SSN SBPM Workshop

Exam One
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which stage of mitosis is most characterized by the shortening of kinetochore
microtubules?
A. Prometaphase
B. Metaphase
C. Anaphase A
D. Anaphase B
E. Telophase
2. MPF phosphorylates all but which of the following substrates:
A. Histone H1
B. Microtubule-associated proteins
C. Nuclear lamins
D. Cyclin B
3. All of the following substances move across the plasma membrane of cells by
passive diffusion EXCEPT
A. palmitic acid
B. aldosterone
C. Na+
D. testosterone
E. estrogen
4. Loss of function mutations (involving a single allele) that affect the production
on an enzyme are usually automsomal _______, while loss of function mutations that
affect structural proteins are usually autosomal _______.
A. recessive, recessive
B. recessive, dominant
C. dominant, dominant
D. dominant, recessive
E. huh?

5. Rb and p53 both are genes that function in regulating the cell cycle transition
from ___ to ___.
A. S to G2
B. M to G1
C. G2 to M
D. M to G2
E. G1 to S
QUESTIONS #6-#11
Indicate whether the following statements regarding translation are true in ;
a) Prokaryotes ONLY
b) Eukaryotes ONLY
c) Both
d) Neither
6.

Multiple ribosomes can be bound to and translating a single mRNA

7.

Genes for multiple proteins may be encoded on the same mRNA

8.

Ribosomes use a 50S subunit

9.

Ribosome may bind to an mRNA and initiate translation from either end

10. Proteins are targeted to their destination through interaction with the endoplasmic
reticulum and golgi apparatus.
11. Proteins enter the golgi apparatus at its trans face.

QUESTIONS #12- #15

Match the molecule to the mechanism:
12. SRP
13. KDEL Sequence

a) assist in protein folding

b) brings proteins and the ribsomes that are translating
them from the cytosol to the rough ER

14. Chaperones
15. eIFs

c) help configure ribosome and mRNA to start translation

d) targets proteins emerging from the golgi apparatus to
rough ER

16. Which type of Genetic Analysis method can detect the presence of a gene but is
not useful for single base pair changes?

a.
b.
c.
d.

Genetic Squencing
Western Blot Analysis
Southern Blot Analysis
Cytogenics

17, The term that describes different mutations at the same locus that lead to the
same phenotype is:
a. Allelic heterogeneity
b. polygeneity
c. Locus heterogeneity
18. All of the following are true of an individuals DNA except:
a. Environmental mutagens can cause the expression of a recessive allele that
otherwise would not be expressed in a heterozygous individual.
b. Somatic mutations, like germline mutations, are passed on to progeny.
c. Tumors can result from spontaneous translocations affecting proto-oncogenes.
19. True or False: The majority of cancers involve an inherited predisposition?
20. FOS, JUN and MYC are:
a. genes coding for surface proteins expressed on cancerous cells.
b. genes coding for protein kinases that phosphorylate transcription factors
regulating cancer genes.
c. genes coding for transcription factors that induce growth-dependent genes.
d. unfortunate third-grade spellings of three months of the year.
21. At what stage in development are human oocytes arrested between fetal life and
puberty? When does the second meiotic division occur in the oocyte?
a.
b.
c.
d.

zygotene, at ovulation
dictyotene, after fertilization
dictyotene, at ovulation
zygotene, after fertilization

22. Order the following events in eukaryotic gene expression:

I.
II.
III.
IV.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

Binding of the 40S subunit

Creation of a 2-5 phosphodiester bond
Exporting RNA from the nucleus
Binding of DNA Polymerase to the template strand

IV, I, II, III

IV, II, III, I
I, IV, II, III
IV, II, I, III
None of the above

23. Which of the following abnormal base pairings might be found in wobble
codon-anticodon binding?
A.
B.
C.
D.

adenosine-uracil
guanine-uracil
cytosine-inosine
guanine-thymine

24. Which of the following statements about the 3 poly(A) tail of mRNA is FALSE?
A.
B.
C.
D.

It helps align eukaryotic mRNA on the ribosome during translation.

It is added to the primary transcript in the nucleus.
It is not essential for protein synthesis
It helps contribute to the stability and lifespan of the mRNA.

25. Which of the following proteins is NOT essential in the synthesis of eukaryotic
proteins from DNA templates?
A.
B.
C.
D.

RNA Polymerase I
TATA binding protein (TBP)
aminoacyl tRNA synthetases
TFIID

26. The property of resonance as applied to protein structure is responsible for:

a.
b.
c.
d.

the prevention of rotation about the alpha carbon

the partial double bond character of the side chain-alpha carbon bond
the planar nature of the peptide bond
the ability of cochlear cells to detect sound waves by mechanotransduction

27. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

a. hydrophobic forces are due to the intrinsic attraction between hydrophobic side
chains
b. -sheets can be stretched relatively more than -helices
c. chaperones increase the rate of protein denaturing
d. -sheets are formed from inter-chain hydrogen bonding
28. Match the characteristic side chain group with the corresponding amino acid
category:
Acidic amino acids

Hydrocarbons (CH, CH2, CH3, benzene rings)

Nonpolar amino acids

(+) charged Nitrogen atom

Basic amino acids

(-) charged COO- (carboxyl)

Polar amino acids

Uncharged Oxygen or Nitrogen atoms

29. Enzyme Q can catalyze the conversion of molecule A to A and the conversion of
molecule B to B. Both of these conversion reactions follow Michaelis-Menten
kinetics and both have the same Vmax. However, the KM for the A A conversion
is three times as large as the KM for the B B conversion. What is the relationship
between the substrate concentrations, [A] and [B], when both of these reactions are
proceeding at a reaction velocity equal to *Vmax?
a.
b.
c.
d.

[A] > [B]

[B] < [A]
[A] = [B]
not enough information

30. Imagine a beaker containing only molecules H and H, which are in dynamic
equilibrium with each other. A significant amount of enzyme Z, which catalyzes the
conversion of H H, is then added to the beaker. The presence of enzyme Z will
result in:
a. an increase in the amount of H in the beaker
b. an increase in the amount of H in the beaker
c. an increase in the production rates of both H and H with no change in the actual
amounts of H and H in the beaker
d. no changes in either the production rates or the amount of H and H in the beaker.

31. Which if the following statement about the apoptotic process is TRUE?

a. Anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2 is located in the mitochondrial inner

membrane
b. Apoptotic protein Bax resides in cytosol and translocates into the
mitochondria in response to death stimuli
c. Cytochrome C is released from lysosome into cytosol to kill the cell
d. During apoptosis, there is an increase in osmotic pressure inside the cell,
causing the cell to swell and burst and results in cell death
32. Mitochondrial DNA is inherited from:
e. Paternal only
f. Maternal only
g. Both paternal and maternal
h. The offsprings own DNA
33.

Matching
Endocrine
Autocrine
Paracrine

34.

Cell responds to its own secreted molecules

Cell secretes molecules to act on neighboring cells
Cell secretes molecules to act on distant cells

Which of the following is TRUE about G-protein signaling?

I. During activation of G-protein, subunit of the G-protein dissociates from
the activated G-protein to activate adenylyl cyclase
II. During activation of G-protein, the active subunit is terminated by the
hydrolysis of the bound GTP caused by GTPase
III. Testosterone can bind to the cell membrane receptor to activate G-protein
IV. The ratio of G-protein coupled receptor to G-protein is 1:1
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

I only
II only
III only
II and IV
II and III

35. What is/are the consequences of the activation of phospholipase C (PLC) by G

protein mechanism?
i. Cleavage of phophotidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) into IP3 and
protein kinase C (PKC)
j. Decrease of Ca2+ level in the cell causes cell mobility
k. IP3 binds to receptor on the membrane of endoplasmic reticulum to
stimulate the release of Ca2+
l. Diacylglyercol (DAG) alone activates protein kinase C (PKC)

ANSWERS TO MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. C
2. D
3. C
Palmitic acid is a C-16 fatty acid, while aldosterone, testosterone, and estrogen are all
steroid derivatives and therefore hydrophobic. These cross membranes by passive
diffusion. Na+, a charged molecule, crosses membranes through channels, since it is
hydrophilic: facilitated transport (non-energy requiring) or active transport (energyrequiring).
4. B
A loss of function mutation involving an enzyme can usually be compensated by the
corresponding normal allele. Most inborn errors of metabolism fit into this category. A
loss of function mutation affecting a key structural protein like collagen or fibrillin,
however, is usually expressed in a dominant fashion.
5. E
6. C
7. A
Polycistronic mRNAs occur only in prokaryotes. In eukaryotes, there are no internal
ribosome binding sites, only the 5 methylguanosine cap.
8. A -- a target of antibiotics
9. D
10. B
11. D
12. B
13. D
14. A
15. C
16. C
17. A
18. B
19. False - Most develop sporadically.
20. C - Fos and Jun form a heterodimer prior to binding DNA, and all three are
potential oncogenes.
21. B
22. E
RNA Polymerase (usually RNA Pol II) is involved in gene transcription; DNA
Polymerase is involved in DNA replication. After RNA Pol transcription of the template
strand, the 2-5 phosphodiester bond is formed when the lariat structure is spliced out of
the primary transcript. Next, the RNA is exported from the nucleus before the 40S
ribosomal subunit binds to initiate translation.

23. B.
Codon-anticodon base pairing is relaxed at the third codon position which can allow G to
pair with C, U, or I. A-U base pairing isnt an abnormal base pairing. Cytosine does not
base pair with inosine. Thymine is not found in mRNA or tRNA (and it wouldnt base
pair to guanine anyways).
24. A
The 7-methylguanosine cap helps align mRNA on the ribosome. The poly(A) tail (along
with the 7-methylguanosine cap) is involved in the mRNAs stability and lifespan.
25. A
RNA Polymerase I is involved in the synthesis of various rRNA subunits, not protein
products (that is done by RNA Polymerase II).
26. C
Resonance of the double bond between the carbonyl (C=O) and amide (C-N) bonds
imparts a partial double bond character to the peptide (or amide) bond. Atoms that are
bound even by a partial double bond cannot rotate with respect to each other, so the C, O,
N, and H atoms of the peptide bond are restricted within a single plane. The alpha carbon
of each amino acid residue in a polypeptide, however, is allowed to rotate with respect to
the adjacent carbonyl and amino groups.
27. D
-sheets are formed from inter-chain hydrogen bonding, whereas -helices are formed
from intra-chain hydrogen bonding. -sheets are already relatively stretched out in their
natural state, and thus cannot be stretched further. -helices are naturally compact and
spring-like, and stretch considerably. Chaperones are proteins the increase the rate of
protein folding into their native state. Hydrophobic forces are actually due to the increase
in entropy resulting from the formation of solvation shells with decreased surface areas
(For example, three non-polar amino acids each with their own solvation shell of water
molecules will come in close proximity with each other. In the areas where they contact
each other, water will no longer have to coat their surfaces in a highly ordered
arrangement. This increased disorder is energetically favorable).
28. Matching:
Acidic amino acids <---------> (-) charged COO- (carboxyl)
Nonpolar amino acids <-----------> Hydrocarbons (CH, CH2, CH3, benzene rings)
Basic amino acids <-------------> (+) charged Nitrogen atom
Polar amino acids <-------------> Uncharged Oxygen or Nitrogen atoms
29. A
Dont let the question confuse you. The larger KM for the A A conversion means that
enzyme Q has a lower affinity for molecule A. Thus, there needs to be relatively more of
A than B to get the conversion reaction to proceed at the same speed (of *Vmax).
Another way to figure this out is to remember that at Vo = *Vmax, the substrate
concentration, [S], is equal to the KM. So if the KM for the A A conversion is three

times as large as the KM for the B B conversion, the [A] must be three times as large
as the [B] when Vo = *Vmax.
30. C
Enzymes lower the activation energy required to bring the reactants to the transition state.
Thus, they will increase both the forward and reverse reactions in an equilibrium
reaction. However, they do not affect the equilibrium state of a reaction because the
forward and reverse reaction rates remain perfectly balanced.
31. B
A is incorrect because BCL-2 protein is located in the mitochondrial outer membrane, not
the inner membrane. C is incorrect as well because cytochrome C is release from the
mitochondria during apoptosis. Once cytochrome C is released into the cytosol, it
associates with adaptive protein and caspase to execute cell death. Lysosome releases
hydrolytic enzymes that digest materials endocytosed by the cell. Finally, D is incorrect
because during apoptosis, the cell shrinks and breaks up into membrane-enclosed
fragments called apoptotic bodies.
32. B
Correct answer is B. Mitochondrial DNA is of maternal origin. This is because during
fertilization, only the genetic materials inside the nucleus (or the head) of the sperm will
be preserved to fuse with the egg nucleus. The tail and the neck of the sperm, which
contains the mitochodria, will be destroyed.
33.
Endocrine
Autocrine
Paracrine

Cell responds to its own secreted molecules

Cell secretes molecules to act on neighboring cells
Cell secretes molecules to act on distant cells

34. B
Correct answer is B. Statement I is wrong because it is the subunit of the G-protein,
not the subunit, that activates adenylyl cyclase to form cAMP, which acts as a second
messenger of the signaling transduction process. Statement III is incorrect because
testosterone is a steroid hormone, and it enters the cell and the nucleus via diffusion to
bind with receptors of transcription factors and to act upon the regulation of DNA
transcription. Statement IV is also incorrect because G protein signaling has the ability to
amplify signals. Activation of one receptor can activate multiple G proteins in the
cytoplasm.
35. C
C is the correct answer. A is wrong because cleavage of PIP2 results in IP3 and DAG.
DAG, along with the Ca2+ released from the ER membrane by IP3, will then activate
PKC. B is wrong because cleavage of PIP2 produces both DAG and IP3, and IP3 will
cause an increase in the level of intracellular Ca2+. D is wrong as well because as
mentioned above, the activation of PKC requires both DAG and Ca2+ released from ER.