Biol 1406: Final Exam Questions With
100% Accurate Answers 2026-2027
Updated.
endonuclease - Answer an enzyme that cleaves DNA at specific sites, leaves sticky
complementary tails
gel electrophoresis - Answer Procedure used to separate and analyze DNA or protein
fragment by size and charge
gel electrophoresis uses - Answer forensics, compare DNA at crime scene
Reverse transcriptase PCR - Answer a modification of PCR in which the first round of
replication involves the use of RNA and reverse transcriptase to make a complementary strand
of DNA. Use to make cDNA
Fluorescent in situ hybridization - Answer labels DNA
Ligase - Answer An enzyme that connects two fragments of DNA to make a single fragment
DNA polymerase - Answer An enzyme that catalyzes the formation of the DNA molecule.
RNA polymerase - Answer Enzyme that links together the growing chain of ribonucleotides
during transcription to form mRNA
Taq polymerase - Answer Heat-tolerant enzyme used to copy DNA in PCR
reverse transcriptase - Answer Needed to form cDNA libraries
This organism is genetically engineered to make insulin - Answer bacteria
How can bacteria make insulin? - Answer Gene for human insulin protein is inserted into
bacteria by plasmids
PCR (polymerase chain reaction) - Answer is used to copy and amplify small quantities of
DNA
,PCR steps - Answer denaturation, annealing, synthesis
knockout genes - Answer genes that take the place of normal genes. Results in failure to
produce the specific protein produced by the normal genes
knockin gene - Answer Gene is replaced by another gene so new protein is produced.
genetic engineering uses - Answer Bioremediation, glyphosate resistant crops, Golden Rice
CRISPR - Answer a collection of DNA sequences that tells Cas9 exactly where to cut. For
treatment of genetic diseases.
Is CRISPR used to treat chromosomal disorders? - Answer No, genetic only. Not trisomies or
monosomies
restriction map - Answer diagram that shows the lengths of fragments between restriction
sites in the strand of DNA
restriction map use - Answer Remove DNA fragment from one plasmid vector to another
Proteome - Answer the entire set of proteins expressed by a given cell or group of cells
Genome - Answer the complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the
genetic material in that organism's chromosomes
DNA microarray - Answer research tool used to study gene expression
protein microarrays - Answer can be used to analyze protein-protein interactions
STRs (short tandem repeats) - Answer sections in between chromosome in which DNA
sequences are repeated
STR usefulness - Answer forensics, paternity
Why more mRNA than genes? - Answer Alternative splicing, removal of introns
,natural selection - Answer A process in which individuals that have certain inherited traits
tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits.
Natural selection acts on - Answer phenotypes in a population, allele frequency in a
population
Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium - Answer condition that occurs when the frequency of alleles in
a particular gene pool remain constant over time
bottleneck effect - Answer A change in allele frequency following a dramatic reduction in the
size of a population
founder effect - Answer change in allele frequencies as a result of the migration of a small
subgroup of a population
genetic drift - Answer A change in the allele frequency of a population as a result of chance
events rather than natural selection.
Mutation - Answer change in a DNA sequence that affects genetic information
Fitness - Answer Ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment, longer
life then more babies
sickle cell anemia - Answer a genetic disorder that causes abnormal hemoglobin, resulting in
some red blood cells assuming an abnormal sickle shape, recessive trait so both parents are
heterozygous.
directional selection - Answer Form of natural selection in which the entire curve moves;
occurs when individuals at one end of a distribution curve have higher fitness than individuals in
the middle or at the other end of the curve
stabilizing selection - Answer Natural selection that favors intermediate variants by acting
against extreme phenotypes
disruptive selection - Answer form of natural selection in which a single curve splits into two;
occurs when individuals at the upper and lower ends of a distribution curve have higher fitness
than individuals near the middle
, convergent evolution - Answer Process by which unrelated organisms independently evolve
similarities when adapting to similar environments, skeleton of fish, shark, dolphin (all have fins
and streamlined)
homologous structures - Answer Structures in different species that are similar because of
common ancestry. Ex: human hand & whale fins
artificial selection vs natural selection - Answer AS- humans breed for certain traits, occurs
quickly and more change is seen
NS- inherited beneficial adaptations
measure radioactive decay - Answer to date rocks or fossils
vestigial structures - Answer A structure that is present in an organism but no longer serves
its original purpose, whale pelvis, human appendix
Biogeography - Answer Study of past and present distribution of organisms, oceanic island
inhabitants resemble organisms of nearest mainland with some differences.
Evidence to support evolution - Answer Fossil record, biogeography, comparative anatomy,
comparative embryology, molecular record, vestigial structures, homologous structures
transgenic organism - Answer organism that is genetically engineered by inserting a gene
from another organism
DNA introduced into plants by - Answer -Electroporation
-physical bombardment (coat nanoparticles with recombinant DNA and fire particles into plant
tissue)
-chemical treatment
-bacterial transfer (plasmid)
RNA interference (RNAi) - Answer introduction of double-stranded RNA into a cell to inhibit
gene expression (protein synthesis)
What are the 4 classes or groups of biomolecules? - Answer Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins
Nucleic Acids
100% Accurate Answers 2026-2027
Updated.
endonuclease - Answer an enzyme that cleaves DNA at specific sites, leaves sticky
complementary tails
gel electrophoresis - Answer Procedure used to separate and analyze DNA or protein
fragment by size and charge
gel electrophoresis uses - Answer forensics, compare DNA at crime scene
Reverse transcriptase PCR - Answer a modification of PCR in which the first round of
replication involves the use of RNA and reverse transcriptase to make a complementary strand
of DNA. Use to make cDNA
Fluorescent in situ hybridization - Answer labels DNA
Ligase - Answer An enzyme that connects two fragments of DNA to make a single fragment
DNA polymerase - Answer An enzyme that catalyzes the formation of the DNA molecule.
RNA polymerase - Answer Enzyme that links together the growing chain of ribonucleotides
during transcription to form mRNA
Taq polymerase - Answer Heat-tolerant enzyme used to copy DNA in PCR
reverse transcriptase - Answer Needed to form cDNA libraries
This organism is genetically engineered to make insulin - Answer bacteria
How can bacteria make insulin? - Answer Gene for human insulin protein is inserted into
bacteria by plasmids
PCR (polymerase chain reaction) - Answer is used to copy and amplify small quantities of
DNA
,PCR steps - Answer denaturation, annealing, synthesis
knockout genes - Answer genes that take the place of normal genes. Results in failure to
produce the specific protein produced by the normal genes
knockin gene - Answer Gene is replaced by another gene so new protein is produced.
genetic engineering uses - Answer Bioremediation, glyphosate resistant crops, Golden Rice
CRISPR - Answer a collection of DNA sequences that tells Cas9 exactly where to cut. For
treatment of genetic diseases.
Is CRISPR used to treat chromosomal disorders? - Answer No, genetic only. Not trisomies or
monosomies
restriction map - Answer diagram that shows the lengths of fragments between restriction
sites in the strand of DNA
restriction map use - Answer Remove DNA fragment from one plasmid vector to another
Proteome - Answer the entire set of proteins expressed by a given cell or group of cells
Genome - Answer the complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the
genetic material in that organism's chromosomes
DNA microarray - Answer research tool used to study gene expression
protein microarrays - Answer can be used to analyze protein-protein interactions
STRs (short tandem repeats) - Answer sections in between chromosome in which DNA
sequences are repeated
STR usefulness - Answer forensics, paternity
Why more mRNA than genes? - Answer Alternative splicing, removal of introns
,natural selection - Answer A process in which individuals that have certain inherited traits
tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits.
Natural selection acts on - Answer phenotypes in a population, allele frequency in a
population
Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium - Answer condition that occurs when the frequency of alleles in
a particular gene pool remain constant over time
bottleneck effect - Answer A change in allele frequency following a dramatic reduction in the
size of a population
founder effect - Answer change in allele frequencies as a result of the migration of a small
subgroup of a population
genetic drift - Answer A change in the allele frequency of a population as a result of chance
events rather than natural selection.
Mutation - Answer change in a DNA sequence that affects genetic information
Fitness - Answer Ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment, longer
life then more babies
sickle cell anemia - Answer a genetic disorder that causes abnormal hemoglobin, resulting in
some red blood cells assuming an abnormal sickle shape, recessive trait so both parents are
heterozygous.
directional selection - Answer Form of natural selection in which the entire curve moves;
occurs when individuals at one end of a distribution curve have higher fitness than individuals in
the middle or at the other end of the curve
stabilizing selection - Answer Natural selection that favors intermediate variants by acting
against extreme phenotypes
disruptive selection - Answer form of natural selection in which a single curve splits into two;
occurs when individuals at the upper and lower ends of a distribution curve have higher fitness
than individuals near the middle
, convergent evolution - Answer Process by which unrelated organisms independently evolve
similarities when adapting to similar environments, skeleton of fish, shark, dolphin (all have fins
and streamlined)
homologous structures - Answer Structures in different species that are similar because of
common ancestry. Ex: human hand & whale fins
artificial selection vs natural selection - Answer AS- humans breed for certain traits, occurs
quickly and more change is seen
NS- inherited beneficial adaptations
measure radioactive decay - Answer to date rocks or fossils
vestigial structures - Answer A structure that is present in an organism but no longer serves
its original purpose, whale pelvis, human appendix
Biogeography - Answer Study of past and present distribution of organisms, oceanic island
inhabitants resemble organisms of nearest mainland with some differences.
Evidence to support evolution - Answer Fossil record, biogeography, comparative anatomy,
comparative embryology, molecular record, vestigial structures, homologous structures
transgenic organism - Answer organism that is genetically engineered by inserting a gene
from another organism
DNA introduced into plants by - Answer -Electroporation
-physical bombardment (coat nanoparticles with recombinant DNA and fire particles into plant
tissue)
-chemical treatment
-bacterial transfer (plasmid)
RNA interference (RNAi) - Answer introduction of double-stranded RNA into a cell to inhibit
gene expression (protein synthesis)
What are the 4 classes or groups of biomolecules? - Answer Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins
Nucleic Acids
