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