EXERCISES IN

NUCLEIC ACIDS (3)

ANSWER SHEET

Name: Clowie Lyn Cinconiegue Year & Sect.: 2 – C

Translation: Protein Synthesis (Section 22.12)

22.150. Indicate whether each of the following statements about ribosomes is true or false.
a) FALSE
b) FALSE
c) FALSE
d) FALSE
22.157 Write a possible mRNA base sequence that would lead to the production of the following
pentapeptide. (There is more than one correct answer.)
Gly – GGU, GGC, GGA or GGG
Ala – GCU, GCC, GCA or GCG
Cys – UGU or UGC
Val – GUU, GUC, GUA or GUG
Tyr – UAU or UAC
22.158 Write a possible mRNA base sequence that would lead to the production of the following
pentapeptide. (There is more than one correct answer.)
Lys – AAA or AAG
Met – AUG
Thr – ACU, ACC, ACA, or ACG
His – CAU or CAC
Phe – UUU or UUC
22.160 Consider the translation of the following mRNA base sequence during protein synthesis. 5’ CGC
CGU UAC 3’
a) CGC CGU UAC
b) GCG GCA AUG
c) Arg – Arg – Tyr

Mutations (Section 22.13)

22.165 Consider the following mRNA base sequence 59 CUU CAG 39
a) Leu – Gln
b) Leu – Gln
c) Leu – Lys
d) Leu – Lys
22.166 Consider the following mRNA base sequence 59 ACC CAC 39
a) Thr – His
b) Thr – Asn
c) Thr – His
d) Thr – Asn

VIRUSES AND VACCINES (Section 22.14)

22.169 Describe the general structure of a virus.
- a small particle that contains DNA or RNA (but not both) surrounded by a coat of protein and
that cannot reproduce without the aid of a host cell.
22.170 What is the only function of a virus?
- Reproduction
22.171 What is the most common method by which viruses invade cells?
1) Attaches itself to the cell membrane
2) Opens a hole in the membrane
3) Injects itself into the cell
22.172 Why must a virus infect another organism in order to reproduce?
- They are unable to reproduce in the absence of other organisms. Viruses do not possess the
nucleotides, enzymes, amino acids, and other molecules necessary to replicate their nucleic acid or to
synthesize proteins.
Recombinant DNA and Genetic Engineering (Section 22.15)
22.173 How does recombinant DNA differ from normal DNA?
- Contains a “foreign” gene
22.174 Give two reasons why bacterial cells are used for recombinant DNA procedures
1) They contain DNA in the form of small, circular, double-stranded molecules called plasmids.
These plasmids, which carry only a few genes, replicate independently of the chromosome.
2) Also, they are transferred relatively easily from one cell to another.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (Section 22.16)

22.183 What is the function of the polymerase chain reaction?
- To produce many copies of a specific DNA sequence in a relatively short time
22.184 What is the function of the enzyme DNA polymerase in the PCR process?
- DNA polymerase can attach additional nucleotides to a short starter nucleotide chain, called a
primer when the primer is bound to a complementary strand of DNA that functions as a template. The
DNA polymerase can replicate the original strand. DNA polymerase is used to extend the primers to
create segments of DNA identical to the original segment.