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AP Biology Review Chapters 12 Review Questions Chapter 12: Molecular Biology of The Gene

This document provides a set of review questions for Chapter 12 of an AP Biology textbook covering molecular biology of genes. The questions cover topics like DNA structure and replication, RNA structure and function, transcription, translation, and genetic coding. Example essay questions are also provided assessing understanding of gene expression, mutations, epigenetics, and insecticide resistance.

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52 views2 pages

AP Biology Review Chapters 12 Review Questions Chapter 12: Molecular Biology of The Gene

This document provides a set of review questions for Chapter 12 of an AP Biology textbook covering molecular biology of genes. The questions cover topics like DNA structure and replication, RNA structure and function, transcription, translation, and genetic coding. Example essay questions are also provided assessing understanding of gene expression, mutations, epigenetics, and insecticide resistance.

Uploaded by

NaviIx
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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AP Biology Review Chapters 12 Review Questions

Chapter 12: Molecular Biology of the Gene


1. Describe the properties a substance must possess in order to serve as the genetic material.
2. Describe the experiments and discoveries that demonstrated that DNA was the genetic material.
3. Explain and diagram the major features of DNA structure.
4. Explain how the replication of DNA is semiconservative.
5. Explain the major steps in DNA replication, including the enzymes needed for each step.
6. Compare DNA replication in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
7. Examine how eukaryotic cells use telomerase to fully copy linear chromosomes.
8. Explain the central dogma of molecular biology.
9. Describe the structure and function of the three major classes of RNA.
10. Determine the amino acid sequence specified by an mRNA sequence.
11. Explain how the genetic code is degenerate, unambiguous, and universal.
12. Distinguish the events of transcription that occur during formation of an mRNA molecule.
13. Describe the three major modifications that occur during the processing of an mRNA.
14. Explain the potential evolutionary benefits of alternative mRNA splicing.
15. Describe the roles of mRNA, tRNA, and rRNA in translating the genetic code.
16. Describe the events that occur during the three major steps of translation.
17. Explain how DNA becomes sufficiently compacted to fit inside a nucleus.

Past AP Exam Essay Questions

2012 Question 3
Information flow in cells can be regulated by various mechanisms.
a. Describe the role of THREE of the following in the regulation of protein synthesis:
 RNA splicing
 repressor proteins
 methylation
 siRNA
b. Information flow can be altered by mutation. Describe THREE different types of mutations and their
effect on protein synthesis.
c. Identify TWO environmental factors that increase the mutation rate in an organism, and discuss their
effect on the genome of the organism.
d. Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in the phenotype caused by mechanisms other than
changes in the DNA sequence. Describe ONE example of epigenetic inheritance.

2013 Question 5
The table shows the amino acid sequence of the carboxyl-terminal segment of a conserved polypeptide from
four different, but related, species. Each amino acid is represented by a three-letter abbreviation, and the
amino acid residues in the polypeptide chains are numbered from the amino end to the carboxyl end. Empty
cells indicate no amino acid is present.
a. Assuming species I is the ancestral species,
explain the most likely genetic change that
produced the polypeptide in species II and
species III.
b. Predict the effects of the mutation on the
structure and function of the resulting protein in
species IV. Justify your prediction.
2016 Question 4
The figure represents the process of expression of gene X in a eukaryotic cell.
a. The primary transcript in the figure is 1.5 kilobase (kb) long, but the mature
mRNA is 7 kb in length. Describe the modification that most likely resulted
in the 8 kb difference in length of the mature mRNA molecule. Identify in
your response the location in the cell where the change occurs.
b. Predict the length of the mature gene X mRNA if the full-length gene is
introduced and expressed in prokaryotic cells. Justify your prediction.

2017 Question 3
Gibberellin is the primary plant hormone that promotes stem elongation. GA
3-beta-hydroxylase (GA3H) is the enzyme that catalyzes the reaction that
converts a precursor of gibberellin to the active form of gibberellin. A
mutation in the GA3H gene results in a short plant phenotype. When a pure-
breeding tall plant is crossed with a pure-breeding short plant, all offspring in
the F1 generation are tall. When the F1 plants are crossed with each other,
75% of the plants in the F2 generation are tall and 25% of the plants are short.
a. The wild type allele encodes a GA3H enzyme with alanine (Ala), a
nonpolar amino acid, at position 229. The mutant allele encodes a GA3H
enzyme with threonine (Thr), a polar amino acid, at position 229. Describe
the effect of the mutation on the enzyme and provide reasoning to support
how this mutation results in a short plant phenotype in homozygous recessive plants.
b. Using the codon chart provided, predict the change in the codon sequence that resulted in the substitution
of alanine for threonine at amino acid position 229.
c. Describe how individuals with one (heterozygous) or two (homozygous) copies of the wild type GA3H
allele can have the same phenotype.

2018 Question 4
The common bedbug (Cimex lectularius) is a species of insect that is becoming increasingly resistant to
insecticides. Bedbugs possess several genes suspected of contributing to the resistance, including P450,
Abc8, and Cps. To investigate the role of these genes in insecticide resistance, researchers deleted one or
more of these genes in different strains of bedbugs, as illustrated in Figure 1, and treated the strains with the
insecticide beta-cyfluthrin. Each strain was genetically
identical except for the deleted gene(s) and was equally fit
in the absence of beta-cyfluthrin. The percent survival of
each strain following beta-cyfluthrin treatment is shown in
Figure 1.
a. Identify the control strain in the experiment. Use the
means and confidence intervals in Figure 1 to justify
the claim that Abc8 is effective at providing resistance
to beta-cyfluthrin.
b. P450 encodes an enzyme that detoxifies insecticides.
Abc8 encodes a transporter protein that pumps
insecticides out of cells. Cps encodes an external
structural protein located in the exoskeleton that greatly
reduces the absorption of insecticides. Based on this
information and the data in Figure 1, explain how a
deletion of both P450 and Abc8 results in lower
survival in bedbugs when compared with a deletion of
Cps only.

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