Chapter 1
The Genetics Revolution
MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
Section 1.1 (The birth of genetics)
1. The early 1900s was an important period for genetics due to which of the following major
events?
A) the rediscovery of Gregor Mendel’s scientific findings
B) Watson and Crick solving the structure of DNA
C) Walter Sutton and Theodore Boveri hypothesizing that chromosomes are the
hereditary elements
D) All of the answer options are correct.
E) the rediscovery of Gregor Mendel’s scientific findings and Walter Sutton and Theodore
Boveri hypothesizing that chromosomes are the hereditary elements
Answer: E
2. A sample of normal double-stranded DNA was found to have a guanine content of 18%. What
is the expected proportion of adenine?
A) 9%
B) 32%
C) 36%
D) 68%
,E) 82%
Answer: B
3. In one strand of DNA the nucleotide sequence is 5'-ATGC-3'. The complementary sequence in
the other strand must be:
A) 3'-ATGC-5'.
B) 3'-TACG-5'.
C) 5'-ATCG-3'.
D) 5'-CGTA-3'.
E) 5'-TACG-3'.
Answer: B
4. How many different DNA molecules that are eight-nucleotide pairs long are theoretically
possible?
A) 24
B) 32
C) 64
D) 256
E) 65,536
Answer: E
,5. Which of the following is/are FALSE about genes?
A) Genes are located on chromosomes.
B) Genes come in variants known as alleles.
C) Genes always encode protein products.
D) All of the answer options are correct.
E) None of the answer options are correct.
Answer: C
6. Wild cats (Felis silvestris) and common mice (Mus musculus) are diploid. In wild cats 2n =
38, while in common mice 2n = 40. Based on this information, we can conclude that wild cat
cells have:
A) less DNA than common mouse cells.
B) smaller genomes than common mouse cells.
C) fewer DNA molecules than common mouse cells.
D) fewer genes than common mouse cells.
E) fewer sets of chromosomes than common mouse cells.
Answer: C
7. Which of the following is a component of DNA?
A) alanine
B) arginine
C) cysteine
D) guanidine
, E) tyrosine
Answer: D
8. Which of the following is/are TRUE of the DNA structure solved by Watson and Crick?
A) It is a double-helical structure.
A) Sugar–phosphate backbone is always toward the outside of the DNA.
B) There are three hydrogen bonds between A and T and two hydrogen bonds between C
and G.
C) All of the answer options are correct.
D) It is a double-helical structure with the sugar–phosphate backbone always toward the
outside of the DNA.
Answer: E
9. Which of the following is a correct representation of the central dogma?
A) RNA → DNA → protein
B) protein → DNA → RNA
C) DNA → RNA → protein
D) DNA → protein → DNA
E) None of the answer options are correct.
Answer: C
Section 1.2 (After cracking the code)
10. A gene is transcribed into an mRNA, and this mRNA is 110 nucleotides long. Which of
the following proteins could it encode?
A) an enzyme that is 330 amino acids long
B) a ribosomal protein that is 360 amino acids long
The Genetics Revolution
MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
Section 1.1 (The birth of genetics)
1. The early 1900s was an important period for genetics due to which of the following major
events?
A) the rediscovery of Gregor Mendel’s scientific findings
B) Watson and Crick solving the structure of DNA
C) Walter Sutton and Theodore Boveri hypothesizing that chromosomes are the
hereditary elements
D) All of the answer options are correct.
E) the rediscovery of Gregor Mendel’s scientific findings and Walter Sutton and Theodore
Boveri hypothesizing that chromosomes are the hereditary elements
Answer: E
2. A sample of normal double-stranded DNA was found to have a guanine content of 18%. What
is the expected proportion of adenine?
A) 9%
B) 32%
C) 36%
D) 68%
,E) 82%
Answer: B
3. In one strand of DNA the nucleotide sequence is 5'-ATGC-3'. The complementary sequence in
the other strand must be:
A) 3'-ATGC-5'.
B) 3'-TACG-5'.
C) 5'-ATCG-3'.
D) 5'-CGTA-3'.
E) 5'-TACG-3'.
Answer: B
4. How many different DNA molecules that are eight-nucleotide pairs long are theoretically
possible?
A) 24
B) 32
C) 64
D) 256
E) 65,536
Answer: E
,5. Which of the following is/are FALSE about genes?
A) Genes are located on chromosomes.
B) Genes come in variants known as alleles.
C) Genes always encode protein products.
D) All of the answer options are correct.
E) None of the answer options are correct.
Answer: C
6. Wild cats (Felis silvestris) and common mice (Mus musculus) are diploid. In wild cats 2n =
38, while in common mice 2n = 40. Based on this information, we can conclude that wild cat
cells have:
A) less DNA than common mouse cells.
B) smaller genomes than common mouse cells.
C) fewer DNA molecules than common mouse cells.
D) fewer genes than common mouse cells.
E) fewer sets of chromosomes than common mouse cells.
Answer: C
7. Which of the following is a component of DNA?
A) alanine
B) arginine
C) cysteine
D) guanidine
, E) tyrosine
Answer: D
8. Which of the following is/are TRUE of the DNA structure solved by Watson and Crick?
A) It is a double-helical structure.
A) Sugar–phosphate backbone is always toward the outside of the DNA.
B) There are three hydrogen bonds between A and T and two hydrogen bonds between C
and G.
C) All of the answer options are correct.
D) It is a double-helical structure with the sugar–phosphate backbone always toward the
outside of the DNA.
Answer: E
9. Which of the following is a correct representation of the central dogma?
A) RNA → DNA → protein
B) protein → DNA → RNA
C) DNA → RNA → protein
D) DNA → protein → DNA
E) None of the answer options are correct.
Answer: C
Section 1.2 (After cracking the code)
10. A gene is transcribed into an mRNA, and this mRNA is 110 nucleotides long. Which of
the following proteins could it encode?
A) an enzyme that is 330 amino acids long
B) a ribosomal protein that is 360 amino acids long
