Ch.

20 DNA Technology and Genomics

Questions for Chapter 20
1) It is theoretically possible for a gene from any organism to function in any other organism. Why is this possible?
A) All organisms have the same genetic code.
B) All organisms are made up of cells.
C) All organisms have similar nuclei.
D) All organisms have ribosomes.
E) All organisms have transfer RNA.
Answer: A
2) One important approach to gene cloning uses
A) whole chromosomes.
B) plasmids.
C) noncoding nucleotide sequences.
D) bacteria.
E) B and D above.
Answer: E
3) Current applications of gene cloning include
A) cleaning up toxic waste.
B) instilling pest resistance in plants.
C) manufacturing human growth hormone.
D) A and C only.
E) A, B, and C.
Answer: E
4) Plasmids are important in biotechnology because they are
A) a vehicle for the insertion of recombinant DNA into bacteria.
B) recognition sites on recombinant DNA strands.
C) surfaces for protein synthesis in eukaryotic recombinants.
D) surfaces for respiratory processes in bacteria.
E) proviruses incorporated into the host DNA.
Answer: A
5) If you discovered a bacterial cell that contained no restriction enzymes, which of the following would you expect to
happen?
A) The cell would be unable to replicate its DNA.
B) The cell would create incomplete plasmids.
C) The cell would be easily infected and lysed by bacteriophages.
D) The cell would become an obligate parasite.
E) Both A and D would occur.
Answer: C
Page 220
Figure 20.1
6) Which enzyme was used to produce the molecule in Figure 20.1?
A) ligase
B) transcriptase
C) a restriction enzyme
D) RNA polymerase
E) DNA polymerase
Answer: C
7) Assume that you are trying to insert a gene into a plasmid and someone gives you a preparation of DNA cut with
restriction enzyme X. The gene you wish to insert has sites on both ends for cutting by restriction enzyme Y. You
have a plasmid with a single site for Y, but not for X. Your strategy should be to
A) insert the fragments cut with X directly into the plasmid without cutting the plasmid.
B) cut the plasmid with restriction enzyme X and insert the fragments cut with Y into the plasmid.
C) cut the DNA again with restriction enzyme Y and insert these fragments into the plasmid cut with the same
enzyme.
D) cut the plasmid twice with restriction enzyme Y and ligate the two fragments onto the ends of the human DNA
fragments cut with restriction enzyme X.
E) cut the plasmid with enzyme X and then insert the gene into the plasmid.
Answer: C
8) What is the genetic function of restriction enzyme?
A) adds new nucleotides to the growing strand of DNA
B) joins nucleotides during replication
C) joins nucleotides during transcription
D) cleaves nucleic acids at specific sites
E) repairs breaks in sugar-phosphate backbones
Answer: D
9) The restriction enzyme used in constructing hybrid molecules of certain gene sequences and plasmid DNA acts by
A) opening DNA molecules at specific sites, leaving sticky ends exposed.
B) sealing plasmid DNA and foreign DNA into a closed circle.
C) transcribing plasmid DNA into a transformed molecule.
D) allowing a hybrid plasmid DNA into a transformed molecule.
E) binding human genes to bacterial plasmids.
Answer: A
10) How does a bacterial cell protect its own DNA from restriction enzymes?
A) by adding methyl groups to adenines and cytosines
B) using DNA ligase to seal the bacterial DNA into a closed circle
C) adding histones to protect the double-stranded DNA
D) by forming "sticky ends" of bacterial DNA to prevent the enzyme from attaching
E) by reinforcing bacterial DNA structure with covalent phosphodiester bonds
Answer: A
Page 221
11) What two enzymes are needed to produce recombinant DNA?
A) endonuclease, transcriptase
B) restriction enzyme, ligase
C) polymerase, ligase
D) transcriptase, ligase
E) DNA polymerase, topoisomerase
Answer: B
12) What is a cloning vector?
A) the enzyme that cuts DNA into restriction fragments
B) a DNA probe used to locate a particular gene in the genome
C) an agent, such as a plasmid, used to transfer DNA from an in vitro solution into a living cell
D) the laboratory apparatus used to clone genes
E) the sticky end of a DNA fragment
Answer: C
13) What are the essential characteristics of a cloning vector?
A) Bacterial cells cannot survive without it.
B) Bacterial cells take it up.
C) Bacterial cells replicate it.
D) Both B and C are correct.
E) A, B, and C are correct.
Answer: D
I. Transform bacteria with recombinant DNA molecule
II. Cut the plasmid DNA using restriction enzymes
III. Extract plasmid DNA from bacterial cells
IV. Hydrogen-bond the plasmid DNA to nonplasmid DNA fragments
V. Use ligase to seal plasmid DNA to nonplasmid DNA
14) From the list above, which of the following is the most logical sequence of steps for splicing foreign DNA into a
plasmid and inserting the plasmid into a bacterium?
A) I, II, IV, III, V B) II, III, V, IV, I C) III, II, IV, V, I D) III, IV, V, I, II E) IV, V, I, II, III
Answer: C
15) Bacteria containing recombinant plasmids are often identified by which process?
A) examining the cells with an electron microscope
B) using radioactive tracers to locate the plasmids
C) exposing the bacteria to an antibiotic that kills the cells lacking the plasmid
D) removing the DNA of all cells in a culture to see which cells have plasmids
E) producing antibodies specific for each bacterium containing a recombinant plasmid
Answer: C
Page 222
Use the following information to answer the questions below.
A eukaryotic gene has "sticky ends" produced by the restriction endonuclease EcoRI. The gene is added to a mixture containing EcoRI and a
bacterial plasmid that carries two genes, which make it resistant to ampicillin and tetracycline. The plasmid has one recognition site for EcoRI
located in the tetracycline resistance gene. This mixture is incubated for several hours and then added to bacteria growing in nutrient broth.
The bacteria are allowed to grow overnight and are streaked on a plate using a technique that produces isolated colonies that are clones of the
original. Samples of these colonies are then grown in four different media: nutrient broth plus ampicillin, nutrient broth plus tetracycline,
nutrient broth plus ampicillin and tetracycline, and nutrient broth containing no antibiotics.
16) The bacteria containing the engineered plasmid would grow in
A) the nutrient broth only.
B) the nutrient broth and the tetracycline broth only.
C) the nutrient broth, the ampicillin broth, and the tetracycline broth.
D) the ampicillin and tetracycline broth only.
E) the ampicillin broth and the nutrient broth.
Answer: E
17) The bacteria that contained the plasmid, but not the eukaryotic gene, would grow
A) in the nutrient broth plus ampicillin, but not in the broth containing tetracycline.
B) only in the broth containing both antibiotics.
C) in the broth containing tetracycline, but not in the broth containing ampicillin.
D) in all four types of broth.
E) only in the broth that contained no antibiotics.
Answer: D
18) Why was the gene inserted in the plasmid before it was mixed with the bacteria?
A) The plasmid acted as a vector to introduce the gene into the bacteria.
B) The plasmid contains control regions necessary for the replication of the gene.
C) The eukaryotic gene contains introns that must be removed by the plasmid.
D) Only A and B are correct.
E) A, B, and C are correct.
Answer: D
19) Bacteria that did not take up any plasmids would grow on which media?
A) the nutrient broth only
B) the nutrient broth and the tetracycline broth only
C) the nutrient broth and the ampicillin broth only
D) the tetracycline and ampicillin broth only
E) all four broths
Answer: A
20) All of the following statements about probes are true except:
A) They are single-stranded segments of DNA or RNA.
B) Shorter probes adhere to more fragments than do longer probes.
C) The probe must be labeled with a radioactive isotope or fluorescent tab.
D) They must be produced with the same restriction enzyme as the fragments.
E) In many cases, a probe from one organism can be used to locate a homologous DNA segment in another
organism.
Answer: D
Page 223
21) After being digested with a restriction enzyme, DNA fragments are separated by gel electrophoresis. Specific
fragments are then identified through the use of a
A) plasmid.
B) restriction enzyme.
C) sticky end.
D) nucleic acid probe.
E) RFLP.
Answer: D
22) Andy Will has cloned a gene that he believes is important in conferring resistance to insects in a certain plant. He
now wants to determine where in the genome that gene is physically located. He would most likely use which
technique?
A) RFLP analysis
B) in situ hybridization
C) in vivo mutagenesis
D) DNA microarray assays
E) use of antisense nucleic acids
Answer: B
23) Probes are short, single-stranded DNA or RNA segments that are used to identify DNA fragments with a
particular sequence. Before the probe can identify a specific restriction fragment, what must be done?
A) The fragments must be separated by electrophoresis.
B) The fragments must be treated with heat or chemicals to separate the strands of the double helix.
C) The probe must be hybridized with the fragment.
D) A and B only
E) A, B, and C
Answer: E
24) Which of the following is least related to the others?
A) denaturation
B) DNA ligase
C) sticky ends
D) restriction enzymes
E) cloning vector
Answer: A
25) Why is it difficult to get bacteria to express genes directly from eukaryotic DNA?
A) Eukaryotic genes are not transcribed in a single transcript.
B) Eukaryotic genes do not contain enhancer sequences.
C) Eukaryotic genes contain introns.
D) Eukaryotic genes lack controlling regions.
E) Eukaryotic genes may contain transposons.
Answer: C
26) The principal problem with inserting an unmodified mammalian gene into the bacterial chromosome, and then
getting that gene expressed, is that
A) prokaryotes use a different genetic code from that of eukaryotes.
B) bacteria translate polycistronic messages only.
C) bacteria cannot remove eukaryotic introns.
D) bacterial RNA polymerase cannot make RNA complementary to mammalian DNA.
E) bacterial DNA is not found in a membrane-enclosed nucleus and is therefore incompatible with mammalian
DNA.
Answer: C
Page 224
27) A gene that contains introns can be made shorter (but remain functional) for genetic engineering purposes by
A) using RNA polymerase to transcribe the gene.
B) using a restriction enzyme to cut the gene into shorter pieces.
C) using reverse transcriptase to reconstruct the gene from its mRNA.
D) using DNA polymerase to reconstruct the gene from its polypeptide product.
E) using DNA ligase to put together fragments of the DNA that codes for a particular polypeptide.
Answer: C
28) Yeast cells are frequently used as hosts for cloning because
A) they are easy to grow.
B) they have multiple restriction sites.
C) they have plasmids.
D) A and B are correct.
E) A and C are correct.
Answer: E
29) Specific DNA fragments of a genomic library are contained in
A) recombinant plasmids of bacteria.
B) recombinant viral DNA.
C) eukaryotic chromosomes.
D) A and B.
E) A, B, and C.
Answer: D
30) The DNA of a cell is like a library. The books of a library are analogous to genes, and the sections of a library are
analogous to chromosomes. Which of the following would not be a library activity analogous to a function of
biotechnology?
A) finding a particular book in the library
B) moving a book from one library to another
C) reading and understanding the contents of a book
D) identifying a library by the books that it has
E) returning books that had been checked out
Answer: E
31) The polymerase chain reaction is important because it allows us to
A) insert eukaryotic genes into prokaryotic plasmids.
B) incorporate genes into viruses.
C) make DNA from RNA transcripts.
D) make many copies of a targeted segment of DNA.
E) insert regulatory sequences into eukaryotic genes.
Answer: D
32) The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) could be used to amplify DNA from which of the following?
A) a fossil B) a fetal cell C) a virus D) B and C E) A, B, and C
Answer: E
Page 225
33) Restriction fragments of DNA are separated from one another by which process?
A) filtering
B) centrifugation
C) gel electrophoresis
D) chromatography
E) electron microscopy
Answer: C
The following questions refer to the techniques, tools, or substances listed below. Answers may be used once, more than once, or not at all.
A. restriction enzymes
B. gene cloning
C. DNA ligase
D. gel electrophoresis
E. reverse transcriptase
34) produces multiple identical copies of a gene for basic research or for large-scale production of a gene product
Answer: B
35) enables one to create complementary DNA (cDNA) from mRNA; results in a smaller gene product (RNA processed;
no introns) that is more easily translated by bacteria
Answer: E
36) separates molecules by movement due to size and electrical charge
Answer: D
37) seals the sticky ends of restriction fragments to make recombinant DNA
Answer: C
38) Which of the following procedures would produce RFLPs?
A) incubating a mixture of single-stranded DNA from two closely related species
B) incubating DNA nucleotides with DNA polymerase
C) incubating DNA with restriction enzymes
D) incubating RNA with DNA nucleotides and reverse transcriptase
E) incubating DNA fragments with "sticky ends" with ligase
Answer: C
Page 226
Use the following information and Figure 20.2 to answer the following questions. The DNA profiles below represent four different
individuals.
Figure 20.2
39) Which of the following statements is consistent with the results?
A) B is the child of A and C.
B) C is the child of A and B.
C) D is the child of B and C.
D) A is the child of B and C.
E) A is the child of C and D.
Answer: B
40) Which of the following statements is most likely true?
A) D is the child of A and C.
B) D is the child of A and B.
C) D is the child of B and C.
D) A is the child of C and D.
E) B is the child of A and C.
Answer: B
41) Which of the following are probably siblings?
A) A and B B) A and C C) A and D D) C and D E) B and D
Answer: D
Use the following choices to answer the questions below. Each choice may be used once, more than once, or not at all.
A. restriction enzyme
B. DNA ligase
C. reverse transcriptase
D. RNA polymerase
E. DNA polymerase
42) Which enzyme permanently seals together DNA fragments that have complementary sticky ends?
Answer: B
43) Which enzyme is used to make complementary DNA (cDNA) from RNA?
Answer: C
44) Which enzyme is used to make multiple copies of genes in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)?
Answer: E
Page 227
45) Which enzyme is used to produce RFLPs?
Answer: A
46) Which enzyme cuts DNA molecules at specific locations?
Answer: A
47) DNA fragments from a gel are transferred to a membrane during the procedure called Southern blotting. The
purpose of transferring the DNA from a gel to a membrane is to
A) permanently attach the DNA fragments to a substrate.
B) separate the two complementary DNA strands.
C) transfer only the DNA that is of interest.
D) analyze the RFLPs in the DNA.
E) separate out the PCRs.
Answer: A
48) The Southern blotting procedure enables the detection and analysis of DNA sequences. This means that
A) the existence of specific sequences can be determined.
B) the number of sequences can be determined.
C) the size of restriction fragments that contain the sequence can be determined.
D) the DNA of individuals and species can be compared.
E) all of the above are possible using the Southern blotting procedure.
Answer: E
Figure 20.3
49) The segment of DNA shown in Figure 20.3 has restriction sites I and II, which create restriction fragments A, B, and
C. Which of the gels produced by electrophoresis shown below would represent the separation and identity of
these fragments?
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
Answer: B
Page 228
50) Surprisingly, the human genome contains fewer genes than expected. How, then, is the human genome more
complex than that of other organisms?
A) RNA transcripts of human genes are more likely to experiance alternative splicing.
B) Post-translational processing adds diversity to the resulting polypeptides.
C) Polypeptide domains are combined in a variety of ways.
D) Different combinations of exons are used.
E) All of the above are correct.
Answer: E
51) Which of the following is least related to the others?
A) Southern blotting
B) denaturation
C) nucleic acid probe
D) DNA microarray assays
E) nucleic acid hybridization
Answer: D
52) Gene therapy
A) has proven to be beneficial to HIV patients.
B) involves replacement of a defective allele in sex cells.
C) cannot be used to correct genetic disorders.
D) has its greatest chance of success with bone marrow cells.
E) is a widely accepted procedure.
Answer: D
53) Which of these is not one of the procedures used in Southern blotting?
A) electrophoresis
B) hybridization
C) autoradiography
D) restriction fragment preparation
E) DNA microarray assay
Answer: E
54) Proteomics presents a particular challenge because
A) the number of proteins in humans probably exceeds the number of genes.
B) a cell's proteins differ with cell type.
C) proteins are extremely varied in structure and chemical properties.
D) A and B are true.
E) A, B, and C are true.
Answer: E
55) Genetic engineering is being used by the pharmaceutical industry. Which of the following is not currently one of
the uses?
A) production of human insulin
B) production of human growth hormone
C) production of tissue plasminogen activator
D) genetic modification of plants to produce vaccines
E) creation of products that will remove poisons from the human body
Answer: E
Page 229
56) A DNA profile is produced by
A) treating selected segments of DNA with restriction enzymes.
B) electrophoresis of restriction fragments.
C) using a probe to locate specific nucleotide sequences.
D) A and B.
E) A, B, and C.
Answer: E
57) Which of the following is least related to the others?
A) restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)
B) chromosome walking
C) simple tandem repeat (STR)
D) polymerase chain reaction
E) DNA fingerprint
Answer: B
58) Genetically engineered plants
A) are more difficult to engineer than animals.
B) include a transgenic rice plant that could help prevent vitamin A deficiency.
C) are being rapidly developed, but traditional plant breeding programs are still the method used to develop new
plants.
D) are able to fix nitrogen themselves.
E) are all monocots.
Answer: B
59) Scientists developed a set of guidelines to address the safety of DNA technology. Which of the following is one of
the adopted safety measures?
A) Microorganisms used in recombinant DNA experiments are genetically crippled to ensure that they cannot
survive outside of the laboratory.
B) Genetically modified organisms cannot be part of our food supply.
C) Transgenic plants are engineered so that the plant genes cannot hybridize.
D) Experiments involving HIV or other potentially dangerous viruses have been banned.
E) Recombinant plasmids cannot be replicated.
Answer: A
Media Activity Questions
1) What is the advantage of being able to clone the gene for human insulin?
A) Human insulin is more variable than other sources of insulin, so cloning would provide a greater chance of
obtaining a form that can be used by the diabetic's muscles.
B) There are too few cows, pigs, and horses to provide an adequate supply of their insulin.
C) Human insulin is less likely to provoke an allergic reaction than cow, pig, or horse insulin.
D) Cow, pig, or horse insulin cannot keep a diabetic alive for more than three months.
E) Using human insulin increases the probability that, in the future, the diabetic can be weaned from a
dependence on insulin.
Answer: C
2) What is a major source of restriction enzymes?
A) chief cells
B) DNA technology
C) parietal cells
D) archaea
E) bacteria
Answer: E
Page 230
3) __________ is the process by which a bacterium takes up a plasmid from the surrounding solution.
A) Transformation B) Transcription C) Transition D) Transduction E) Translation
Answer: A
4) Gel electrophoresis separates DNA molecules on the basis of
A) the nucleotide sequence of their sticky ends.
B) their nucleotide sequences.
C) the amount of adenine they contain relative to the amount of thymine they contain.
D) the amount of adenine they contain relative to the amount of guanine they contain.
E) their lengths.
Answer: E
5) What is the designation for the short arm of a chromosome?
A) l B) p C) q D) r E) s
Answer: B
Self-Quiz Questions
1) Which of the following tools of recombinant DNA technology is incorrectly paired with its use?
A) restriction enzymeproduction of RFLPs
B) DNA ligaseenzyme that cuts DNA, creating the sticky ends of restriction fragments
C) DNA polymeraseused in a polymerase chain reaction to amplify sections of DNA
D) reverse transcriptaseproduction of cDNA from mRNA
E) electrophoresisDNA sequencing
Answer: B
2) Which of the following would not be true of cDNA produced using human brain tissue as the starting material?
A) It could be amplified by the polymerase chain reaction.
B) It could be used to create a complete genomic library.
C) It is produced from mRNA using reverse transcriptase.
D) It could be used as a probe to locate a gene of interest.
E) It lacks the introns of the human genes and thus can probably be introduced into phage vectors.
Answer: B
3) Plants are more readily manipulated by genetic engineering than are animals because
A) plant genes do not contain introns.
B) more vectors are available for transferring recombinant DNA into plant cells.
C) a somatic plant cell can often give rise to a complete plant.
D) genes can be inserted into plant cells by microinjection.
E) plant cells have larger nuclei.
Answer: C
4) A paleontologist has recovered a bit of tissue from the 400-year-old preserved skin of an extinct dodo (a bird). The
researcher would like to compare DNA from the sample with DNA from living birds. Which of the following would
be most useful for increasing the amount of dodo DNA available for testing?
A) RFLP analysis
B) polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
C) electroporation
D) gel electrophoresis
E) Southern hybridization
Answer: B
Page 231
5) Expression of a cloned eukaryotic gene in a prokaryotic cell involves many difficulties. The use of mRNA and
reverse transcriptase is part of a strategy to solve the problem of
A) post-transcriptional processing.
B) electroporation.
C) post-translational processing.
D) nucleic acid hybridization.
E) restriction fragment ligation.
Answer: A
6) DNA technology has many medical applications. Which of the following is not yet done routinely?
A) production of hormones for treating diabetes and dwarfism
B) production of viral subunits for vaccines
C) introduction of genetically engineered genes into human gametes
D) prenatal identification of genetic disease genes
E) genetic testing for carriers of harmful alleles
Answer: C
7) Which of the following has the largest genome size and the smallest number of genes per million base pairs?
A) H. influenzae (bacterium)
B) S. cerevisiae (yeast)
C) A. thaliana (plant)
D) D. melanogaster (fruit fly)
E) H. sapiens (human)
Answer: E
8) Which of the following sequences in double-stranded DNA is most likely to be recognized as a cutting site for a
restriction enzyme?
A) AAGG
TTCC
B) AGTC
TCAG
C) GGCC
CCGG
D) ACCA
TGGT
E) AAAA
TTTT
Answer: C
9) In recombinant DNA methods, the term vector can refer to
A) the enzyme that cuts DNA into restriction fragments.
B) the sticky end of a DNA fragment.
C) a RFLP marker.
D) a plasmid used to transfer DNA into a living cell.
E) a DNA probe used to identify a particular gene.
Answer: D
10) In its sequencing of the human genome, Celera carried out
A) linkage mapping of each chromosome.
B) extensive physical mapping of each chromosome, starting with large chromosomal fragments.
C) DNA sequencing of small fragments and then assembly of the fragments to determine overall nucleotide
sequence.
D) A and B
E) A, B, and C
Answer: C
Page 232