USABO EXAM PRACTICE QUESTIONS
COMPLETE WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS
\Q\.What enzyme does HIV use to convert RNA to DNA? - ANSWERS✔-Reverse Transcriptase
\Q\.The promoter region of a prokaryotic gene is located ______ to the gene and is the binding
site for ______. - ANSWERS✔-5'...RNA polymerase
\Q\.Which of the following is TRUE of prokaryotes?
I. Simultaneous transcription and translation
II. Presence of intron sequences
III. Circular DNA - ANSWERS✔-I and III only
\Q\.Integral transmembrane proteins are proteins imbedded in the cell membrane. Which of
the following amino acids would you MOST expect to find in the transmembrane region of such
proteins? - ANSWERS✔-Tryptophan
\Q\.When the base composition of DNA from bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis was
determined, 18% of the bases were found to be adenine. What is the G + C content in M.
tuberculosis? - ANSWERS✔-64%
\Q\.The frequency of individuals affected with an autosomally recessive inherited disorder is 1
in 4. Assuming that the population affected by this disease is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium,
what is the proportion of carrier individuals in this population? - ANSWERS✔-50%
,\Q\.The velocity of action potential conduction across a nerve axon is increased by the presence
of the myelin sheath. In the peripheral nervous system, what cell myelinates the axon? -
ANSWERS✔-schwann cell
\Q\.The cell bodies of afferent (sensory) nerves involved in somatic reflexes are located in the -
ANSWERS✔-Dorsal root ganglion
\Q\.Rods and cones are associated with _____ and _____ vision, respectively. - ANSWERS✔-
Light/dark...color
\Q\.Populations that are likely to be living at a density near the limit of their resources, are
characterized as - ANSWERS✔-K-selected
\Q\.In many types of cancer, the function of the p53 gene is lost. Wild-type p53 is MOST likely to
be a - ANSWERS✔-tumor suppressor
\Q\.What glycolytic product is shuttled to the mitochondria in aerobic respiration? -
ANSWERS✔-Pyruvate
\Q\.During human development, which process leads to the formation of three germ layers? -
ANSWERS✔-gastrulation
\Q\.Telomerase is responsible for _____ the size of telomeres, and its function is often ____ in
carcinogenesis. - ANSWERS✔-maintaining ... increased
\Q\.Which of the following is NOT a mode of natural selection? - ANSWERS✔-sexual selection
, \Q\.Protostomes have _____ and _____ types of cleavage. - ANSWERS✔-spiral ... determinate
\Q\.Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of all chordates? - ANSWERS✔-vertebrae
\Q\.In cardiac muscle, calcium ions can move freely between adjacent cells through which of
the following? - ANSWERS✔-gap junctions
\Q\.Unlike most polypeptide hormones, steroid hormones are unique in that they -
ANSWERS✔-Diffuse across cell membranes
\Q\.In superoxide dismutase 1, an enzyme implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou
Gehrig's disease), a copper ion is bound to the active site and is important for enzyme activity.
In this enzyme, copper most likely functions as a(n) - ANSWERS✔-cofactor
\Q\.The order of normal blood flow through the human heart is - ANSWERS✔-right atrium, right
ventricle, lungs, left atrium, left ventricle, body
\Q\.Allopatric speciation refers to species formed after which type of separation: - ANSWERS✔-
geographic
\Q\.Which two functional groups are always found in amino acids? - ANSWERS✔-Carboxyl and
amine
\Q\.Movement of ions across the membrane from higher to lower concentrations through a
channel protein is an example of - ANSWERS✔-Facilitated diffusion
\Q\.Which group of plants has vascular tissue but does not produce seeds?
I. Mosses
COMPLETE WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS
\Q\.What enzyme does HIV use to convert RNA to DNA? - ANSWERS✔-Reverse Transcriptase
\Q\.The promoter region of a prokaryotic gene is located ______ to the gene and is the binding
site for ______. - ANSWERS✔-5'...RNA polymerase
\Q\.Which of the following is TRUE of prokaryotes?
I. Simultaneous transcription and translation
II. Presence of intron sequences
III. Circular DNA - ANSWERS✔-I and III only
\Q\.Integral transmembrane proteins are proteins imbedded in the cell membrane. Which of
the following amino acids would you MOST expect to find in the transmembrane region of such
proteins? - ANSWERS✔-Tryptophan
\Q\.When the base composition of DNA from bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis was
determined, 18% of the bases were found to be adenine. What is the G + C content in M.
tuberculosis? - ANSWERS✔-64%
\Q\.The frequency of individuals affected with an autosomally recessive inherited disorder is 1
in 4. Assuming that the population affected by this disease is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium,
what is the proportion of carrier individuals in this population? - ANSWERS✔-50%
,\Q\.The velocity of action potential conduction across a nerve axon is increased by the presence
of the myelin sheath. In the peripheral nervous system, what cell myelinates the axon? -
ANSWERS✔-schwann cell
\Q\.The cell bodies of afferent (sensory) nerves involved in somatic reflexes are located in the -
ANSWERS✔-Dorsal root ganglion
\Q\.Rods and cones are associated with _____ and _____ vision, respectively. - ANSWERS✔-
Light/dark...color
\Q\.Populations that are likely to be living at a density near the limit of their resources, are
characterized as - ANSWERS✔-K-selected
\Q\.In many types of cancer, the function of the p53 gene is lost. Wild-type p53 is MOST likely to
be a - ANSWERS✔-tumor suppressor
\Q\.What glycolytic product is shuttled to the mitochondria in aerobic respiration? -
ANSWERS✔-Pyruvate
\Q\.During human development, which process leads to the formation of three germ layers? -
ANSWERS✔-gastrulation
\Q\.Telomerase is responsible for _____ the size of telomeres, and its function is often ____ in
carcinogenesis. - ANSWERS✔-maintaining ... increased
\Q\.Which of the following is NOT a mode of natural selection? - ANSWERS✔-sexual selection
, \Q\.Protostomes have _____ and _____ types of cleavage. - ANSWERS✔-spiral ... determinate
\Q\.Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of all chordates? - ANSWERS✔-vertebrae
\Q\.In cardiac muscle, calcium ions can move freely between adjacent cells through which of
the following? - ANSWERS✔-gap junctions
\Q\.Unlike most polypeptide hormones, steroid hormones are unique in that they -
ANSWERS✔-Diffuse across cell membranes
\Q\.In superoxide dismutase 1, an enzyme implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou
Gehrig's disease), a copper ion is bound to the active site and is important for enzyme activity.
In this enzyme, copper most likely functions as a(n) - ANSWERS✔-cofactor
\Q\.The order of normal blood flow through the human heart is - ANSWERS✔-right atrium, right
ventricle, lungs, left atrium, left ventricle, body
\Q\.Allopatric speciation refers to species formed after which type of separation: - ANSWERS✔-
geographic
\Q\.Which two functional groups are always found in amino acids? - ANSWERS✔-Carboxyl and
amine
\Q\.Movement of ions across the membrane from higher to lower concentrations through a
channel protein is an example of - ANSWERS✔-Facilitated diffusion
\Q\.Which group of plants has vascular tissue but does not produce seeds?
I. Mosses
