Quiz 1

Select the most appropriate answer for each question from the selections provided.

1. Which of the following is not an example of biotechnology:

1. brewing of beer
2. synthesis of the herbicide Roundup
3. production of antibiotics by fermentation
4. development of Roundup Ready soybeans

2. Griffith demonstrated that avirulent bacteria (not able to kill mice) could be transformed into virulent bacteria (lethal to mice) when they were mixed with virulent bacteria that had been killed by heating to a high temperature. What caused this transformation:

1. something in the medium in which the virulent bacteria grew
2. proteins from the virulent bacteria
3. toxin factors produced by the virulent bacteria
4. DNA released from the virulent bacteria

3. Which of the following is not a component of DNA:

1. adenine
2. guanine
3. phosphate
4. thymine
5. uracil

4. As the hereditary material, DNA must perform a number of essential functions. Which of the following is not a property of DNA:

1. carrier of information
2. can be accurately replicated
3. able to vary between individuals
4. able to initiate protein synthesis
5. all of the above are properties of DNA

5. A major difference between prokaryotes (bacteria) and eukaryotes (plants, animals and fungi) is that:

1. they use different genetic codes
2. prokaryotes rely on gene transcription to regulate gene expression
3. eukaryotes package their DNA in the nucleus
4. eukaryotes are multicellular organisms

6. DNA ligase is used in DNA cloning experiments to perform what specific function:

1. remove undesirable DNA molecules
2. join DNA molecules together
3. cut DNA at specific DNA sequences
4. cut DNA randomly
5. move DNA molecules into bacteria

7. If the sequence of bases in the genome of a typical bacterial virus can be typed on 2 pages, then the sequence of bases in the human genome will require as much paper as:

1. a small paperback
2. the complete works of William Shakespeare
3. a large 200 volume encyclopedia
4. the entire contents of the Purdue University Library

8. The "Central Dogma" of molecular biology can be described as:

1. translation of DNA to RNA followed by transcription of RNA into protein
2. transcription of RNA into DNA followed by translation of DNA into protein
3. transcription of DNA into RNA followed by translation of RNA into protein
4. translation of RNA from protein followed by replication of DNA from RNA
5. it is unethical to use dogs in molecular biology experiments

9. The genetic code:

1. used by dinosaurs was likely quite different from that used by animals alive today
2. contains signals to start and stop the synthesis of proteins
3. contains punctuation breaks within the sentences known as open reading frames
4. is read in groups of two, three and four bases

10. Promoters are important elements in regulating gene expression. They do this by:

1. binding specific proteins to the DNA
2. altering the rate of protein synthesis
3. altering the sequence of bases in the gene
4. increasing the number of copies of specific genes
5. arranging boxing matches between genes