1. Which of the following definition is incorrect?

a. Lagging strand is the strand synthesized in the opposite

direction of the replication fork.
b. Leading strand is synthesized in the same direction as
the replication fork.
c. Template strand is the new strand being synthesized.
d. None of the above.

2. An RNA produced from a fragment of DNA has the sequence of

AAUUGGCU. The sequence of the non-template strand in the DNA
that gave rise to this sequence is which one of the following?
a. AGCCAATT
b. AAUUGGCU
c. AATTGGCT
d. TTAACCGA

3. Gene transcription rates and mRNA levels were determined for an

enzyme that is induced by glucocorticoids. These data indicate
that a primary effect of glucocorticoid treatment is to decrease
which one of the following?
a. The activity of RNA polymerase II
b. The rate of mRNA translation
c. The rate of binding of ribosomes to mRNA
d. The ability of nucleases to act on mRNA

4. A family, while on a picnic, picked some wild mushrooms to add

to their picnic salad. The family is suffering these effects owing to
a primary inability to accomplish which one of the following in
their cells and tissues?
a. Synthesize proteins
b. Synthesize lipids
c. Synthesize DNA
d. Synthesize carbohydrates

5. Which of the following enzymes is the target of fluoroquinolones

in replication of DNA strands?
a. DNA helicase
b. DNA gyrase
c. DNA ligase
d. DNA polymera
6. The formation of a peptide bond during the elongation step of
protein synthesis results in the splitting of how many high energy
bonds?
a. 1
b. 3
c. 4
d. 2

7. Nonsense codons bring about:

a. Amino acid activation
b. Initiation of protein synthesis
c. Termination of protein synthesis
d. Elongation of polypeptide chains

8. The anticodon region is an important part of the structure of:

a. r-RNA
b. t-RNA
c. m-RNA
d. hn-RNA

9. Degeneracy of the genetic code denotes the existence of:

a. Base triplets that do not code for any amino acids
b. Codons consisting of only two bases
c. Codons that include one or more unusual bases
d. Multiple codons for a single amino acid

10. ………of the………codons code for the………common amino acids.

a. 61-64-20
b. 20-61-64
c. 1-3-10
d. 60-40-80

11. A 42-year-old man is placed on a two-drug regimen to prevent

the activation of the tuberculosis bacteria, as his tuberculin skin
test (PPD) was positive, but he shows no clinical signs of
tuberculosis, and his chest X-ray is negative. One of the drug’s
mechanism of action is to inhibit which one of the following
enzymes?
a. DNA polymerase
b. RNA polymerase
 c. Peptidyl transferase
d. Telomerase

12. A 47-year-old woman, who has been on kidney dialysis for the
past 7 years, has developed jaundice, fatigue, nausea, a low-
grade fever, and abdominal pain. A physical examination
indicates a larger-than-normal liver, and blood work
demonstrates elevated levels of aspartate aminotransferase
(AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). The physician places
the patient on two drugs, one of which is a nucleoside analog,
geared to inhibit DNA and RNA syntheses. The primary function
of the other drug is to do which one of the following?
a. Inhibit DNA repair in infected cells
b. Enhance the rate of the elongation phase of protein
synthesis
c. Reduce the rate of initiation of protein synthesis
d. Promote ribosome formation

13. A 20-year-old man with a microcytic anemia is found to have

an abnormal form of β-globin (Hemoglobin Constant Spring) that
is 172 amino acids long, rather than the 141 found in the normal
protein. Which of the following point mutations is consistent with
this abnormality?
a. CGA → UGA
b. GCA → GAA
c. UAA → CAA
d. UAA → UAG

14. A transfer RNA (tRNA) molecule that is supposed to carry

cysteine (tRNAcys) is mischarged, so that it actually carries
alanine (ala-tRNAcys). Assuming no correction occurs, what will
be the fate of this alanine residue during protein synthesis?
a. It will be incorporated into a protein in response to a
codon for alanine.
b. It will be incorporated into a protein in response to a
codon for cysteine.
c. It will be incorporated randomly at any codon.
d. It will be chemically converted to cysteine by cellular
enzymes.
15. Translocase is an enzyme required in the process of:
A. DNA replication
B. RNA synthesis
C. Initiation of protein synthesis
D. Elongation of peptides
16. A ribosome bound to endoplasmic reticulum is involved in
translating a new protein. The final destination of that new
protein may be:
a. The cytosol
b. A lysosome
c. Mitochondria
d. The nucleus

17. The intended final destination of a new protein is within a

peroxisome. However, the peroxisomal targeting signal is not
properly incorporated into the precursor protein. The final
destination of that protein will therefore be:
a. A lysosome
b. The nucleus
c. Outside the cell
d. The cytosol

18. A precursor protein intended to function within a lysosome

fails to receive a proper lysosomal tag while it is being
processed. The protein will therefore be sent to:
a. A mitochondrion
b. The cytosol
c. The nucleus
d. Outside the cell

19. Which organelle is the next stop in the normal trafficking of a

protein exiting the endoplasmic reticulum?
a. Lysosomes
b. Mitochondria
c. Golgi complex
d. Peroxisomes

20. A 3-month-old male child has a defect that results in failure to

add mannose-6-phosphate to certain proteins within the Golgi
complex. This defect will result in abnormal proteins in:
 a. The Golgi complex
b. Mitochondria
c. Nuclei
d. Lysosomes

21. Which of the following DNA binding domain classes is related

to the transcription factor for steroid receptors?
a. Helix-turn-helix
b. Leucine zipper
c. Rel domains
d. Zinc fingers

22. If a newly discovered protein is found to contain leucine zipper

domains, the function of this protein is in:
a. binding to specific DNA sequences
b. cleaving the mRNA in the nucleus
c. posttranslational modification of the newly synthesized
proteins
d. regulating the poly(A) tail of the mRNA
e. regulating the mRNA’s half-life

23. A pharmacologist employed by a pharmaceutical company is

investigating the mechanism of action of a new drug that
significantly inhibits the division of tumor cells obtained from
patients with acute myelogenous leukemia. He has determined
that the drug serves as a potent inactivator of chromatin-
modifying activity that up-regulates the expression of a cluster of
oncogenes in these tumor cells. Which type of chromatin-
modifying activity is most likely stimulated by the enzyme target
of this drug?
a. Acetylation of core histones
b. Binding of histone H1 to nucleosomes
c. Deacetylation of core histone H4
d. Deamination of cytosine bases in DNA

24. Certain lysyl residues in the histones are acetylated, leading

to:
a. increasing the positive charge
b. decreasing the negative charge
c. decreasing the positive charge
 d. None of the above

25. Example of specific transcription factors; peroxisome

proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are transcription factors
that bind to DNA response elements (PPREs) and control multiple
aspects of:
a. carbohydrate metabolism
b. lipid metabolism
a. amino acid metabolism
b. protein metabolism

26. Which of the following is the basis for the intestine-specific

expression of apolipoprotein B-48?
a. DNA rearrangement and loss
b. DNA transposition
c. RNA alternative splicing
d. RNA editing

27. Which of the following is a likely consequence of the increased

iron accumulation seen in patients with the disease
hemochromatosis?
a. The messenger RNA for the transferrin receptor is not
bound by iron regulatory proteins and is degraded.
b. The messenger RNA for ferritin is not bound by iron
regulatory proteins at its 5′–iron-responsive element and
is translated.
c. The messenger RNA for ferritin is bound by iron
regulatory proteins and is not translated.
d. Both A and B are correct