Chapter 3 Nucleic acids, gene structure and

regulation Total marks 15

Chapter test

Name: ______________________ Class: ______ Date: ______

Section A: Multiple choice (8 marks)

1 What is the composition of the backbone of DNA?

A alternating sugar and phosphate molecules
B complementary base pairs
C alternating sugar and base molecules
D a polysaccharide

2 Below is a list of bonds between molecules.

I between a hydrogen atom of one water molecule and the oxygen atom of another
water molecule
II between bases in a DNA molecule base pair
III between two amino acid molecules of a dipeptide
Which of these bonds are hydrogen bonds?
A I only
B II only
C I and II only
D II and III only

3 A DNA molecule consists of two strands in which

A the percentage of adenine is the same in each strand.
B the percentage of adenine is the same as that of thymine in each strand.
C the percentage of adenine is the same as that of thymine in the whole molecule.
D the percentage of adenine is the same as that of uracil in the whole molecule.

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4 A certain gene codes for a polypeptide that is 90 amino acids long. Approximately how
many nucleotides long is the mRNA that codes for this polypeptide likely to be?
A 30
B 90
C 180
D 270

5 Why are the messenger RNA molecules received by eukaryotic ribosomes shorter than
the messenger RNA molecules formed by transcription of DNA?
A Sections of messenger RNA formed using the promoter region are deleted.
B Start codons are not at the end of the messenger RNA molecule.
C Introns are removed before the messenger RNA is translated.
D Exons are removed before the messenger RNA is translated.

6 The diagram below represents an animal cell.

Source: © sciencepics/Shutterstock

In which of the labelled locations do the processes of transcription and translation

occur?

Transcription Translation

A IV I

B V II

C IV III

D V I

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7 Which molecule is used in transcription but not in translation?
A DNA polymerase
B protease
C ribosome
D RNA polymerase

8 Where does the RNA polymerase attach during the process of transcription?
A the 5’ CAP
B the operator
C the promoter
D the start codon

Section B: Short answer (7 marks)

1 There are two types of nucleic acids: deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid
(RNA).
a Define ‘nucleic acids’.

b Compare the structures of DNA and RNA.

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2 a State the three types of RNA.

b Outline the functions of RNA in protein synthesis.

3 a Describe the genetic code.

b Define the terms ‘degenerate’ and ‘universal’ as they relate to the genetic code.

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4 a Define the term ‘gene’.

b Distinguish structural genes from regulatory genes.

c Outline the structure of eukaryotic genes.

5 a Distinguish gene regulation in eukaryotes from gene regulation in prokaryotes.

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 b Using the lac operon in E. coli as an example, explain how gene regulation by
transcriptional factors expressed by regulatory genes can occur.

Multipart questions

1 The diagram below shows the structure of a ribosome during protein synthesis.

a State the names of the structures labelled I, II, III and IV.

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b State whether the mRNA strand will be read from left to right, or from right to left,
during translation.

c The sequence of nucleotides in an mRNA strand is:

5’ A U G G G G A C G A A G G G U U U C U A A G U U A U C 3’
Using the information in the table below, write down the polypeptide strand formed.

First base in Second base in codon Third base in

codon codon
U C A G

U Phe Ser Tyr Cys U

Phe Ser Tyr Cys C

Leu Ser – – A

Leu Ser – Trp G

C Leu Pro His Arg U

Leu Pro His Arg C

Leu Pro Gln Arg A

Leu Pro Gln Arg G

A Ile Thr Asn Ser U

Ile Thr Asn Ser C

Ile Thr Lys Arg A

Met Thr Lys Arg G

G Val Ala Asp Gly U

Val Ala Asp Gly C

Val Ala Glu Gly A

Val Ala Glu Gly G

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 d Explain briefly how termination of translation occurs.

e Identify at least two locations within a eukaryotic cell where translation occurs.

2 The table below shows details of certain genes found in humans.

Gene Gene size mRNA size Number of

(kb)* (kb) introns

Beta globulin 1.5 0.6 2

Albumin 25.0 2.1 14

Phenylalanine hydroxylase 90.0 2.4 12

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane 250.0 6.5 26

conductance regulator

Dystrophin 2 500.0 17.0 70

*kilobase pairs

a Calculate the average size of introns for the albumin gene. Show your working.

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b Describe the relationship between gene size and number of introns.

c Calculate the maximum number of amino acids that could be produced by

translating dystrophin mRNA.

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