Deck 15: From Gene to Protein

Question 1

The key enzyme used during transcription is

A)RNA polymerase.
B)DNA polymerase.
C)rRNA.
D)terminase.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following is true of transcription?

A)It destroys the DNA template.
B)The DNA molecule must unwind.
C)Base pairing is unimportant.
D)The end result is a protein.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following would be found only in RNA?

A)deoxyribose and uracil
B)ribose and thymine
C)ribose and uracil
D)deoxyribose and thymine

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The sugar molecule present in RNA is

A)uracil.
B)deoxyribose.
C)ribose.
D)sucrose.

Question 5

Protein coding genes specify the production of _____ as their immediate product.

A)rRNA
B)tRNA
C)DNA
D)mRNA

Question 6

Which of the following is true of rRNA?

A)It is made up of base pairs.
B)It carries amino acids.
C)It is not translated.
D)It helps transcribe DNA.

Question 7

The sequence of nucleotides on an mRNA molecule

A)is complementary to the DNA template strand.
B)matches the sequence of the ribosome that will translate the mRNA.
C)exactly matches the template strand (except where U is substituted for T).
D)is identical to that of the promoter.

Question 8

Prokaryotes lack membrane-bound organelles and thus do not have nuclei. Therefore,

A)prokaryotes are unable to undergo transcription and translation.
B)prokaryotic cells do not need to undergo translation.
C)prokaryotic transcription and translation both take place in the cytoplasm.
D)prokaryotes are unable to replicate their DNA.

Question 9

The bases present in an RNA molecule are

A)C, T, A, and G.
B)U, A, C, and G.
C)G, C ,U, and T.
D)U, C, T, and A.

Question 10

As transcription begins, RNA polymerase binds to a segment of a gene called a(n)

A)promoter.
B)intron.
C)start codon.
D)anticodon.

Question 11

A promoter would be located on

A)the template strand of a DNA molecule.
B)the anticodon of a tRNA molecule.
C)an mRNA molecule.
D)RNA polymerase.

Question 12

Which of the following best describes the function of genes?

A)They control the production of enzymes.
B)They control the production of structural proteins.
C)They control the production of all proteins.
D)They control the production of amino acids.

Question 13

During transcription,

A)the DNA strands replicate, producing four mRNA molecules.
B)each strand in the DNA molecule directs the production of an mRNA molecule.
C)a template strand of DNA directs the production of an mRNA molecule.
D)a template strand of DNA directs the production of all of the tRNA molecules needed for producing the gene's protein product.

Question 14

DNA molecules are double-stranded, whereas most RNA molecules are single-stranded. Which of the following choices is the most likely reason that RNA does not need to be double-stranded?

A)DNA reproduces itself directly, whereas RNA does not.
B)RNA reproduces itself directly, whereas DNA does not.
C)DNA undergoes translation that requires the use of both strands at the same time.
D)RNA undergoes transcription that can only read one strand at a time.

Question 15

The order of the bases in DNA determines the order of the

A)amino acids in DNA.
B)bases in a protein.
C)amino acids in mRNA.
D)bases in mRNA.

Question 16

Which of the following does not take place in the nucleus?

A)transcription
B)intron removal
C)replication
D)translation

Question 17

The information in a gene is encoded by the

A)introns of eukaryotic cells.
B)amino acids that make up the genes.
C)base sequences of the gene's DNA.
D)rRNA that transfers amino acids to ribosomes.

Question 18

If a strand of DNA has the sequence CGTAA, the RNA made from this molecule will have the sequence

A)CGTAA.
B)GCUTT.
C)TAGCC.
D)GCAUU.

Question 19

Following transcription, the

A)strands of DNA bond back to each other.
B)mRNA is digested.
C)DNA molecule is broken down.
D)ribosome is released from the tRNA molecule.

Question 20

When does a cell undergo transcription?

A)during S phase
B)during interphase
C)only when the cell needs a specific protein
D)all the time

Question 21

Which of the following is a codon?

A)U
B)UU
C)UUG
D)UUGG

Question 22

Each set of three bases in an mRNA molecule codes for one of 20 specific

A)rRNA molecules.
B)nucleotides.
C)amino acids.
D)proteins.

Question 23

Each tRNA molecule has a site at one end that

A)acts as a promoter and a site at the other end that acts as a terminator.
B)binds to a codon and a site at the other end that binds to an anticodon.
C)binds to an amino acid and a site at the other end that binds to a promoter.
D)binds to an amino acid and a site at the other end that binds to a codon.

Question 24

During RNA splicing,

A)introns are removed from RNA and the remaining exons are glued together to form a mature mRNA.
B)an RNA molecule is cut up into many small pieces and each piece forms a single mRNA.
C)exons are removed from RNA and the remaining introns are fused to form a single mRNA.
D)RNA is used to remove mutations from essential genes.

Question 25

A mutation occurs in the promoter of a protein-encoding gene. How might this mutation affect the production of the protein encoded by the gene?

A)The mRNA made from this gene would exhibit the same mutation and, therefore, would not fold or function properly.
B)The protein made from the promoter would have a different amino acid sequence and, therefore, would not function properly.
C)The promoter might not be recognized by RNA polymerase, so the enzyme would be unable to attach to the promoter and start transcription.
D)The start codon would be missing from the mRNA made from this gene, so the mRNA could not be translated.

Question 26

Which of the lettered arrows in the diagram below of translation indicates a codon?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 27

In the genetic code, an amino acid is specified by

A)a stop codon.
B)rRNA.
C)a series of four introns.
D)a sequence of three mRNA bases.

Question 28

Use the chart below to determine the chain of amino acids that would be produced by the entire sequence UGUACGAUAGGCUAG.

A)ACAUGCUAUAUCCCG
B)ACATGCTATATCCCG
C)cysteine-threonine-isoleucine-glycine
D)cysteine-threonine-isoleucine-glycine-stop

Question 29

Consider a build-at-home bookshelf that comes with instructions and various pieces of wood as an analogy for translation. In this analogy, what would best match the job of the ribosome?

A)the instructions
B)the person building the bookshelf
C)the pieces of wood
D)the bookshelf

Question 30

Bacteria and humans use the same DNA components, and both kinds of cells also perform transcription and translation. Which of the following choices is a potentially significant outcome of this shared mechanism?

A)Bacteria are able to transcribe and translate human DNA, and thus they potentially could produce human proteins.
B)Bacteria are able to transcribe and translate human DNA, thus they could evolve into humans.
C)Bacterial and human proteins are identical in amino acid sequence because the mechanism for producing them is the same.
D)Bacterial and human DNA are identical in sequence because the method for producing them is the same.

Question 31

The importance of tRNA is that it

A)carries a specific amino acid to the mRNA.
B)reads the DNA molecule.
C)contains codons that specify amino acids.
D)is important in the construction of ribosomes.

Question 32

Use the chart below to determine the chain of amino acids that would be produced by the sequence of this very short, complete gene: UAUUAUGCCUGAGUGAAUUGCUA.

A)tyrosine-tyrosine-alanine
B)tyrosine-tyrosine-alanine-stop-valine-asparagine-cysteine
C)methionine-proline-glutamate
D)methionine-proline-glutamate-isoleucine-alanine

Question 33

The process depicted in the figure below takes place in

A)prokaryotic cells.
B)eukaryotic cells.
C)both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
D)cells involved in protein production.

Question 34

During translation,

A)many mRNA molecules work with one tRNA molecule and one rRNA molecule to produce a protein.
B)one tRNA molecule works with paired mRNA molecules and many rRNA molecules to produce a protein.
C)strings of bonded tRNA molecules work with one mRNA molecule and one rRNA molecule to produce a protein.
D)one mRNA molecule works with several rRNA molecules and many tRNA molecules to produce a protein.

Question 35

A chemical that causes the formation of a covalent bond between adenine and thymine is added to a cell. How does this drug affect gene expression in the cell?

A)The chemical increases the efficiency of protein production by making it easier for tRNA to interact with the correct mRNA codons.
B)The chemical prevents transcription from occurring so proteins cannot be made.
C)The chemical prevents protein production because once made, the RNA cannot separate from its DNA template.
D)The chemical has no effect on protein production because mRNA contains uracil rather than thymine.

Question 36

What is the sequence of the codon that the transfer RNA shown in the figure below would bind to during translation?

A)AGC
B)UGC
C)TGC
D)serine

Question 37

Which of the following is not a feature of the genetic code?

A)Every individual has a different genetic code.
B)Each codon in the genetic code specifies only one amino acid.
C)The genetic code is redundant.
D)The same genetic code can be applied to virtually every organism on Earth.

Question 38

In bacteria, the antibiotic tetracycline blocks the site where tRNA molecules enter the ribosome. The most likely reason that bacteria die from treatment with tetracycline is because the antibiotic

A)inhibits the cell from producing the mRNA.
B)causes the tRNA molecules to randomly arrange into proteins that do not function.
C)causes tRNA rather than mRNA to be made into proteins.
D)prevents the bacteria from assembling essential proteins.

Question 39

Which of the following results would most likely occur if introns were not removed from newly made mRNA?

A)The introns could not be used to produce the proteins the cell needs from them.
B)The resulting protein would be longer than if the introns were removed.
C)The resulting DNA would not code for the correct gene.
D)The resulting rRNA would not code for the correct protein.

Question 40

Which molecules are involved in translation?

A)DNA and RNA
B)mDNA, tDNA, and rDNA
C)mRNA, tRNA, and rRNA
D)proteins, amino acids, and DNA

Question 41

If a molecule of mRNA is a sentence, its bases are the letters and the codons are the ____________________.

Question 42

A potential danger of a mutation to an organism is that

A)it can affect codons within the spacer DNA.
B)all mutations are fatal.
C)it can cause a change in the function of a gene's protein product.
D)it can increase the length of the introns of that organism's genome.

Question 43

If a eukaryotic protein is to function properly ____________________ must be removed from the initial mRNA molecule and the remaining ____________________ must be joined together before translation.

Question 44

The ____________________ is a sequence of DNA where RNA polymerase binds to begin transcription.

Question 45

____________________ is the specific type of nucleic acid found in ribosomes, which are important in protein synthesis.

Question 46

It is possible for a mutation to occur and yet not alter the end product of translation if

A)the RNA polymerase skips over the mutated area.
B)the new codon encodes the same amino acid.
C)a deletion mutation removes the entire codon.
D)the mutation affects the active site of the protein product.

Question 47

A gene affects an organism's phenotype by controlling

A)protein production.
B)the mutation rate.
C)the organism's environment.
D)the organism's ribosomes.

Question 48

If a particular stretch of DNA has the base sequence TAC, what will be the base sequence of the anticodon of the tRNA that carries the amino acid encoded by that stretch of DNA?

A)TAC
B)UAC
C)ATG
D)GUC

Question 49

For a firefly to glow, the enzyme luciferase must assist a chemical reaction in the cells of the firefly. A scientist uses a chemical to induce a mutation in the luciferase gene in a strain of fireflies. Which of the following is true?

A)Even if the mutation changes the structure of the luciferase protein, it will still be able to perform the chemical reactions needed to make the firefly glow.
B)The ability of the firefly to glow may or may not be affected by the mutation.
C)The mutation will affect the structure of the mRNA made from the gene, but not the structure of the protein made from the gene.
D)Any mutation in a gene causes that gene to stop making functional proteins.

Question 50

The figure below depicts a gene and two different ways that gene could be mutated.
How does Mutation A differ from Mutation B?

A)Mutation A does not permanently change the sequence of the gene, but Mutation B does.
B)Mutation A involves the insertion of a base, whereas Mutation B involves the deletion of a base.
C)Mutation A results in a possible change in one amino acid in the protein produced by the gene, but Mutation B affects several amino acids.
D)Mutation A can only occur in introns, but Mutation B can occur in both introns and exons.

Question 51

The intermediary molecule that transmits information in a gene to a ribosome is ____________________.

Question 52

A tRNA molecule produced in a laboratory has the anticodon for the amino acid serine, but carries the amino acid lysine. When it reaches the serine codon on a molecule of mRNA where translation is under way, what is the most likely outcome?

A)It will not bind with the codon on the mRNA molecule.
B)A potentially dysfunctional protein will result.
C)A proofreading enzyme will change lysine to serine.
D)Translation will stop.

Question 53

For translation to begin mRNA must first bind to a ____________________.

Question 54

If X is a base that is inserted into each of the following DNA sequences, on which of them is it most likely to have the greatest affect on the gene's protein product?

A)AATGATATCATCCGACGXA
B)AATGATATCATCCGXACGA
C)AATGATATXCATCCGACGA
D)AXATGATATCATCCGACGA

Question 55

A ____________________ is the series of bases in mRNA that specifies a single amino acid.

Question 56

Most molecules of RNA are ____________________-stranded.

Question 57

When one base is changed to another at a single position in the DNA sequence of a gene, a(n)_____ mutation has occurred.

A)insertion
B)deletion
C)frameshift
D)substitution

Question 58

____________________ is different than DNA replication in that it involves the copying of just a small portion of a chromosome rather than the entire chromosome.

Question 59

Translation occurs in the ____________________ of the cell, where ribosomes are located.

Question 60

In humans, the herbicide atrazine helps RNA polymerase bind to the promoter of the gene for the enzyme aromatase. As a result,

A)more RNA for aromataze is produced.
B)less RNA for aromatase is produced.
C)the production of aromatase is inhibited.
D)aromatase is degraded by other enzymes in the cell.

Question 61

If both strands of the DNA of a gene underwent transcription and translation, they would produce the same mRNA and protein.

Question 62

The stop codon is the sequence of bases at which transcription ends.

Question 63

Proteins are produced directly from DNA, with no intermediate steps.

Question 64

In tRNA, an amino acid is covalently bonded to an anticodon.

Question 65

A(n)____________________ determines the number of copies of a gene that are transcribed.

Question 66

The base sequence of mRNA specifies the sequence of amino acids in a ____________________.

Question 67

Research suggests that higher production of aromatase in humans may result in increased feminization of human males.

Question 68

The position of the start codon is important because every molecule of mRNA can be read by a ribosome in three different ways.

Question 69

Insertion or deletion mutations can cause a ____________________ that causes a change in the reading of the mRNA codons.

Question 70

Each time transcription occurs, all of the DNA in a cell is copied.

Question 71

Each tRNA molecule carries only one specific ____________________, but it can bind with up to three codons.

Question 72

Because they are so distantly related, the codons for serine in a black widow spider would probably be much different from the codons for serine in bluebirds.

Question 73

The three-dimensional structure of the protein made by a single mRNA molecule varies, but whatever the shape, the overall function of that protein does not change.

Question 74

Ribosomal RNA plays a role in the formation of the covalent bonds between amino acids during translation.

Question 75

Changing even a few bases in a molecule of DNA always affects the protein product adversely.

Question 76

A codon can specify up to three different amino acids.

Question 77

The RNA molecule in the figure below could have been translated from the DNA molecule shown in this figure.

Question 78

The third position in the ____________________ of some tRNAs is said to wobble because it can pair with up to three different bases.

Question 79

The first amino acid in most proteins is methionine.

Question 80

Molecule B in the image below is RNA.