Biology Study Guide
These questions were assembled from a variety of sources over the past 3 years. While it is not possible to thank everyone I would like to acknowledge the TAs and the study leaders for residence students.
Some questions are simple but all are meant to help your organize your studying NOT to provide answers. Study in a group to test each other.
For T,F or multiple choice questions or short answer questions: once you have answered, provide a short explanation of your reasoning.
ANSWERS CAN BE FOUND IN THE LECTURES. NO ANSWERS WILL BE POSTED.
Unit 1-1: DNA and RNA Structures
What are the main differences between DNA and RNA?
The fact that some viruses use DNA to direct their heredity was demonstrated by:
a. Finding radioactive sulfur from a bacteriophage in a bacterium
b. Finding radioactive phosphorus from a bacterium in a bacteriophage
c. Finding that radioactive phosphorus from a bacteriophage had mutated in bacterium
d. Finding radioactive phosphorus from a bacteriophage in a bacterium
e. Finding radioactive sulfur from a bacterium in a bacteriophage
The identification of the transforming principle proved that:
a. Dead bacteria are as lethal as live ones
b. Streptococcus pneumonia evolved from Pneumococcus
c. Genetic information is contained in DNA
d. There is no protein in chromosomes
e. Genetic information was transmitted by a polysaccharide
True/False questions:
1. A DNA molecule has the same amount of adenine and thymine.
2. The process of acquiring a gene from another organism is called transformation.
3. The Hershey-Chase experiment showed that the virus protein is responsible for directing the production of new viruses.
4. The two sides of the double helix structure of DNA are held together by hydrogen bonds.
5. DNA replication is called semiconservative because half of each of the two new strands of DNA is “old” DNA from the original DNA molecule and half is the “new” DNA.
Unit 1-2: Chromatin the Dynamic
Some questions are simple but all are meant to help your organize your studying NOT to provide answers. Study in a group to test each other.
For T,F or multiple choice questions or short answer questions: once you have answered, provide a short explanation of your reasoning.
ANSWERS CAN BE FOUND IN THE LECTURES. NO ANSWERS WILL BE POSTED.
Unit 1-1: DNA and RNA Structures
What are the main differences between DNA and RNA?
The fact that some viruses use DNA to direct their heredity was demonstrated by:
a. Finding radioactive sulfur from a bacteriophage in a bacterium
b. Finding radioactive phosphorus from a bacterium in a bacteriophage
c. Finding that radioactive phosphorus from a bacteriophage had mutated in bacterium
d. Finding radioactive phosphorus from a bacteriophage in a bacterium
e. Finding radioactive sulfur from a bacterium in a bacteriophage
The identification of the transforming principle proved that:
a. Dead bacteria are as lethal as live ones
b. Streptococcus pneumonia evolved from Pneumococcus
c. Genetic information is contained in DNA
d. There is no protein in chromosomes
e. Genetic information was transmitted by a polysaccharide
True/False questions:
1. A DNA molecule has the same amount of adenine and thymine.
2. The process of acquiring a gene from another organism is called transformation.
3. The Hershey-Chase experiment showed that the virus protein is responsible for directing the production of new viruses.
4. The two sides of the double helix structure of DNA are held together by hydrogen bonds.
5. DNA replication is called semiconservative because half of each of the two new strands of DNA is “old” DNA from the original DNA molecule and half is the “new” DNA.
Unit 1-2: Chromatin the Dynamic