NVCC BIO 101 – Exam 3 Review Questions & Answers
Topic Areas: DNA, RNA, Replication, Cell Division, Genetics, and Protein
Synthesis
Section 1: DNA Structure & Function
1. What are the 3 characteristics of DNA?
Codes for amino acid sequences in proteins
Replicates itself before cell division
Capable of change over time (evolution)
2. DNA & RNA are involved in protein synthesis. ✅ True
3. The purines include cytosine, thymine, and uracil. ❌ False — These are
pyrimidines.
4. DNA has one less hydroxyl group than RNA. ✅ True
5. DNA strands are antiparallel. ✅ True
6. Base pairing in DNA:
Adenine → Thymine
Cytosine → Guanine ✅ True
7. Thymine is not present in DNA. ❌ False — Thymine is found in DNA only.
8. Hydrogen bonds: Triple between C–G, double between A–T. ✅ True
Section 2: DNA Replication
9. Which enzyme separates DNA strands?
Helicase
, 10. Where does strand separation occur?
Replication Fork / Origin of Replication
11. What stabilizes the unwound strands?
Topoisomerase
12. Which enzyme assembles the RNA primer?
Primase
13. DNA polymerase adds nucleotides to the RNA primer. ✅ True
14. Which enzymes replace RNA primer with DNA nucleotides?
Nucleotide Replacement Enzymes
15. Which strand contains Okazaki fragments?
Lagging Strand
16. Which enzyme seals DNA fragments?
Ligase
17. DNA polymerase moves 5′ to 3′ on the leading strand. ✅ True
18. What is a codon?
A three-base sequence coding for a specific amino acid
19. DNA makes one spiral every 10 base pairs. ✅ True
Section 3: Transcription & Translation
20. DNA information travels to the ribosome for protein synthesis. ✅ True
21. Transcription: DNA → RNA. ✅ True
Topic Areas: DNA, RNA, Replication, Cell Division, Genetics, and Protein
Synthesis
Section 1: DNA Structure & Function
1. What are the 3 characteristics of DNA?
Codes for amino acid sequences in proteins
Replicates itself before cell division
Capable of change over time (evolution)
2. DNA & RNA are involved in protein synthesis. ✅ True
3. The purines include cytosine, thymine, and uracil. ❌ False — These are
pyrimidines.
4. DNA has one less hydroxyl group than RNA. ✅ True
5. DNA strands are antiparallel. ✅ True
6. Base pairing in DNA:
Adenine → Thymine
Cytosine → Guanine ✅ True
7. Thymine is not present in DNA. ❌ False — Thymine is found in DNA only.
8. Hydrogen bonds: Triple between C–G, double between A–T. ✅ True
Section 2: DNA Replication
9. Which enzyme separates DNA strands?
Helicase
, 10. Where does strand separation occur?
Replication Fork / Origin of Replication
11. What stabilizes the unwound strands?
Topoisomerase
12. Which enzyme assembles the RNA primer?
Primase
13. DNA polymerase adds nucleotides to the RNA primer. ✅ True
14. Which enzymes replace RNA primer with DNA nucleotides?
Nucleotide Replacement Enzymes
15. Which strand contains Okazaki fragments?
Lagging Strand
16. Which enzyme seals DNA fragments?
Ligase
17. DNA polymerase moves 5′ to 3′ on the leading strand. ✅ True
18. What is a codon?
A three-base sequence coding for a specific amino acid
19. DNA makes one spiral every 10 base pairs. ✅ True
Section 3: Transcription & Translation
20. DNA information travels to the ribosome for protein synthesis. ✅ True
21. Transcription: DNA → RNA. ✅ True
