Finals Examination Biochemistry lecture RNA translation and mutation, Plasma proteins and

Immunoglobulins, RBC, WBC

21. False statement/s regarding mRNA

a. mRNA comprises only about 5% of the RNA in the cell, yet is by far the most heterogeneous type of
RNA in size and base sequence.

b. The mRNA carries genetic information from the nuclear DNA to the cytosol, where it is used as the
template for protein synthesis.

c. If the mRNA carries information from more than one gene, it is said to be polycistronic.

d. Polycistronic mRNA is characteristic of prokaryotes. If the mRNA carries information from just one
gene, it is said to be monocistronic and is characteristic of eukaryotes. In addition to the protein coding
regions that can be translated, mRNA contains translated regions at its 5'- and 3'-ends.

e. Special structural characteristics of eukaryotic (but not prokaryotic) mRNA include a long sequence of
adenine nucleotides (a “poly-A tail”) on the 3'-end of the RNA chain, plus a “cap” on the 5'-end
consisting of a molecule of 7-methylguanosine attached “backward” (5'→5') through a triphosphate
linkage.

22. False statement/s regarding POSTTRANSCRIPTIONAL MODIFICATION OF RNA

a. A primary transcript is the initial, linear, RNA copy of a transcription unit—the segment of DNA
between specific initiation and termination sequences.

b. The primary transcripts of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic tRNA and rRNA are posttranscriptionally
modified by cleavage of the original transcripts by ribonucleases.

c. tRNAs are then further modified to help give each species its unique identity.

d. In contrast, eukaryotic mRNA is generally identical to its primary transcript, whereas prokaryotic
mRNA is extensively modified both co- and posttranscriptionally

e. NOTA

23.True statements regarding Eukaryotic mRNA

a. The collection of all the primary transcripts synthesized in the nucleus by RNA polymerase II is known
as homogeneous nuclear RNA (hnRNA). The pre-mRNA components of hnRNA undergo extensive co
and posttranscriptional modification in the nucleus.
b. These modifications usually include: 5' “Capping”: This is the first of the processing reactions for
premRNA. The cap is a 7-methylguanosine attached “backward” to the 5'-terminal end of the mRNA,
forming a usual 5'→5' triphosphate linkage.
c. Creation of the cap requires removal of the γ phosphate from the 5’-triphosphate of the premRNA,
followed by addition of GDP (from GTP) by the nuclear enzyme guanylyltransferase. Methylation of this
terminal guanine occurs in the cytosol, and is catalyzed by guanine-7-methyltransferase.
d. S-adenosylmethionine is the source of the methyl group Additional methylation steps may occur. The
addition of this 7-methylguanosine “cap” helps stabilize the mRNA, and permits initiation of translation .
Eukaryotic mRNAs lacking the cap are not efficiently translated.
e. AOTA

24.False statements regarding “Alternative splicing of mRNA molecules”.

a. The pre-mRNA molecules from some genes can be spliced in alternative ways in
different tissues. This produces multiple variations of the mRNA and, therefore, of its protein product.
b. This appears to be a mechanism for producing a diverse set of proteins from infinite set of genes.
c. For example, in eukaryotic cells the mRNA for tropomyosin, an actin filament-binding protein of the
cytoskeleton (and of the contractile apparatus in muscle cells), undergoes extensive tissue-specific
alternative splicing with production of multiple isoforms of the tropomyosin protein.
d. AOTA
e. NOTA
25. Structural features of rRNA include the following except
a. Associates with protein
b. Three size species in prokaryotes
c. Four size species in eukaryotes
d. unmodified ribose and base
e. AOTA
26. rRNA functions as
a. Structural component of ribosomes
b. Adaptor molecule that carries a specific amino acid to the ribosome/mRNA complex
c. Template for protein synthesis
d. AOTA
e. NOTA
27. Structural features of tRNA include except
a. Unusual bases
b. Extensive extra-chain base-pairing
c. At least one specific type of molecule for each of the twenty amino acids found in proteins
d. 3'-CCA
e. NOTA
28. Structural features of eukaryotic mRNA include except
a. 3' Poly-A "tail"
b. 5' “cap” of 7-methylguanosine
c. Monocistronic
d. AOTA
e. NOTA
29. Initiation requires Chromatin remodeling, binding of general transcription factors and RNA
polymerase to core promoter sites up- or downstream of the coding region which is facilitated by:
a. Synthesis of a 5'→3' RNA transcript coded for by the DNA template read in the 3'→5' direction
b. Release of RNA polymerase and newly synthesized transcript from DNA
c. Specific transcription factors bound to enhancer sequences
d. AOTA
e. NOTA
30. Termination requires a termination signal sequence results in
a. Synthesis of a 5'→3' RNA transcript coded for by the DNA template read in the 3'→5' direction
b. Release of RNA polymerase and newly synthesized transcript from DNA
c. Specific transcription factors bound to enhancer sequences
d. AOTA
e. NOTA
31. Elongation requires local unwinding of the DNA helix followed by
a. Synthesis of a 5'→3' RNA transcript coded for by the DNA template read in the 3'→5' direction
b. Release of RNA polymerase and newly synthesized transcript from DNA
c. Specific transcription factors bound to enhancer sequences
d. AOTA
e. NOTA
32. False statement/s regarding Co- and posttranscriptional modification
a. Splicing of pre-mRNA to remove non-coding introns and join exons
b. Cleavage, trimming and base/sugar modification in pre-rRNA
c. Trimming, addition of 3'-CCA, and base modification in pre-mRNA.
d. Addition of a 3' poly-A “tail” and a 5'-7-methyl guanosine “cap” to pre-mRNA.
e. AOTA
33. The base sequence of the strand of DNA used as the template for transcription is GATCTAC. What is
the base sequence of the RNA product?
A. CTAGATG.
B. GTAGATC.
C. GAUCUAC.
D. CUAGAUG.
E. GUAGAUC.
34. False statement/s regarding Mechanism of splicing:
a. The binding of snRNPs brings the sequences of the neighboring exons into the correct alignment for
splicing. The 2'-OH group of an adenosine (A) residue (known as the branch site) in the intron attacks the
phosphate at the 5'-end of the intron (splice donor site), forming an unusual 2'→5' phosphodiester bond
and creating a “lariat” structure.
b. The newly freed 3'-OH of exon 1 attacks the 5'-phosphate at the splice acceptor site, forming a
phosphodiester bond that joins exons 1 and 2.
c. The excised intron is released as a lariat, which is typically degraded.
d. The GU and AG sequences at the beginning and end, respectively, of introns are invariant.
e. After introns have been removed and exons joined, the mature mRNA molecules leave
the nucleus and pass into the cytosol through pores in the nuclear membrane. The introns in tRNA are
removed by the same mechanism.

35.Triue statement/s regarding silent mutations.

a. This would be most likely if the changed base in the mRNA molecule were to be at the third nucleotide
of a codon. Because of wobble, the translation of a codon is least sensitive to a change at the third
position
b. From a careful examination of the genetic code, one can conclude that most single base changes would
result in the replacement of one amino acid by another with rather similar functional groups. This is an
effective genetic “buffering” mechanism to avoid drastic change in the physical properties of a protein
molecule
c. The machinery translating the mRNA does not recognize that a base was missing, since there is no
punctuation in the reading of codons.
d. A and B
e. B and C

36. Mutant proteins arise when,

a. single-base substitutions result in codons that specify a different amino acid at a given position,
b. a stop codon results in a truncated protein
c. base additions or deletions alter the reading frame, so different codons are read.
d. A and B only
e. A, B and C
37. Some Mutations Occur by Base Substitution. Single-base changes (point mutations) may be
transitions or transversions. In the former,
a. a given pyrimidine is changed to the other pyrimidine or a given purine is changed to the other purine.
b. changes from a purine to either of the two pyrimidines or the change of a pyrimidine into either of the
two purines
c. A and B
d. NOTA

38. The probability is high that a prematurely terminated protein molecule or peptide fragment will not
function in its normal role.
a. missense effect
b. silent mutations
c. nonsense codon
d. A and B
e. B and C

39. Features of the Genetic Code:

a. degenerate
b. ambiguous
c. overlapping
d. punctutated
e. non universal
40. Single-base changes in the mRNA may have one of several effects when translated into protein. There
may be no detectable effect because of the degeneracy of the code; such mutations are often referred to as
a. missense effect
b. silent mutations
c. nonsense codon
d. A and B
e. B and C
Answer Key
21. D
22. D
23. D
24. B
25. D
26. A
27. B
28. E
29. C
30. B
31. A
32. C
33. D
34. E
35. A
36. E
37. A
38. C
39. A
40. B