BIOL 314 Final Exam Questions with
Guaranteed Pass Solutions 2026
Updated.
In which of the following organelles does transcription occur?
Golgi apparatus
Lysosome
Peroxisome
Nucleus
Ribosome - Answer Nucleus
Carbohydrate side chains attached to proteins and lipids are found
on the outer surface of the plasma membrane
on the inner surface of the plasma membrane
on both sides of the plasma membrane
are not found in the plasma membrane - Answer on the outer surface of the plasma
membrane
Oxidation reactions
always involve the addition of oxygen to a molecule
occur when electrons are added to a molecule
are always energetically unfavorable
can be driven by conversion of NADPH to NADP+
are always accompanied by a reduction reaction - Answer are always accompanied by a
reduction reaction
For a reaction to occur spontaneously
ΔG must be negative
the reaction must be energetically unfavorable
the products must have a higher energy than the reactants
an input of energy is required - Answer ΔG must be negative
An α-helix is held together by
hydrogen bonds between amino acid side chain atoms
hydrogen bonds between atoms in the polypeptide backbone
,hydrogen bonds between amino acid side chain atoms and atoms in the polypeptide backbone
covalent bonds between amino acid side chains - Answer hydrogen bonds between atoms in
the polypeptide backbone
Phospholipids can typically
form the phosphate backbone of nucleic acids.
form an alpha helix held together with hydrogen bonds between the CH2 groups.
form a lipid bilayer.
form an active site. - Answer form a lipid bilayer.
Flip-flop of lipids from one half of a membrane bilayer to the other is a frequent event.
True
False - Answer False
Procaryotic cells encapsulate their DNA in a nucleus.
True
False - Answer False
Comparing and contrasting membrane transporter proteins with membrane channel proteins
which of the following statements is FALSE?
A. Some transporter proteins are able to perform active transport but channel proteins can
only perform passive transport
B. Either type of molecule can have their conformation altered by binding to another molecule.
For transporters binding the molecule being transported changes the conformation but for
ligand-gated channels conformation is regulated by a different molecule that is not transported
across the membrane
C. ATP is required by all transporter proteins for driving transport against a concentration
gradient whereas some channel proteins can use co-transport to pump a molecule against its
concentration gradient
D. Transporter proteins are relatively slow because only 1 or a few molecules are transported
per cycle of conformational change whereas channels can be faster becau - Answer C. ATP is
required by all transporter proteins for driving transport against a concentration gradient
whereas some channel proteins can use co-transport to pump a molecule against its
concentration gradient
Consider the following: cells lining the gut function to concentrate digestion products, including
amino acids, from the gut lumen into the cell. To counteract metabolic byproducts, which
adversely acidify cell contents, cells have to eliminate H+ protons out into the even more acidic
lumen. Which of the following co-transport options would satisfy these requirements?
,A. Na+/Amino acid symport & Na+/H+ antiport
B. Na+/Amino acid antiport & Na+/H+ symport
C. Na+/Amino acid symport & Na+/H+ symport
D. Na+/Amino acid antiport & Na+/H+ antiport
E. Amino acid/H+ antiport - Answer A. Na+/Amino acid symport & Na+/H+ antiport
Which of the following is NOT a source of energy sometimes used for active transport?
A. Mechanical force
B. Light
C. Electrochemical gradients
D. ATP - Answer A. Mechanical force
Which of the following is NOT TRUE about the regulation of membrane channels
A. Signaling molecules might act as ligands to open some gates
B. Mechanical force might regulate the opening of some gates
C. Membrane potential (voltage) can regulate the opening of some gates
D. Binding of the transported solute induces a conformational change that opens the channel -
Answer D. Binding of the transported solute induces a conformational change that opens the
channel
Which of the following best defines "membrane potential"?
A. The current that is possible across a membrane due to the number of ion channels present
B. The maximum number of ions that can be transported across a membrane per millisecond,
due to the number of ATPase ion pumps present
C. Electrical voltage produced by different ion concentrations on either side of a membrane
D. The net free energy (G) produced by different osmotic concentrations across a membrane -
Answer C. Electrical voltage produced by different ion concentrations on either side of a
membrane
Leak channels allow K+ ions to reach equilibrium across animal cell membranes. In a typical
mammalian cell, potassium ion (K+) concentrations are 140 mM inside the cell and 5 mM
outside. Which of the following DOES NOT help explain why the equilibrium concentrations are
not the same inside and outside the cell?
, A. Many macromolecules including nucleic acids and proteins produce a net negative charge
inside the cell that attracts K+ ions
B. K+ leak channels close below the threshold membrane potential
C. Energy from ATP is used to drive the Na+/K+ ATPase pump which generates an
electrochemical gradient across the cell membrane
D. A high concentration of Na+ ions helps create a net positive charge outside the cell, which
creates electrical repulsion driving K+ ions inside the cell - Answer B. K+ leak channels close
below the threshold membrane potential
Which of the following is NOT a feature of neural signaling across a chemical synapse?
A. An action potential opens voltage-gated Ca2+ channels allowing diffusion of calcium ions
into the axon terminus
B. Membrane vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane of the axon terminus
C. Neurotransmitter transporter proteins are activated in the plasma membrane of the axon
terminus to release neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft
D. Neurotransmitters bind ligand-gated ion channels on the post-synaptic cell to alter
membrane potential - Answer C. Neurotransmitter transporter proteins are activated in the
plasma membrane of the axon terminus to release neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft
A neurotransmitter that opened ligand-gated chloride (Cl-) channels in a postsynaptic neuron
would be
A. excitatory because the postsynaptic membrane would depolarize
B. inhibitory because the postsynaptic membrane would depolarize
C. excitatory because the postsynaptic membrane would hyperpolarize
D. inhibitory because the postsynaptic membrane would hyperpolarize - Answer D.
inhibitory because the postsynaptic membrane would hyperpolarize
Which of the following organelles is thought to have arisen by the engulfment of a bacterium by
a primitive eukaryotic cell?
nucleus
lysosome
mitochondrion
vacuole - Answer mitochondrion
2. Compare and contrast protein import into the nucleus versus the mitochondrion. Which of
the following statements is FALSE?
The signal sequence is typically removed from mitochondrial proteins but not from nuclear
proteins
Guaranteed Pass Solutions 2026
Updated.
In which of the following organelles does transcription occur?
Golgi apparatus
Lysosome
Peroxisome
Nucleus
Ribosome - Answer Nucleus
Carbohydrate side chains attached to proteins and lipids are found
on the outer surface of the plasma membrane
on the inner surface of the plasma membrane
on both sides of the plasma membrane
are not found in the plasma membrane - Answer on the outer surface of the plasma
membrane
Oxidation reactions
always involve the addition of oxygen to a molecule
occur when electrons are added to a molecule
are always energetically unfavorable
can be driven by conversion of NADPH to NADP+
are always accompanied by a reduction reaction - Answer are always accompanied by a
reduction reaction
For a reaction to occur spontaneously
ΔG must be negative
the reaction must be energetically unfavorable
the products must have a higher energy than the reactants
an input of energy is required - Answer ΔG must be negative
An α-helix is held together by
hydrogen bonds between amino acid side chain atoms
hydrogen bonds between atoms in the polypeptide backbone
,hydrogen bonds between amino acid side chain atoms and atoms in the polypeptide backbone
covalent bonds between amino acid side chains - Answer hydrogen bonds between atoms in
the polypeptide backbone
Phospholipids can typically
form the phosphate backbone of nucleic acids.
form an alpha helix held together with hydrogen bonds between the CH2 groups.
form a lipid bilayer.
form an active site. - Answer form a lipid bilayer.
Flip-flop of lipids from one half of a membrane bilayer to the other is a frequent event.
True
False - Answer False
Procaryotic cells encapsulate their DNA in a nucleus.
True
False - Answer False
Comparing and contrasting membrane transporter proteins with membrane channel proteins
which of the following statements is FALSE?
A. Some transporter proteins are able to perform active transport but channel proteins can
only perform passive transport
B. Either type of molecule can have their conformation altered by binding to another molecule.
For transporters binding the molecule being transported changes the conformation but for
ligand-gated channels conformation is regulated by a different molecule that is not transported
across the membrane
C. ATP is required by all transporter proteins for driving transport against a concentration
gradient whereas some channel proteins can use co-transport to pump a molecule against its
concentration gradient
D. Transporter proteins are relatively slow because only 1 or a few molecules are transported
per cycle of conformational change whereas channels can be faster becau - Answer C. ATP is
required by all transporter proteins for driving transport against a concentration gradient
whereas some channel proteins can use co-transport to pump a molecule against its
concentration gradient
Consider the following: cells lining the gut function to concentrate digestion products, including
amino acids, from the gut lumen into the cell. To counteract metabolic byproducts, which
adversely acidify cell contents, cells have to eliminate H+ protons out into the even more acidic
lumen. Which of the following co-transport options would satisfy these requirements?
,A. Na+/Amino acid symport & Na+/H+ antiport
B. Na+/Amino acid antiport & Na+/H+ symport
C. Na+/Amino acid symport & Na+/H+ symport
D. Na+/Amino acid antiport & Na+/H+ antiport
E. Amino acid/H+ antiport - Answer A. Na+/Amino acid symport & Na+/H+ antiport
Which of the following is NOT a source of energy sometimes used for active transport?
A. Mechanical force
B. Light
C. Electrochemical gradients
D. ATP - Answer A. Mechanical force
Which of the following is NOT TRUE about the regulation of membrane channels
A. Signaling molecules might act as ligands to open some gates
B. Mechanical force might regulate the opening of some gates
C. Membrane potential (voltage) can regulate the opening of some gates
D. Binding of the transported solute induces a conformational change that opens the channel -
Answer D. Binding of the transported solute induces a conformational change that opens the
channel
Which of the following best defines "membrane potential"?
A. The current that is possible across a membrane due to the number of ion channels present
B. The maximum number of ions that can be transported across a membrane per millisecond,
due to the number of ATPase ion pumps present
C. Electrical voltage produced by different ion concentrations on either side of a membrane
D. The net free energy (G) produced by different osmotic concentrations across a membrane -
Answer C. Electrical voltage produced by different ion concentrations on either side of a
membrane
Leak channels allow K+ ions to reach equilibrium across animal cell membranes. In a typical
mammalian cell, potassium ion (K+) concentrations are 140 mM inside the cell and 5 mM
outside. Which of the following DOES NOT help explain why the equilibrium concentrations are
not the same inside and outside the cell?
, A. Many macromolecules including nucleic acids and proteins produce a net negative charge
inside the cell that attracts K+ ions
B. K+ leak channels close below the threshold membrane potential
C. Energy from ATP is used to drive the Na+/K+ ATPase pump which generates an
electrochemical gradient across the cell membrane
D. A high concentration of Na+ ions helps create a net positive charge outside the cell, which
creates electrical repulsion driving K+ ions inside the cell - Answer B. K+ leak channels close
below the threshold membrane potential
Which of the following is NOT a feature of neural signaling across a chemical synapse?
A. An action potential opens voltage-gated Ca2+ channels allowing diffusion of calcium ions
into the axon terminus
B. Membrane vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane of the axon terminus
C. Neurotransmitter transporter proteins are activated in the plasma membrane of the axon
terminus to release neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft
D. Neurotransmitters bind ligand-gated ion channels on the post-synaptic cell to alter
membrane potential - Answer C. Neurotransmitter transporter proteins are activated in the
plasma membrane of the axon terminus to release neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft
A neurotransmitter that opened ligand-gated chloride (Cl-) channels in a postsynaptic neuron
would be
A. excitatory because the postsynaptic membrane would depolarize
B. inhibitory because the postsynaptic membrane would depolarize
C. excitatory because the postsynaptic membrane would hyperpolarize
D. inhibitory because the postsynaptic membrane would hyperpolarize - Answer D.
inhibitory because the postsynaptic membrane would hyperpolarize
Which of the following organelles is thought to have arisen by the engulfment of a bacterium by
a primitive eukaryotic cell?
nucleus
lysosome
mitochondrion
vacuole - Answer mitochondrion
2. Compare and contrast protein import into the nucleus versus the mitochondrion. Which of
the following statements is FALSE?
The signal sequence is typically removed from mitochondrial proteins but not from nuclear
proteins
