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MOLECULAR BASIS OF INHERITANCE

ONE MARK QUESTIONS

1. Lactose is termed as inducer in lac operon. Give reason. (J-15)
Lactose binds to repressor protein and helps in switching on Lac Operon
OR
Lactose controls switching on and off of the operon

2. Define transcription? (J-15)

The process of copying genetic information from one strand of the DNA into the
RNA is termed as Transcription.

3. What is euchromatin? (M-17)

It’s a region of a chromatin which is loosely packed, stains light and
transcriptionally active.

4. Why DNA replication is called semiconservative? (M-17)

A DNA has one parental strand and one newly synthesized daughter strand.

5. Which chromosome of man has the least number of genes? (M-19)

Chromosome Y with 231 genes

6. On which bacteria Griffith conducted transformation experiment? (J-19)

Streptococcus pneumonia

7. Name the inducer which regulates the switching on and off of the lac operon.
(M-20)
Lactose or Allolactose

8. Which type of R.N.A polymerase enzyme transcribes precursor m.R.N.A? (M-20)

RNA Polymerase II

9. Name the process in which introns are removed and exons are joined in a
defined order. (S-20)
Splicing

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TWO MARKS QUESTIONS

1. t-RNA is an adaptor molecule comment. (M-15)

tRNA is the adapter molecule as it could read the code on mRNA at one end and
it would bind to the specific amino acid at the other end.

2. Codon AUG has dual function. Justify. (M-17) (S-20)

AUG codes for Methionine
AUG is the initiator codon

3. What are the criteria of DNA to act as a genetic material? (M-17) (J-17)
 Genetic material should be able to replicate through replication process.
 Genetic material should be chemically and structurally stable.
 It should be able to undergo slow and gradual changes called mutations
which result in evolution.
 Genetic material should be able to store genetic information which is
inherited.
 It should express ‘Mendelian characters’.
(WRITE ANY TWO)

4. Name the scientist who found out D.N.A and what was the name given by him?
(M-20)
Friedrich Meischer and he named DNA as Nuclein

5. Write the two basic amino acid residues which are rich in histones. (M-20)
Lysine and Arginine

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THREE MARKS QUESTIONS

1. RNA polymerases in eukaryotes show division of labour. Substantiate. (M-15)

Three types of RNA polymerase enzymes are found in the eukaryotic nucleus
and their distribution of labour:
i) RNA polymerase I: This enzyme transcribes rRNAs i.e. 28s, 18s and 5.8s.
ii) RNA polymerase II: This enzyme transcribes the precursor mRNA i.e
heterogenous mRNA or hn RNA.
iii) RNA polymerase III: This enzyme transcribes the tRNA, 5s rRNA and sn
RNA(small nuclear RNA).

2. Mention any three applications of DNA fingerprinting technique. (J-17)

Applications of DNA fingerprinting:
a. It helps to solve parentage disputes by comparing mother, father and child
DNA fingerprints.
b. It helps to identify criminals or forensic studies.
c. It helps to study the connecting links between different species of animals.
d. It helps to study the population count of specific species.
e. It helps to reunite the lost child to the respective parents.
f. It helps to identify the strange dead bodies after an accident by comparing
with the families.

3. DNA is the better genetic material than RNA. Justify the statement with three
comparative reasons. (M-19)

 DNA is more stable because even if the two complementary strands are
separated by factors like heat, they can come together again. But RNA is
more labile and easily degradable because of an additional –OH group in
the 2ꞌ position of ribose in every nucleotide.
 DNA does not act as enzyme. But some RNA molecule acts as enzyme and
therefore, is more reactive.
 DNA has Thymine which gives additional stability. RNA molecule does not
have Thymine.
 Both DNA and RNA can mutate. But RNA mutate at a faster rate as it is less
stable.

(Write any three points)

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 4. Explain biochemical characterization of transforming principle of Oswald
Avery (S-20)
 Oswald Avery, Colin MacLeod and Maclyn McCarty repeated Griffith’s
experiment in an in vitro.
 They thought genetic material was protein.
 They purified biochemicals (proteins, RNA, DNA) from heat killed S-strain to
see which ones could transform live R strains into S strains.
 They discovered that Protein digesting enzymes (proteases) and RNA-
digesting enzymes did not affect transformation. This indicates that
transforming substance was not a protein or RNA.
 Treating heat killed S strain bacteria with DNase did inhibit transformation
and mice survived.
 They concluded that DNA is the genetic material but not all biologists were
convinced.

FIVE MARKS QUESTIONS

1. List the salient feature of human genome project. (M-14) (M-16) (M-17) (M-20)
a) The human genome contains 3164.7 million nucleotide bases.
b) The average gene consists of 3000 bases; largest known human genome is
dystrophin (2.4million bases).
c) The total number of genes is estimated to be 30,000 and 99.9% nucleotide
bases are exactly the same in all people.
d) They identified that only 2% of the genes code for protein and remaining
98% DNA are functionless.
e) They identified that chromosome number 1 has maximum number of gene
i.e. 2968 genes and y chromosome with lowest number of genes i.e. 231.
f) They identified that all human beings are 99.9% identical with each other
and 0.1% is different.
g) The functions are unknown for over 50% of the discovered genes
h) Scientists have identified about 1.4 million locations where single-base DNA
differences (snips-single nucleotide polymorphism-SNPs) occur in humans.
SNPs promises to revolutionise the process of finding chromosomal locations
for disease associated sequences and tracing human history.
(ANY FIVE POINTS)

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2. Mention the steps involved in DNA fingerprinting (M-14) (J-14)
 Collection of DNA sample/Isolation of DNA sample from semen, hair, blood etc.
 Extraction and fragmentation of DNA by Restriction endonucleases
 Separation of DNA fragments by Gel electrophoresis
 Splitting the double stranded DNA into single stranded DNA and transferring
DNA by Blotting on a nitrocellulose plate
 Attachment of Radioactive probes to single stranded DNA to produce hybrid
DNA
 Autoradiography to detect hybridized DNA
 Comparision of DNA

3. List out the salient features of Double helix model of DNA. (J-16)
a) James Watson and Francis Crick proposed Double Helix model of DNA in
1953 based on X-diffraction data produced by Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind
Franklin.
b) DNA molecule is made up of two polynucleotide chains which run in anti-
parallel orientation i.e. 3’-5’ and 5’-3’.
c) Back bone of DNA is made up of sugar and phosphate groups.
d) Nitrogenous bases project towards the centre.
e) Two polynucleotide chains are joined by the specific base pairing.
f) Purine of one polynucleotide chain always binds with the pyrimidine of
another polynucleotide chain and viceversa.
g) Adenine and Thymine are joined by two hydrogen bonds whereas Guanine
and Cytocine are joined by three hydrogen bonds.
h) Two polynucleotide chains are coiled in right handed fashion.
i) Each turn of DNA molecule has ten nucleotide pairs.
j) The length of each turn is 34 A 0.
k) The distance between each nucleotide strand is 3.4 A 0.
l) In a DNA molecule the amount of purines is always equal to the amount of
pyrimidine i.e. A + G = T + C or A=T and C=G. This is called Chargoff’s rule
(ANY FIVE)

4. Describe Lac Operon concept with labeled sketch. (J-14) (J-16) (M-18) (S-20)
 Lac operon:
 Lac operon consists of three structural genes (z,y,a), operator(o),
promoter(p), a regulator gene(i) and inducer (lactose).
 Structural gene lac z codes for β-galactosidase enzyme which breaks lactose
into galactose and glucose.
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  Structural gene lac y codes for Permease, which increases the permeability
of the cell to lactose.
 Structural gene lac a codes for transacetylase, which catalyses
transacetylation of lactose in its active form.
 When Lactose (inducer) is absent;

 When lactose is absent, regulator gene (i gene) regulates and produces

repressor mRNA to translate repressor protein.
 Repressor protein binds to the operator region of the operon and as a result
prevents RNA polymerase to bind to the operator.
 The operon is switched off and no enzymes are produced.
 Regulation of lac operon by repressor is referred to as negative regulation.

 When Lactose (inducer) is present;

 Lactose binds to the repressor protein and forms an inactive repressor

protein.
 The RNA polymerase binds to the operator and transcript lac mRNA.
 lac mRNA is polycistronic and produces three enzymes β-galactosidase,
permease and transacetylase.
 lac operon is switched on.

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 5. Describe the process of DNA replication with the help of a diagram. (M-15)

 DNA replication takes place in S phase of cell cycle

 Enzymes required for DNA replication are,
a) DNA dependent DNA polymearase: It uses a DNA template to catalyse the
polymerization of deoxynucleotides.
b) DNA helicase and DNA gyrase: Unwinds double stranded DNA.
c) DNA ligase: Joins the okazaki fragments
 Process of DNA replication:
 DNA replication has two important steps i.e.
Initiation and Elongation.
 DNA replication begins at a specific sequence on
DNA called Origin of replication or Ori site.
 Initiation:
a. Unwinding of DNA helix: DNA gyrase and DNA
helicase separates the two complementary
strands of double helix DNA.
b. Stabilisation: Separated strands of DNA are
stabilized by Single strand binding proteins
(ssBPs) by binding to the separated strands.
This helps to prevent rewinding of DNA
strands.
c. Replication fork is formed due to unwinding of
double stranded DNA strands. Replication fork looks like Y-shaped
configuration.
 Elongation:
a. An enzyme called primase initiates replication of the strand in the 3’5’
direction.
b. 1060 nucleotides long primer DNA is formed.
c. DNA polymerase adds deoxyribonucleotides at the 3’-OH end of the
growing polynucleotide chain. Hence replication of the 3’5’ strand of
DNA molecule is continuous. This strand is called as Leading strand.
d. While the replication of other strand of DNA from 5’3’ is discontinuous
and are called Lagging strand.
e. The lagging strand produces small polynucleotide fragments are called
Okazaki fragments.
f. Okazaki fragments are joined together by DNA ligase

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6. Describe Fredrick experiment to show transformation in bacteria. (J-15)
A) In 1928 Frederick Griffith conducted experiments on Streptococcus
pneumonia, a bacterium causes pneumonia.
B) He observed the two strains of bacterium which is grown on a culture plate
i.e. Smooth shiny colonies (S- type) and Rough colonies (R-type).
C) Smooth shiny colonies have a mucous polysaccharide coat and Rough
colonies do not.
D) He injected S strains colonies to mice and the mice died because of
pneumonia.
E) When R strains were injected to mice, they lived and there were no
symptoms of pneumonia.
F) He killed S strain by heating and were injected to mice and the mice survived.
G) He mixed heat killed S strains with live R strain and injected into mice, they
died because of pneumonia.
H) Later he recovered S trains of bacteria from dead mice.
I) He concluded that the R strain bacteria had transformed by the heat killed S
strain bacteria.
J) Transfer of genetic material from Heat killed S strain bacteria had enabled
the R strain bacteria to synthesise a smooth polysaccharide coat and become
virulent. This is called as Transforming principle.

7. Describe the process of translation of mRNA. (J-15) (M-16)

 It is the process of polymerisation of amino acids to form a polypeptide chain
in the ribosome.
 Translation occurs in the cytoplasm (ribosomes) of both eukaryotes and
prokaryotes.
 Untranslated regions(UTR):It is the additional sequences of mRNA which are
not translated. UTRs required for efficient translation.
 There are three steps in translation;
1. Initiataion:
 Ribosome is the site of protein synthesis. Ribosome in its inactive state
occurs in two subunits i.e. small and large sub units.
 Activation of amino acid: Amino acids are activated by binding to
aminoacyl synthetase enzyme along with Mg2+ in the presence of ATP.

Amino acid + ATP aminoacyl synthetase Aminoacid-AMP-Enzyme complex + P1.

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  Aminoacylation of tRNA: Aminoacid-AMP-Enzyme complex reacts with
specific tRNA to form aminoacyl-tRNA complex. This process is called as
charging of tRNA.
Aminoacid-AMP-Enzyme complex + tRNA aminoacyl-tRNA complex

 The mRNA binds to the smaller subunit of ribosome.

 Initiation factors i.e. IF1 , IF2, IF3 play a major role in initiation.
 Larger subunit of ribosome binds to the smaller subunit.
 Initiator tRNA carrying methionine binds to the first codon of mRNA i.e.
AUG on the P- site of ribosome.

2. Elongation of polypeptide chain:

 Another charged aminoacyl tRNA complex binds to the A-site of ribosome.
 A peptide bond is formed between carboxyl group of one amino acid at P-
site and amino group of another amino acid at A-site.
 Formation of peptide bond between two amino acids is facilitated by
peptidyl transferase.
 Ribosome slides over the mRNA in 5’3’ direction.
 Used tRNAs are removed from E-site of ribosome.
 A polypeptide chain of amino acids are formed as the sequences of mRNA
are coded by charged tRNA.

3. Termination of polypeptide:
 There are three termination codons on mRNA which do not code for any
amino acid i.e. UAG, UGA and UAA.
 When the A-site of ribosome reaches a termination codon no tRNA binds
to the A-site.
 Termination of translation is facilitated by a release factor.
 A chain of 20 amino acids dissociates from the ribosome

8. Oswald Avery and others have continued Griffith”s transforming principle to

prove DNA as genetic material-Substantiate (M-18)

 Oswald Avery, Colin MacLeod and Maclyn McCarty repeated Griffith’s

experiment in an in vitro.
 They thought genetic material was protein.

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  They purified biochemicals (proteins, RNA, DNA) from heat killed S-strain to
see which ones could transform live R strains into S strains.
 They discovered that Protein digesting enzymes (proteases) and RNA-
digesting enzymes did not affect transformation. This indicates that
transforming substance was not a protein or RNA.
 Treating heat killed S strain bacteria with DNase did inhibit transformation
and mice survived.
 They concluded that DNA is the genetic material but not all biologists were
convinced.

9. A. Mention the chemical linkages between the components of DNA. (3 Marks)

B. Differentiate Euchromatin from Heterochromatin (2 Marks) (J-18)

A) Hydrogen bond present between nitrogenous bases

N- Glycosidic bond present between pentose sugar and nitrogenous base
3’-5’ Phospho diester bond present between the nucleotides

B)
Euchromatin Heterochromatin
Trascriptionally active Transcriptionally inactive
Loosely packed chromatin Tightly packed chromatin
Stains light Stains dark

10. What are VNTR’s? Mention the steps to detect VNTR’s in identifying criminals in
forensic investigations.
(J-18)
Variable number tandem repeats (VNTR): It is the satellite DNA that shows high
degree of polymorphism. This VNTR/repetitive DNA is used for DNA
fingerprinting.
1. Collection of DNA sample/Isolation of DNA sample
2. Extraction and fragmentation of DNA by Restriction endonucleases
3. Separation of DNA fragments by Gel electrophoresis
4. Splitting the double stranded DNA into single stranded DNA and
transferring DNA by Blotting on a nitrocellulose plate
5. Attachment of Radioactive probes to single stranded DNA to produce hybrid
DNA
6. Autoradiography to detect hybridized DNA
7. Comparision of DNA

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11. ‘DNA replication is said to be semiconservative’. Why? Describe the experimental
proof of Meselson and Stahl to show DNA replication is semiconservative. (M-19)

After the completion of replication, each daughter DNA molecule would have
one parental and one newly synthesised strand. Hence it is semiconservative.

Experimental proof:
 Meselson and Stahl grew [Link] in a medium containing 15NH4Cl for many
generations. (15N is a heavy isotope of nitrogen)
 As a result 15N got incorporated into newly synthesized DNA. This DNA is now
called heavy DNA.
 Heavy DNA can be differentiated from normal DNA by centrifugation in
Caecium chloride.
 They transferred the cells into a medium containing 14NH4Cl and they took
samples after each 20 minutes.
 Centrifugation (in Caecium chloride) of extracted DNA’s after two generation
showed intermediate hybrid density.
 Equal amounts of light DNA and hybrid DNA were observed in the extracted
DNA.
 This experiment is the proof for semi-conservative mode of DNA replication.

12. List the goals of human genome project. (J-19)

1. To identify 20,000-25,000 genes in human DNA.
2. To determine all the 3 billion chemical base pair sequences that make up
human DNA.
3. To identify the location and structure of defective genes.
4. To identify and cure genetic diseases.
5. To get genetic and physical maps of human DNA.
6. To determine the functions of different genes.
7. To store all the above information in databases.
8. To improve tools for data analysis.
9. To address the ethical, legal and social issues that may arise from the
project.
(ANY FIVE)

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13. a) Mention the criteria for a molecule that acts as a genetic material. (2 M)
b) Write the schematic representation of transcription unit. (3 Marks) (J-19)

a)
 Genetic material should be able to replicate through replication process.
 Genetic material should be chemically and structurally stable.
 It should be able to undergo slow and gradual changes called mutations
which result in evolution.
 Genetic material should be able to store genetic information which is
inherited.
 It should express ‘Mendelian characters’.
(WRITE ANY TWO)

b)

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