids?

Answer 60

Micropipette

Question 61

What instrument would you use to transfer 5 microliters of a liquid?

Answer 61

P20

Question 62

What tool do scientists use to separate/identify DNA fragments by size?

Answer 62

Gel electrophoresis

Question 63

What is the gel made of?

Answer 63

Agarose

Question 64

What is the overall charge on a molecule of DNA?

Answer 64

Negative

Question 65

What pulls the DNA during gel electrophoresis?

Answer 65

An electric field

Question 66

Why do you include a DNA marker (ladder)?

Answer 66

To compare fragment sizes

Question 67

What is a plasmid?

Answer 67

A small, circular piece of DNA used in genetic engineering

Question 68

What tool do scientists use to cut DNA at specific sites?

Answer 68

Restriction enzymes

Question 69

What is the first enzyme that cuts DNA discovered in E. coli?

Answer 69

EcoRi

Question 70

What gene do scientists include on a plasmid to isolate bacteria on ampicillin?

Answer 70

Amp-R gene

Question 71

What gene do scientists attach to make a molecule glow red?

Answer 71

RFPs like DsRed

Question 72

What do we call the process of putting foreign DNA into a bacterial cell?

Answer 72

Transformation

Question 73

What 'turns on' the arabinose operon in pARA-R plasmid?

Answer 73

Plac promoter