MICROB 3200 FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE
2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS || 100%
GUARANTEED PASS <LATEST VERSION>
MICROB 3200 Final Exam Study Guide 2026
Section 1: Microbial Genetics & Molecular Biology
1. What is the central dogma of molecular biology?
A) RNA → DNA → Protein
B) DNA → RNA → Protein
C) Protein → DNA → RNA
D) DNA → Protein → RNA
2. Which enzyme is responsible for synthesizing RNA from a DNA template?
A) DNA polymerase
B) RNA polymerase
C) Reverse transcriptase
D) DNA ligase
3. A point mutation that results in a codon change to a "stop" codon is called a:
A) Missense mutation
B) Silent mutation
C) Nonsense mutation
D) Frameshift mutation
4. The process by which bacteria take up free DNA from the environment is
called:
A) Conjugation
B) Transduction
,C) Transformation
D) Transposition
5. What is an operon?
A) A single gene regulated by one promoter
B) A cluster of genes transcribed under the control of a single promoter
C) The enzyme that replicates DNA
D) A type of plasmid
6. In the lac operon, what is the role of the repressor protein when lactose is
absent?
A) It activates transcription.
B) It binds to the operator and blocks transcription.
C) It degrades lactose.
D) It recruits RNA polymerase.
7. Transduction involves gene transfer mediated by a:
A) Pilus
B) Free environmental DNA
C) Bacteriophage (virus)
D) Transposon
8. Which type of plasmid carries genes for conjugation, such as the genes to
form a sex pilus?
A) Col-plasmid
B) Virulence plasmid
C) Fertility (F) plasmid
D) R-plasmid
9. What is the function of DNA ligase?
A) Synthesizes new DNA strands
B) Unwinds the DNA double helix
C) Joins Okazaki fragments on the lagging strand
D) Proofreads DNA for errors
, 10. Quorum sensing is a process by which bacteria:
A) Synthesize a quorum of proteins
B) Communicate and coordinate behavior based on population density
C) Transfer DNA between cells
D) Reproduce asexually
Section 2: Bacterial Physiology & Metabolism
11. Which phase of the bacterial growth curve is characterized by no net
increase in cell number, as cells are synthesizing new components?
A) Lag phase
B) Log phase
C) Stationary phase
D) Death phase
12. An organism that uses organic carbon and obtains energy from chemical
compounds is a:
A) Photoautotroph
B) Chemoautotroph
C) Photoheterotroph
D) Chemoheterotroph
13. The electron transport chain (ETC) in bacteria is located in the:
A) Cytoplasm
B) Mitochondrial inner membrane
C) Plasma membrane
D) Outer membrane
14. What is the primary function of the Krebs (TCA) cycle?
A) To produce the majority of ATP directly
B) To generate precursor metabolites and reduced electron carriers (NADH,
FADH2)
C) To complete glycolysis
D) To fix carbon dioxide
2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS || 100%
GUARANTEED PASS <LATEST VERSION>
MICROB 3200 Final Exam Study Guide 2026
Section 1: Microbial Genetics & Molecular Biology
1. What is the central dogma of molecular biology?
A) RNA → DNA → Protein
B) DNA → RNA → Protein
C) Protein → DNA → RNA
D) DNA → Protein → RNA
2. Which enzyme is responsible for synthesizing RNA from a DNA template?
A) DNA polymerase
B) RNA polymerase
C) Reverse transcriptase
D) DNA ligase
3. A point mutation that results in a codon change to a "stop" codon is called a:
A) Missense mutation
B) Silent mutation
C) Nonsense mutation
D) Frameshift mutation
4. The process by which bacteria take up free DNA from the environment is
called:
A) Conjugation
B) Transduction
,C) Transformation
D) Transposition
5. What is an operon?
A) A single gene regulated by one promoter
B) A cluster of genes transcribed under the control of a single promoter
C) The enzyme that replicates DNA
D) A type of plasmid
6. In the lac operon, what is the role of the repressor protein when lactose is
absent?
A) It activates transcription.
B) It binds to the operator and blocks transcription.
C) It degrades lactose.
D) It recruits RNA polymerase.
7. Transduction involves gene transfer mediated by a:
A) Pilus
B) Free environmental DNA
C) Bacteriophage (virus)
D) Transposon
8. Which type of plasmid carries genes for conjugation, such as the genes to
form a sex pilus?
A) Col-plasmid
B) Virulence plasmid
C) Fertility (F) plasmid
D) R-plasmid
9. What is the function of DNA ligase?
A) Synthesizes new DNA strands
B) Unwinds the DNA double helix
C) Joins Okazaki fragments on the lagging strand
D) Proofreads DNA for errors
, 10. Quorum sensing is a process by which bacteria:
A) Synthesize a quorum of proteins
B) Communicate and coordinate behavior based on population density
C) Transfer DNA between cells
D) Reproduce asexually
Section 2: Bacterial Physiology & Metabolism
11. Which phase of the bacterial growth curve is characterized by no net
increase in cell number, as cells are synthesizing new components?
A) Lag phase
B) Log phase
C) Stationary phase
D) Death phase
12. An organism that uses organic carbon and obtains energy from chemical
compounds is a:
A) Photoautotroph
B) Chemoautotroph
C) Photoheterotroph
D) Chemoheterotroph
13. The electron transport chain (ETC) in bacteria is located in the:
A) Cytoplasm
B) Mitochondrial inner membrane
C) Plasma membrane
D) Outer membrane
14. What is the primary function of the Krebs (TCA) cycle?
A) To produce the majority of ATP directly
B) To generate precursor metabolites and reduced electron carriers (NADH,
FADH2)
C) To complete glycolysis
D) To fix carbon dioxide
