MOLECULAR BIOLOGY EXAM I
UPDATED ACTUAL Questions and
CORRECT Answers
In a mature, spliced mRNA, introns: - CORRECT ANSWER - Can be retained after
splicing, but may have
deleterious effects on translation.
What is the Central Dogma of Molecular
Biology? - CORRECT ANSWER - DNA → RNA → Protein.
What biochemical feature confers
directionality upon nucleic acids? - CORRECT ANSWER - Assymetry of the
phosphodiester linkages.
What constitutes the primary sequence of
nucleic acids? - CORRECT ANSWER - Nucleotide base order.
Why are mutations in the primary DNA
sequences propagated? - CORRECT ANSWER - Nucleic acid polymerization is
templatedependent.
Within a gene, what is the most conserved part? - CORRECT ANSWER - Exons.
A cDNA synthesized from the following mRNA
( 5'‐AUGUUACGUGAC‐3') would read: - CORRECT ANSWER - 5'‐GTCACGTAACAT‐
3'
, Two proteins are found to share an identical amino acid
sequence, but one of the proteins contains extra amino acids
on the amino (NH4-) terminus.
What is the best explanation? - CORRECT ANSWER - Both proteins are derived from the
same transcript,
but they use alternative start codons.
Two transcription factors bind to DNA using the same DNA binding
domain, but have different effects on transcription. What would you
expect their genes to look like? - CORRECT ANSWER - They share some similar exons
and some different
exons.
Why are mutations in the primary DNA
sequences propagated? - CORRECT ANSWER - Nucleic acid polymerization is
templatedependent.
What are the origins of introns? - CORRECT ANSWER - A. Introns are inherited from a
common
ancient ancestor.
B. Introns evolved recently.
C. Introns result from selfish DNA (mobile
elements).
D. Introns are relics of the RNA‐origin of life.
Multiple protein products can be derived from
the same gene by: - CORRECT ANSWER - A. Alternative translational start sites.
B. Alternative splicing.
*Overlapping reading frames are typically derived from more than one gene, but
UPDATED ACTUAL Questions and
CORRECT Answers
In a mature, spliced mRNA, introns: - CORRECT ANSWER - Can be retained after
splicing, but may have
deleterious effects on translation.
What is the Central Dogma of Molecular
Biology? - CORRECT ANSWER - DNA → RNA → Protein.
What biochemical feature confers
directionality upon nucleic acids? - CORRECT ANSWER - Assymetry of the
phosphodiester linkages.
What constitutes the primary sequence of
nucleic acids? - CORRECT ANSWER - Nucleotide base order.
Why are mutations in the primary DNA
sequences propagated? - CORRECT ANSWER - Nucleic acid polymerization is
templatedependent.
Within a gene, what is the most conserved part? - CORRECT ANSWER - Exons.
A cDNA synthesized from the following mRNA
( 5'‐AUGUUACGUGAC‐3') would read: - CORRECT ANSWER - 5'‐GTCACGTAACAT‐
3'
, Two proteins are found to share an identical amino acid
sequence, but one of the proteins contains extra amino acids
on the amino (NH4-) terminus.
What is the best explanation? - CORRECT ANSWER - Both proteins are derived from the
same transcript,
but they use alternative start codons.
Two transcription factors bind to DNA using the same DNA binding
domain, but have different effects on transcription. What would you
expect their genes to look like? - CORRECT ANSWER - They share some similar exons
and some different
exons.
Why are mutations in the primary DNA
sequences propagated? - CORRECT ANSWER - Nucleic acid polymerization is
templatedependent.
What are the origins of introns? - CORRECT ANSWER - A. Introns are inherited from a
common
ancient ancestor.
B. Introns evolved recently.
C. Introns result from selfish DNA (mobile
elements).
D. Introns are relics of the RNA‐origin of life.
Multiple protein products can be derived from
the same gene by: - CORRECT ANSWER - A. Alternative translational start sites.
B. Alternative splicing.
*Overlapping reading frames are typically derived from more than one gene, but
