DAT Bootcamp Molecular Genetics Practice Test

These questions are part of the practice quiz. Start practicing

• How many nucleotides constitute a codon?
• Telomeres are sequences of repeated nucleotides at the end of a chromosome that do not code for genes. What term describes these regions?
• What are the two life cycles possible for a virus?
• Which site is the ribosomal binding site for peptidyl-tRNA?
• Different mRNA molecules are produced from the same pre-mRNA transcript due to _____.
• In RNA, Uracil forms 2 hydrogen bonds with adenine.
• A bacteriophage infects a bacterium and integrates its genome into the host, remaining dormant; this is the _____ cycle.
• RNA polymerase synthesizes a new RNA strand in which direction?
• Which method describes the uptake of naked DNA from the environment by bacteria, often enhanced by chemical treatment?
• Which RNA processing complex removes introns from pre-mRNA?
• Which term best describes densely packed chromatin with low transcription?
• During translation, which stage involves hydrogen bonds forming between the mRNA codon in the A site and its anticodon on the incoming tRNA?
• Which enzyme is a subtype of DNA topoisomerase found in bacteria and plants?
• If a bacterial cell can take up extracellular DNA through transformation, what is the cell described as?
• Which process involves transfer of DNA between bacteria via a pilus?
• The protective protein shell formed by viral coat proteins is called
• Which class of RNA polymerase is responsible for transcribing most eukaryotic genes?
• Which function does the sigma factor primarily provide in bacterial transcription?
• Which plasmid is specialized to contain the DNA for producing a pilus?
• Which method involves cell-to-cell contact and transfer of genetic material between bacteria?
• In which direction does the ribosome move along the mRNA during translocation?
• What is the process by which DNA gene sequences are copied into mRNA?
• When a tRNA binds to its amino acid, the complex is called?
• In RNA, thymine is replaced with which base?
• Which plasmid carries the genetic information necessary to produce a pilus and initiate conjugation?
• Which process is defined as the transfer of genetic material between bacteria via a bacterial virus?
• Which horizontal gene transfer mechanism uses bacteriophages to transfer DNA between bacteria?
• Which term describes the strand used as a template to guide synthesis?
• Which process entails a bacterial cell taking up extracellular DNA and incorporating it into its chromosome?
• An _____ operon is usually inactive, unless it is made to become active.
• cAMP is _____ related to glucose levels (lac operon).
• _____ are extra sequences of nucleotides that are not necessary to create the corresponding protein.
• Retroviruses carry an enzyme called _____, which allows them to convert their RNA into complementary DNA.
• Which enzyme catalyzes the lengthening of telomeres in eukaryotic cells?
• A unit of chromatin consisting of a DNA strand wrapped around histone proteins is called what?
• Which entity has no cell wall, no plasma membrane, nor any organelles - it only has nucleic acid and proteins?
• A nucleotide is the basic unit of DNA.
• Heterochromatin tends to be _____ in transcription
• RNA polymerase recruits and adds complementary _____ based on the DNA sequence during transcription.
• Which scientists are credited with discovering the DNA double-helix structure?
• Which term refers to a virus that infects bacteria?
• The nucleotide structural component of ribosomes is what?
• Which enzyme extends telomeres by using an RNA template to add repeats in eukaryotic cells?
• Are viruses living cells?
• DNA is transcribed into mRNA and arranged into triplets known as what?
• Histone proteins are not found in which type of DNA?
• Eukaryotic ribosomes are composed of small (_____) and large (_____) subunits, which come together to form a _____ ribosome.
• G0 is best described as what phase?
• Which of the following bonds links nucleotides in the DNA backbone?
• Which enzymes 'charge' tRNAs with their amino acids?
• Which RNA carries amino acids to the ribosome during translation?
• Which term best describes the orientation of the two DNA strands?
• Okazaki fragments are short DNA segments synthesized on which strand of the replication fork?
• Histones are _____ charged
• Which statement correctly describes stop codons?
• In many human genes, which promoter element is commonly found?
• Which statement lists the three mechanisms by which bacteria accomplish horizontal gene transfer?
• _____ represents parts of DNA that consist of 'loosely-packed' nucleosomes
• Which term describes the short DNA sequence found upstream from the transcription start site?
• Which enzyme creates small nicks ahead of the replication fork to relieve tension created by helicase?
• Which statement accurately describes the viral capsid?
• Which end of a DNA strand carries the terminal phosphate group?
• During conjugation, which structure forms the bridge for DNA transfer?
• Which end of DNA has the terminal hydroxyl group?
• Do stop codons code for amino acids?
• Histone methylation tends to decrease which process?
• The lac operon is an example of which type of operon regulation?
• Which enzyme unwinds the DNA double helix during replication?
• In eukaryotes, transcription of DNA into mRNA occurs in the _____.
• mRNA sequences pass through how many ribosomal subunits during translation?
• A mutation that prevents activators from binding to enhancers would most likely result in:
• Which statement defines the start site for translation?
• Which enzyme is used to synthesize new DNA strands by reading the template?
• The pyrimidines include _____ and _____.
• Acetylation of histones increases which form of chromatin and thereby increases which process?
• Which is a pyrimidine?
• Of the 64 codons, how many are stop codons?
• Which component is common to both DNA and RNA nucleotides?
• What are the two classes of nitrogen bases found in nucleic acids?
• In which stage does viral nucleic acid insert into the host genome and be replicated with host DNA?
• Which base pairs with cytosine?
• In lysogenic infection, the integrated viral DNA is called a prophage.
• Which statement best describes the role of transcription factors in eukaryotic transcription?
• Which enzyme binds to DNA during transcription to initiate RNA synthesis?
• Deacetylation of histones increases which form of chromatin and thereby decreases which process?
• _____ codon combinations code for amino acids.
• The purines include _____ and _____.
• The start codon AUG codes for which amino acid?
• Which stage of translation moves the ribosome three nucleotides along the mRNA in the 5' to 3' direction?
• The prokaryotic core RNA polymerase combines with which factor to form the RNA polymerase holoenzyme?
• Which end of a DNA strand has the terminal hydroxyl group?
• Which statement correctly describes introns in prokaryotes and archaea?
• Histone methylation generally causes which effect on DNA transcription levels?
• During translocation, from which site is the unbound tRNA expelled, and into which site does the peptidyl-tRNA move?
• A _____ operon is usually active, unless turned off somehow.
• The tRNA bound to its amino acid is called
• Which mutation type introduces a premature termination during translation?
• Which pairing correctly matches a translation stage with its defining event?
• Which organelle is primarily responsible for producing ribosomal subunits in eukaryotic cells?
• Which cycle results in immediate host cell lysis?
• Which DNA strand is continually synthesized by DNA polymerase?
• In prokaryotes, ribosomes are composed of small (_____) and large (_____) subunits, forming a _____ ribosome.
• A nucleotide is composed of a _____ bonded to both a _____ _____ and a _____ _____.
• What is the machine that carries out translation?
• Which statement best describes a nucleosome?
• During elongation, what type of bond forms between the amino acids on the tRNAs in the A and P sites?
• DNA polymerase can only add DNA nucleotides off an existing _____.
• Which factor is required for RNA polymerase II to recognize promoters in eukaryotes?
• What carries the genetic code from DNA to the site of protein synthesis?
• _____ proteins bind _____, and they work to increase transcription.
• In DNA and RNA, guanine forms 3 hydrogen bonds with _____.
• In translation initiation, the ribosome scans the mRNA until it binds to the _____.
• Which term describes transcription termination that does not require the Rho protein?
• Which cellular process uses the ribosome to translate mRNA into a polypeptide?
• _____ proteins bind _____, and they work to decrease transcription.
• Which molecule assists in translation by bringing amino acids to the ribosomes during protein synthesis?
• Immediately after peptide bond formation, which site contains the peptidyl-tRNA?
• The _____ is a region within prokaryotic cells that contains most of the cell's genetic material.
• Bacteria increase genetic diversity via which mechanism?
• Exons are defined as the nucleotides that are necessary to make the protein.
• Viruses exist as both _____ and _____ viruses.
• What is the function of enhancers in gene regulation?
• In eukaryotes, processed mRNA exits the nucleus and enters the _____, the site of translation.
• _____ represents parts of DNA that consist of 'tightly-packed' nucleosomes
• Which DNA strand is synthesized discontinuously due to the reading direction limitation?
• _____ occurs when transcription factors decrease rates of transcription.
• Which process involves bacteriophage particles transferring bacterial DNA from one bacterium to another?
• Which molecule provides a 3' hydroxyl group for DNA polymerase to attach new nucleotides to?
• Most amino acids have more than one codon coding for them. This is known as which term?
• Which components form the backbone of nucleic acids?
• _____ occurs when transcription factors increase rates of transcription.
• RNA polymerase is the enzyme that binds to DNA and initiates _____.
• Which term describes viruses that can remain dormant in the host genome and later reactivate?
• A mutation causing a stop codon is called
• Which of the following post-transcriptional mRNA modifications provide protection after export?
• Which short fragments are produced on the lagging strand during discontinuous DNA synthesis?
• In eukaryotes, the terminator sequence for protein coding genes involves a _____ signal.
• DNA has what overall electrical charge?
• How many different codon combinations are there?
• After helicase unzips DNA during replication, which proteins attach to keep the strands separated?
• _____ are regulatory proteins that bind to promoter DNA and affect the recruitment of RNA polymerases in eukaryotes.
• What are the four distinct stages of translation?
• DNA replication requires an RNA primer to begin synthesis on a new strand.
• Which protein acts as a sliding clamp to hold DNA polymerase to the template strand?
• What is the name of a small circular DNA molecule that carries accessory genes separate from the bacterial chromosome?
• Which is a purine?
• Why is the lagging strand synthesized discontinuously?
• Which chromatin type is generally more accessible to transcription machinery?
• Ribosomal RNA is synthesized and attached to proteins in the _____, which produces eukaryotic ribosomal subunits.
• Which RNA forms the core of the ribosome and is essential for function?
• Which term refers specifically to a virus that infects bacteria?
• Which statement about introns is true?
• _____ are the nucleotides necessary to make the protein.
• A gene that is always being transcribed and translated is _____ expressed.
• In which direction does DNA polymerase synthesize new DNA?
• The trp operon is an example of what type of operon?
• In the lysogenic stage, the virus is considered _____ and _____ harm the host.
• DNA polymerase reads the template strand in which direction?
• The building blocks of the viral coat that assemble into the protective shell are called
• Which term describes a virus that can enter the host cell and either replicate lytically or integrate into the host genome?
• Which end of DNA bears the terminal phosphate group?
• Which process describes stop codons signaling termination?
• Nucleotides in a DNA strand are linked together by which type of bonds?
• Which operon is inducible and controls lactose metabolism genes in E. coli?
• Which enzyme is responsible for breaking the hydrogen bonds between base pairs during DNA replication?
• What carries the complement of a DNA sequence from the nucleus to the ribosomes for protein synthesis?
• A missense mutation is defined as
• Which process refers to the transfer of genetic material between bacteria via a phage during infection?
• Which term describes the release of phage progeny from a bacterial cell through cell lysis?
• What are the three stop codons?
• Where does translation occur and what is produced?
• DNA polymerase synthesizes the complementary strand in which direction?
• Which chromatin state is typically gene-poor and transcriptionally silent due to dense packing?
• In translation initiation, the ribosome binds to the mRNA near its _____.
• Which termination mechanism requires the Rho protein?
• After peptide bond formation during elongation, which site contains the unbound tRNA and which site contains the peptidyl-tRNA?
• Which histone is involved in higher-order chromatin structure?
• The _____ is a theory that states that information flows from DNA to RNA to proteins.
• Which term describes viruses that store their genetic material as RNA and use reverse transcription?
• Which enzyme is responsible for charging tRNA with amino acids?
• The introns are _____ out by the _____ leaving only the exons behind.
• In DNA, thymine forms 2 hydrogen bonds with _____.
• Histone acetylation is associated with which chromatin state?
• A group of several ribosomes translating the same messenger RNA is called what?
• Which site binds the next incoming aminoacyl-tRNA complex?
• The initiator aminoacyl-tRNA complex base pairs with the start codon during translation initiation.
• In prokaryotes, which statement correctly describes ribosomal subunits and the assembled ribosome?
• DNA replication occurs during which phase of the cell cycle?
• Which ribosomal site is responsible for releasing empty tRNAs from the ribosome?
• Origins of replication tend to occur at segments rich in which base pairing?
• HIV is a common example of an RNA _____, which carries the enzyme _____.
• A non-conservative missense mutation results in
• What are short fragments that result from the discontinuous synthesis of the lagging strand?
• A bacterial cell that contains the F plasmid and can donate DNA via conjugation is described as what?
• Which statement is true about the genetic code?
• _____ are another name for viruses.
• What term describes the arrangement where the two DNA strands run in opposite directions?
• An _____ is a group of related genes under the control of one promoter site, and they function to conserve resources.
• What is the protein tube used to pass DNA from one bacterium to another during conjugation?
• A conservative missense mutation results in
• In genetic engineering, which method uses brief electrical pulses to create pores in the cell membrane to introduce DNA?
• During translocation, which site serves as the exit for the uncharged tRNA?
• How many histone proteins are in each nucleosome?
• Which enzyme reads the parent DNA strand and creates a complementary, antiparallel daughter strand?
• In prokaryotes, transcription occurs in the _____.
• Which of the following best describes a bacteriophage that only reproduces by lysing the host cell and does not integrate into the host genome?
• Telomeres are not necessary in prokaryotes because they have what kind of chromosomes?
• Codons are translated from mRNA into what?
• Bacteria reproduce asexually by which process?
• Which stage of translation occurs when a stop codon arrives in the A site?
• In the lytic cycle of a bacteriophage, what is the main outcome for the host cell?
• The spliceosome is found in which type of organisms?
• In semiconservative replication, how many original strands are present in each daughter molecule?
• Which statement is true about retroviruses?
• DNA replication is semiconservative. Which statement describes this mode?
• What term describes a virus that can switch between the lytic and lysogenic cycles depending on conditions?
• A _____ is a virus that stores its genetic material as RNA; therefore, they infect host cells with RNA.
• Which of the following best describes the relationship between activators and enhancers?
• In horizontal gene transfer, genes are not passed from parents to offspring; they are transmitted within a generation. What term describes this?
• What is the standard term for a virus that infects bacteria?
• If a cell does not meet the criteria for entrance into the S phase, it will remain in which phase?
• Antiparallel DNA strands are held together by _____ _____ between the bases oriented toward the center.
• Which enzyme covalently links DNA ends together, connecting Okazaki fragments?
• The host cells affected by HIV are the _____ cells.
• Which site on the ribosome holds the tRNA carrying the growing polypeptide chain?
• RNA polymerase synthesizes a daughter strand of RNA in the _____ direction.
• Euchromatin is _____ for RNA polymerases to access and transcribe.
• The Y-shaped region where parental strands are unwound during replication is called what?
• In the lytic cycle, a virus takes over the _____ and _____ harm the host.
• What is the typical feature found in many human promoters?
• What is true about stop codons?
• Viral coats are built from protein subunits called
• Which histone protein keeps the DNA wrapped around the histone core in a nucleosome?
• In tRNA, triplet sequences of nucleotides that are complementary to mRNA codons are called what?
• Telomeres are necessary in which type of organisms?
• Which mechanism does not require direct contact between donor and recipient because DNA is taken up from the environment?
• In prokaryotes, rRNA is synthesized and attached to proteins in a region called the _____.
• In eukaryotic cells, RNA polymerases cannot directly detect and bind to the promoter region - they require the binding of _____.
• Eukaryotic ribosomal subunits are made in the _____, but they are assembled in the _____.
• What are the two main types of transcription termination in bacteria?