Chapter 10 - Biosynthesis of Nucleic Acids: Replication

1. The duplication process of DNA is called

a. replication.
b. transcription.
c. translation.
d. nucleation.

2. The process by which an mRNA base sequence directs the amino acid sequence of a protein is called
a. replication.
b. transcription.
c. translation.
d. nucleation.

3. Which of the following is NOT an observed event in the flow of genetic information?
a. DNA --> RNA
b. RNA --> DNA
c. RNA --> RNA
d. DNA --> DNA
e. RNA --> Protein
f. Protein --> RNA
g. All of the choices ARE observed

4. In the original Central Dogma of biology, the ordinary flow of genetic information is:
a. DNA → RNA → Protein
b. RNA → DNA → Protein
c. Protein → RNA → DNA
d. DNA → Protein → RNA.
e. None of these

5. The famous Meselson and Stahl experiment showed:

a. DNA is replicated by a semi-conservative mechanism.
b. The direction of DNA synthesis proceeds 5' → 3'.
c. The isotope 15N is denser than 14N.
d. DNA replication is semi-conservative and 15N is denser than 14N.
e. All of these are correct.

6. All the following describe the general mechanism of DNA synthesis, except:
a. From the perspective of the DNA template strands, one strand is made 5' → 3' while the other strand is
made 3' → 5'.
b. The strands become separated during synthesis.
c. Synthesis occurs in both directions from the starting site of synthesis.
d. Synthesis of DNA is a very accurate process.
e. All of these are correct.

7. How do origins of replication differ in eukaryotes and prokaryotes?

a. Eukaryotes have several origins, while prokaryotes typically have one.
b. Prokaryotes have several origins, while eukaryotes typically have one.
c. Only prokaryotes have origins of replication.
d. None of these.

8. DNA is synthesized from the 3’ end to the 5’ end in which of the following processes?
a. Replication of DNA
b. Replication of RNA
c. Transcription of RNA from DNA
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Chapter 10 - Biosynthesis of Nucleic Acids: Replication
d. none of these

9. Which of the following best describes the process of DNA replication in a prokaryote?
a. Replication begins at a unique site and proceeds in one direction all the way around a typically circular
chromosome.
b. Replication begins at a unique site and proceeds in two directions, meeting about halfway around a
typically circular chromosome.
c. Replication begins at multiple sites, spreading outward until the entire typically circular chromosome is
replicated.
d. Replication begins at multiple sites, spreading outward until the entire typically linear chromosome is
replicated.

10. Which of the following is not a function of DNA Polymerase III?

a. Polymerization.
b. Ligating the final products.
c. Proofreading.
d. Clamping on to the template.
e. None of these are functions of DNA Polymerase III

11. The universal features of DNA replication include all the following, except:
a. Release of PPi from a nucleoside triphosphate.
b. Synthesis from the 5' end to the 3' end.
c. Base pairing of A to T and G to C.
d. Use of a primer.
e. All of these describe DNA synthesis.

12. In E. coli,
a. the leading strand is synthesized in one piece while the lagging strand is synthesized discontinuously.
b. the leading strand is synthesized discontinuously while the lagging strand is synthesized in one piece.
c. both the leading and lagging strands are synthesized in one piece.
d. both the leading and lagging strands are synthesized discontinuously.

13. Which of the following activities does E. coli DNA polymerase III lack?
a. 5' → 3' polymerase
b. 5' → 3' exonuclease
c. 3' → 5' exonuclease
d. E. coli DNA polymerase III has ALL of the above activities.

14. The energetic driving force for nucleic acid synthesis is

a. removal of pyrophosphate from the incoming nucleotide.
b. removal of pyrophosphate from the growing strand.
c. removal of inorganic phosphate from the incoming nucleotide.
d. removal of inorganic phosphate from the growing strand.

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Chapter 10 - Biosynthesis of Nucleic Acids: Replication
Exhibit 10A
Consider the following diagrams showing a replication fork moving from left to right. The thick lines represent the
template/parental strands. The 5' and 3' represent the ends of those template/parental strands.

15. Refer to Exhibit 10A. Which Okazaki fragment was synthesized earliest?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D

16. DNA polymerase III from E. coli

a. is a large, multisubunit protein
b. has a sliding clamp portion that anchors it to DNA
c. has a polymerization site separate from the DNA binding site
d. all of these

17. The mechanism for all template-directed synthesis of any type of nucleic acid involves the following:
a. Nucleophilic attack of a 3' hydroxyl toward a nucleoside triphosphate, releasing PPi.
b. Nucleophilic attack of a 5' hydroxyl toward a nucleoside triphosphate, releasing PPi.
c. Nucleophilic attack of a 3' hydroxyl toward a nucleoside triphosphate, releasing Pi.
d. Nucleophilic attack of a 5' hydroxyl toward a nucleoside triphosphate, releasing Pi.
e. More than one of these would work, since the mechanism is not universal.

18. At the replisome of prokaryotic replication

a. there are only two DNA Polymerase III molecules
b. There are multiple copies of DNA Polymerase I
c. Two molecules of Polymerase III are dedicated to lagging strand synthesis while one is dedicated to
leading strand synthesis
d. none of these

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Chapter 10 - Biosynthesis of Nucleic Acids: Replication

19. In the synthesis of DNA in Escherichia coli

a. a single-strand nick in the template DNA gives rise to a swivel point just in advance of the replication
fork
b. Mn2+ is required
c. all enzymes involved are single polypeptide chains
d. neither the template DNA nor the daughter DNA molecules exhibit supercoiling

20. In Escherichia coli, the enzyme principally responsible for the synthesis of new DNA strands is
a. DNA polymerase I
b. DNA polymerase III
c. DNA ligase
d. primase

21. Which of the following characteristics is not associated with E. coli primase?
a. it synthesizes the RNA primer in DNA replication
b. it synthesizes a primer with a free 3'−OH end
c. it is essential for DNA replication
d. it is essential for RNA replication

22. Which of these proteins is used less for leading strand replication than for lagging strand replication?
a. DNA polymerase
b. DNA-binding protein
c. DNA ligase
d. DNA gyrase

23. Which of the activities of DNA Polymerase I is most important in its role of proofreading?
a. Polymerase activity.
b. Ability to nick intact double stranded DNA.
c. 5' → 3' exonuclease.
d. 3' → 5' exonuclease.
e. None of these is used for proofreading.

24. The enzyme that attaches the Okazaki fragments together is called
a. ligase.
b. primase.
c. DNA polymerase I
d. DNA polymerase III

25. Single strand binding proteins are important for this activity:
a. Prevent single-stranded DNA from rewinding.
b. Protect single-stranded DNA from enzymatic degradation.
c. Prevent double helical DNA from unwinding.
d. Prevent double helical DNA from becoming a triple helix.
e. Prevent single-stranded DNA from rewinding and protect it from degradation.

26. Which of the following repair mechanisms would most likely be used to repair a G in DNA damaged by
oxidation?
a. Base Excision:
b. Nucleotide Excision
c. Pol III Proofreading
d. Mismatch Repair

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Chapter 10 - Biosynthesis of Nucleic Acids: Replication
27. Ultra-violet light principally causes which of the following damages to DNA?
a. mismatches between stands
b. breaks in the phosphodiester backbone of the DNA strand
c. thymine dimerization
d. methylation of specific bases

28. Which of the following enzymes is used to create AP sites?

a. primase
b. helicase
c. ligase
d. glycosylase

29. One of the most important ways in which DNA is modified after synthesis is
a. methylation of bases
b. covalent binding of proteins to the sugar moieties
c. splicing of RNA "leaders"
d. electrostatic binding of negatively charged counterions

30. Repair of DNA is usually carried out by

a. hydrolysis of the entire damaged DNA molecule and synthesis of new DNA
b. hydrolysis of one strand of the damaged DNA molecule and synthesis of a new strand
c. a cut-and patch process
d. introducing additional supercoiling in the molecule

31. How do the Okazaki fragments of eukaryotes and prokaryotes compare?

a. The Okazaki fragments are much longer in eukaryotes than in prokaryotes.
b. The Okazaki fragments are much shorter in eukaryotes than in prokaryotes.
c. The Okazaki fragments of eukaryotes are on the leading strand, rather than the lagging strand.
d. There is little to no difference between the Okazaki fragments of eukaryotes and prokaryotes.

32. One of the most important ways in which eukaryotic DNA differs from that of prokaryotes is
a. prokaryotic DNA is complexed to proteins whereas eukaryotic DNA is not
b. eukaryotic DNA is complexed to proteins whereas prokaryotic DNA is not
c. DNA synthesis in eukaryotes takes place in the opposite direction from that in prokaryotes
d. there is no requirement for a primer in the synthesis of eukaryotic DNA

33. Eukaryotes need more types of DNA polymerases than bacteria because
a. the DNA-containing organelles have their own DNA polymerases.
b. they have linear DNA , which is harder to replicate than circular DNA.
c. because they have more kinds of bases in their DNA than the four used by prokaryotes.
d. That's not true; eukaryotes do not have more types of DNA polymerases.

34. The DNA polymerases in eukaryotes have similar functions to those found in bacteria, but they are not identical.
a. True
b. False

35. Telomerase activity may decline with old age and this could explain why cells lose their ability to divide after
many replications.
a. True
b. False

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Chapter 10 - Biosynthesis of Nucleic Acids: Replication
36. _____ is the enzyme that directs the synthesis of DNA on an RNA template.
a. Reverse transcriptase
b. Phosphokinase
c. Hydrolase
d. Acyl transferase

37. The last nucleotide added to a growing DNA chain has a _____ on the sugar.
a. 5'-hydroxyl
b. 5'-triphosphate
c. 3'-hydroxyl
d. 3'-triphosphate

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