ThatQuiz Test Library Take this test now
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) Single strand
B) Triple helix
C) Circular
D) Double helix
  • 2. What is the role of mRNA in protein synthesis?
A) Replicates DNA
B) Carries genetic information from DNA to the ribosome
C) Stabilizes the genetic information
D) Translates proteins into genetic code
  • 3. What is a codon?
A) An enzyme in the nucleus
B) A protein subunit
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) Nucleus
B) Mitochondria
C) Golgi apparatus
D) Endoplasmic reticulum
  • 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) Gel electrophoresis
C) Gene cloning
D) PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)
  • 7. What is the function of tRNA in protein synthesis?
A) Connects mRNA and ribosomes
B) Transcribes DNA
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) Mutation
C) Translation
D) Transcription
  • 9. Which enzyme is responsible for unwinding the DNA double helix during replication?
A) Helicase
B) Topoisomerase
C) DNA polymerase
D) Ligase
  • 10. Who first used the term 'molecular biology'?
A) James Watson
B) Francis Crick
C) The English physicist William Astbury
D) Rosalind Franklin
  • 11. In which year was the double helix model of DNA first described?
A) 1962
B) 1953
C) 1945
D) 1869
  • 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) William Astbury, Rosalind Franklin, and James Watson
C) James Watson, Francis Crick, and Maurice Wilkins
D) Rosalind Franklin, Erwin Chargaff, and Max Perutz
  • 13. What did Gregor Mendel pioneer in 1866?
A) The laws of inheritance through studies on pea plants
B) The discovery of DNA structure
C) The double helix model of DNA
D) Chargaff's rule
  • 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) Chemistry, engineering, and philosophy
B) Physics, chemistry, and astronomy
C) Biology, geology, and meteorology
D) Genetics, biochemistry, physics, mathematics, and computer science (bioinformatics)
  • 16. Who conducted the experiment that discovered genetic transformation?
A) Gregor Mendel
B) Frederick Griffith
C) Francis Crick
D) James Watson
  • 17. In what year did Frederick Griffith conduct his experiment on pneumococcus bacteria?
A) 1953
B) 1928
C) 1905
D) 1944
  • 18. What is the term for gene transfer occurring in members of the same generation?
A) Vertical gene transfer
B) Horizontal gene transfer (HGT)
C) Mutation
D) Genetic recombination
  • 19. Why is the smooth strain of pneumococcus bacteria virulent?
A) It lacks genetic material.
B) It produces toxins that kill the host.
C) Its polysaccharide capsule prevents recognition by the host's immune system.
D) It has a rough colony appearance.
  • 20. How is the target DNA analyzed for probe presence in ASO techniques?
A) By measuring pH changes.
B) Using mass spectrometry.
C) Via radioactivity or fluorescence.
D) Through electron microscopy.
  • 21. Which technique can be used to introduce mutations into specific bases of DNA?
A) Site-directed mutagenesis using PCR
B) Transfection
C) Gel electrophoresis
D) Transformation
  • 22. At what wavelength does Coomassie Blue shift when it binds to protein in an acidic solution?
A) 465 nm
B) 595 nm
C) 620 nm
D) 700 nm
  • 23. Which technique involves introducing DNA into bacterial cells via cell-cell contact?
A) Conjugation
B) Transfection
C) Transformation
D) Transduction
  • 24. What is the typical length range of probes used in ASO techniques?
A) 5–10 nucleotides.
B) 20–25 nucleotides.
C) 30–40 nucleotides.
D) 50–100 nucleotides.
  • 25. What apparatus was famously used in the Hershey–Chase experiment?
A) Centrifuge
B) Microscope
C) Kitchen blender
D) Spectrophotometer
  • 26. What type of DNA replication was supported by the Meselson–Stahl experiment?
A) Dispersive replication
B) Non-conservative replication
C) Conservative 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) Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
B) Gel electrophoresis
C) Molecular cloning
D) Transfection
  • 29. Which process describes how bacteriophages transfer DNA to bacteria?
A) Transduction
B) Transformation
C) Conjugation
D) Replication
  • 30. Which technique involves introducing DNA into eukaryotic cells by physical or chemical means?
A) Conjugation
B) Transduction
C) Transformation
D) Transfection
  • 31. Which method can be used to amplify RNA sequences?
A) Gel electrophoresis
B) Reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR)
C) Molecular cloning
D) Standard PCR
  • 32. Which type of antigen do different subtypes of S and R bacteria produce?
A) Only one common type
B) Different types
C) The same type
D) No antigens
  • 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) Agarose gel electrophoresis
D) 2D gel electrophoresis
  • 35. What role does biophysics play in molecular biology?
A) Predicting genetic mutations.
B) Studying biomolecules 'from the ground up'.
C) Using computer science techniques.
D) Focusing on chemical substances in living organisms.
  • 36. In the Hershey–Chase experiment, which element was used to label DNA?
A) Radioactive carbon
B) Radioactive hydrogen
C) Radioactive phosphorus
D) Radioactive sulfur
  • 37. What dye is utilized in the Bradford protein assay?
A) Methylene blue
B) Coomassie Brilliant Blue G-250
C) SYBR Green
D) Ethidium bromide
  • 38. What organism was used to demonstrate transformation in Griffith's experiment?
A) Streptococcus pneumoniae
B) Salmonella typhimurium
C) Bacteriophage
D) Escherichia coli
  • 39. What is the most common material used for fabricating microarrays?
A) Silicon chips
B) Nylon membranes
C) Nitrocellulose
D) Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)
  • 40. Which technique allows for quantitative measurement of DNA or RNA molecules?
A) Gel electrophoresis
B) Standard PCR
C) Molecular cloning
D) Quantitative PCR
  • 41. What substance can interfere with the Bradford assay?
A) Ethanol
B) Proteins
C) Magnesium chloride
D) Strong alkaline buffering agents such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)
  • 42. What is used to transfer DNA samples onto a membrane in Southern blotting?
A) Centrifugation
B) Capillary action
C) Electrophoresis
D) Chromatography
  • 43. What decade was molecular cloning first developed?
A) 1980s
B) 1960s
C) 1990s
D) 1970s
  • 44. What was the method used to determine DNA size before rate sedimentation in sucrose gradients?
A) Gel electrophoresis.
B) Viscometry.
C) X-ray crystallography.
D) Chromatography.
  • 45. Who developed the Bradford assay?
A) Edwin Southern
B) Patricia Thomas
C) Marion M. Bradford
D) Kary Mullis
  • 46. Which technique is used to study when and how much gene expression is occurring?
A) Microarrays
B) Northern blotting
C) Western blotting
D) Eastern blotting
  • 47. What is a common visualization technique used in western blotting?
A) Chemiluminescence
B) DNA hybridization.
C) RNA electrophoresis.
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) Western blotting detects post-translational modifications.
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) Nylon
B) Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)
C) Nitrocellulose
D) Silicon chips
Created with That Quiz — the math test generation site with resources for other subject areas.