Molecular biology - Exam
  • 1. Molecular biology is a branch of biology that focuses on the study of biological processes at the molecular level, particularly the interactions between various systems within a cell, including the interactions between DNA, RNA, and proteins. It involves the study of the structure and function of molecules essential to life, such as nucleic acids and proteins, and how they regulate various biological processes. Molecular biology plays a crucial role in understanding genetics, gene expression, cell signaling, and many other fundamental biological processes. Researchers in this field utilize a variety of techniques to investigate these molecular mechanisms, including genomics, proteomics, and bioinformatics, leading to significant advancements in our understanding of life at a molecular level.

    Which of the following describes the structure of DNA?
A) Triple helix
B) Double helix
C) Single strand
D) Circular
  • 2. What is the role of mRNA in protein synthesis?
A) Translates proteins into genetic code
B) Stabilizes the genetic information
C) Replicates DNA
D) Carries genetic information from DNA to the ribosome
  • 3. What is a codon?
A) A protein subunit
B) An enzyme in the nucleus
C) A three-nucleotide sequence in mRNA that codes for a specific amino acid
D) A segment of DNA that regulates gene expression
  • 4. Which of the following organelles is responsible for cellular respiration?
A) Golgi apparatus
B) Mitochondria
C) Endoplasmic reticulum
D) Nucleus
  • 5. What is a plasmid?
A) Large protein structure in the cell membrane
B) Small RNA molecule involved in protein synthesis
C) Segment of chromosomal DNA
D) Circular DNA molecule found in bacteria that can replicate independently
  • 6. Which technique is used to determine the sequence of nucleotides in a DNA molecule?
A) DNA sequencing
B) Gene cloning
C) PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)
D) Gel electrophoresis
  • 7. What is the function of tRNA in protein synthesis?
A) Transcribes DNA
B) Connects mRNA and ribosomes
C) Transfers amino acids to the ribosome
D) Stabilizes the genetic code
  • 8. What is the process by which a protein is made from mRNA called?
A) Replication
B) Transcription
C) Translation
D) Mutation
  • 9. Which enzyme is responsible for unwinding the DNA double helix during replication?
A) Helicase
B) Ligase
C) DNA polymerase
D) Topoisomerase
  • 10. Who first used the term 'molecular biology'?
A) Francis Crick
B) James Watson
C) The English physicist William Astbury
D) Rosalind Franklin
  • 11. In which year was the double helix model of DNA first described?
A) 1945
B) 1869
C) 1962
D) 1953
  • 12. Who were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962 for proposing a model of the structure of DNA?
A) James Watson, Francis Crick, and Maurice Wilkins
B) Rosalind Franklin, Erwin Chargaff, and Max Perutz
C) Gregor Mendel, Friedrich Miescher, and Phoebus Levene
D) William Astbury, Rosalind Franklin, and James Watson
  • 13. What did Gregor Mendel pioneer in 1866?
A) The double helix model of DNA
B) The discovery of DNA structure
C) Chargaff's rule
D) The laws of inheritance through studies on pea plants
  • 14. Who proposed the 'polynucleotide model' of DNA in 1919?
A) Francis Crick
B) Erwin Chargaff
C) James Watson
D) Phoebus Levene
  • 15. Which disciplines does molecular biology rely on?
A) Genetics, biochemistry, physics, mathematics, and computer science (bioinformatics)
B) Chemistry, engineering, and philosophy
C) Biology, geology, and meteorology
D) Physics, chemistry, and astronomy
  • 16. Who conducted the experiment that discovered genetic transformation?
A) James Watson
B) Francis Crick
C) Frederick Griffith
D) Gregor Mendel
  • 17. In what year did Frederick Griffith conduct his experiment on pneumococcus bacteria?
A) 1944
B) 1905
C) 1953
D) 1928
  • 18. What is the term for gene transfer occurring in members of the same generation?
A) Mutation
B) Vertical gene transfer
C) Horizontal gene transfer (HGT)
D) Genetic recombination
  • 19. Why is the smooth strain of pneumococcus bacteria virulent?
A) It lacks genetic material.
B) Its polysaccharide capsule prevents recognition by the host's immune system.
C) It produces toxins that kill the host.
D) It has a rough colony appearance.
  • 20. How is the target DNA analyzed for probe presence in ASO techniques?
A) Through electron microscopy.
B) By measuring pH changes.
C) Via radioactivity or fluorescence.
D) Using mass spectrometry.
  • 21. Which technique can be used to introduce mutations into specific bases of DNA?
A) Site-directed mutagenesis using PCR
B) Transfection
C) Transformation
D) Gel electrophoresis
  • 22. At what wavelength does Coomassie Blue shift when it binds to protein in an acidic solution?
A) 595 nm
B) 465 nm
C) 620 nm
D) 700 nm
  • 23. Which technique involves introducing DNA into bacterial cells via cell-cell contact?
A) Conjugation
B) Transformation
C) Transduction
D) Transfection
  • 24. What is the typical length range of probes used in ASO techniques?
A) 5–10 nucleotides.
B) 30–40 nucleotides.
C) 20–25 nucleotides.
D) 50–100 nucleotides.
  • 25. What apparatus was famously used in the Hershey–Chase experiment?
A) Centrifuge
B) Spectrophotometer
C) Kitchen blender
D) Microscope
  • 26. What type of DNA replication was supported by the Meselson–Stahl experiment?
A) Non-conservative replication
B) Conservative replication
C) Dispersive replication
D) Semiconservative replication
  • 27. Which technique involves using antibodies to detect specific proteins?
A) Microarrays
B) Western blotting
C) Northern blotting
D) Eastern blotting
  • 28. Which technique is used to amplify a specific DNA sequence in predetermined ways?
A) Gel electrophoresis
B) Molecular cloning
C) Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
D) Transfection
  • 29. Which process describes how bacteriophages transfer DNA to bacteria?
A) Conjugation
B) Transformation
C) Replication
D) Transduction
  • 30. Which technique involves introducing DNA into eukaryotic cells by physical or chemical means?
A) Transduction
B) Transformation
C) Transfection
D) Conjugation
  • 31. Which method can be used to amplify RNA sequences?
A) Reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR)
B) Standard PCR
C) Molecular cloning
D) Gel electrophoresis
  • 32. Which type of antigen do different subtypes of S and R bacteria produce?
A) The same type
B) No antigens
C) Only one common type
D) Different types
  • 33. What is the typical size of spots on a DNA microarray?
A) ~50 micrometre diameter
B) ~500 micrometre diameter
C) ~100 micrometre diameter
D) ~200 micrometre diameter
  • 34. Which type of gel electrophoresis separates proteins based on size and electric charge?
A) Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
B) SDS-PAGE
C) 2D gel electrophoresis
D) Agarose gel electrophoresis
  • 35. What role does biophysics play in molecular biology?
A) Using computer science techniques.
B) Predicting genetic mutations.
C) Focusing on chemical substances in living organisms.
D) Studying biomolecules 'from the ground up'.
  • 36. In the Hershey–Chase experiment, which element was used to label DNA?
A) Radioactive carbon
B) Radioactive hydrogen
C) Radioactive sulfur
D) Radioactive phosphorus
  • 37. What dye is utilized in the Bradford protein assay?
A) Methylene blue
B) SYBR Green
C) Ethidium bromide
D) Coomassie Brilliant Blue G-250
  • 38. What organism was used to demonstrate transformation in Griffith's experiment?
A) Bacteriophage
B) Salmonella typhimurium
C) Escherichia coli
D) Streptococcus pneumoniae
  • 39. What is the most common material used for fabricating microarrays?
A) Silicon chips
B) Nitrocellulose
C) Nylon membranes
D) Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)
  • 40. Which technique allows for quantitative measurement of DNA or RNA molecules?
A) Quantitative PCR
B) Molecular cloning
C) Gel electrophoresis
D) Standard PCR
  • 41. What substance can interfere with the Bradford assay?
A) Ethanol
B) Proteins
C) Strong alkaline buffering agents such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)
D) Magnesium chloride
  • 42. What is used to transfer DNA samples onto a membrane in Southern blotting?
A) Capillary action
B) Centrifugation
C) Electrophoresis
D) Chromatography
  • 43. What decade was molecular cloning first developed?
A) 1960s
B) 1970s
C) 1980s
D) 1990s
  • 44. What was the method used to determine DNA size before rate sedimentation in sucrose gradients?
A) Viscometry.
B) Chromatography.
C) Gel electrophoresis.
D) X-ray crystallography.
  • 45. Who developed the Bradford assay?
A) Kary Mullis
B) Patricia Thomas
C) Edwin Southern
D) Marion M. Bradford
  • 46. Which technique is used to study when and how much gene expression is occurring?
A) Microarrays
B) Eastern blotting
C) Western blotting
D) Northern blotting
  • 47. What is a common visualization technique used in western blotting?
A) DNA hybridization.
B) Chemiluminescence
C) Microarray spot analysis.
D) RNA electrophoresis.
  • 48. What is the primary difference between northern and western blotting?
A) Western blotting detects post-translational modifications.
B) Northern blotting uses antibodies, while western blotting does not.
C) Northern blotting is used for gene expression profiling.
D) Northern blotting analyzes RNA, while western blotting analyzes proteins.
  • 49. What type of membrane is commonly used in western blotting for protein transfer?
A) Silicon chips
B) Nitrocellulose
C) Nylon
D) Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)
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