AP Biology : AP Biology

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Biology

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Example Questions

Example Question #21 : Understanding Nucleotides And Base Pairs

What would be the nucleotide sequence of the mRNA strand from the DNA strand below?

3'-ATCCCAGGTACC-5'

Possible Answers:

5'-TAGGGTCCATGG-3'

5'-UAGGGUCCAUGG-3'

3'-ATCCCAGGTACC-5'

3'-UAGGGUCCAUGG-5'

3'-TAGGGTCCATGG-5'

Correct answer:

5'-UAGGGUCCAUGG-3'

Explanation:

In order to solve this problem, it is imperative that you remember that RNA replaces thymine with uracil. This automatically eliminates three of the answer choices. Next, the RNA strand must have nucleotides that pair up with the DNA nucleotides (adenine pairs with thymine and cytosine pairs with guanine). For example, if DNA has a nucleotide of G, the RNA would have a nucleotide of C. Finally, since the strands must be antiparallel to one another, the mRNA must start with a 5' and end with a 3'. Thus, our answer is 5'-UAGGGUCCAUGG-3'. 

Below is a side by side comparison:

3'-ATCCCAGGTACC-5'  (DNA)

5'-UAGGGUCCAUGG-3 (mRNA)

Example Question #22 : Understanding Nucleotides And Base Pairs

What are four possible chromosome structure abnormalities?

Possible Answers:

Deletion, independent assortment, inversion, duplication

Polyploidy, deletion, inversion, translocation

Nondisjunction, deletion, duplication, inversion

Deletion, duplication, inversion, translocation

Synapsis, duplication, inversion, translocation

Correct answer:

Deletion, duplication, inversion, translocation

Explanation:

Chromosomal related mutations include deletion, duplication, inversion, or translocation. Nondisjunction is a faulty separation event of homologous chromosomes but does not necessarily involve improper chromosome structures. Independent assortment is a mendelian inheritance principle which states chromosomes are divided randomly into two daughter cells. Synapsis is a normal pairing up event of homologous chromosomes in prophase I. Polyploidy is a condition of having more than two sets of chromosomes and is typically a characteristic of a species, not an abnormality.

Example Question #23 : Understanding Nucleotides And Base Pairs

During DNA synthesis, DNA polymerase mistakenly substitutes a purine (adenine or guanine) for a pyrimidine (cytosine or thymine). This is known as what type of mutation?

Possible Answers:

Inversion

Silent mutation

Transition

Transversion

Replacement substitution

Correct answer:

Transversion

Explanation:

The substitution of a purine for a pyrimidine, or vice versa, is called a transversion. The substitution of one purine for another or one pyrimidine for another is called a transition. Either of these can be referred to as a point mutation, but transversion is the most specific answer to this question.

Example Question #24 : Understanding Nucleotides And Base Pairs

Which of the following is not a component of nucleic acids?

Possible Answers:

Adenine

Sugar

Phosphate group

Guanine

Tyrosine

Correct answer:

Tyrosine

Explanation:

Nucleic acids are made up of nitrogenous bases and a sugar-phosphate backbone. The sugar will vary depending on if it is an RNA or DNA molecule that's being discussed. RNA has ribose while DNA has deoxyribose. The nitrogenous bases are guanine, adenine, thymine, cytosine and uracil. Tyrosine is an amino acid, therefore not involved in the composition of nucleic acids.

Example Question #25 : Understanding Nucleotides And Base Pairs

What are the three major components that make up a nucleotide in DNA?

Possible Answers:

Phosphate, ribose, and nitrogenous base

Protein unit, deoxyribose, and nitrogenous base

Glucose, ribose, and nitrogenous base

Phosphate, deoxyribose, and nitrogenous base

Correct answer:

Phosphate, deoxyribose, and nitrogenous base

Explanation:

The three major components of a nucleotide in DNA are phosphate, deoxyribose, and one of the four nitrogenous bases. The phosphate and deoxyribose alternate along the backbone, and the nitrogenous base codes for the type of protein made in transcription and translation.

Example Question #21 : Understanding Nucleotides And Base Pairs

What is the nitrogenous base that adenine bonds to in the DNA strand?

Possible Answers:

Thymine

Uracil

Cytosine

Guanine

Correct answer:

Thymine

Explanation:

In the DNA strand, adenine bonds to thymine. It does not bond to the other bases in DNA. In RNA, adenine bonds to uracil.

Example Question #21 : Understanding Nucleotides And Base Pairs

In the DNA strand, with which nitrogenous base does guanine pair?

Possible Answers:

Cytosine

Uracil

Adenine

Thymine

Correct answer:

Cytosine

Explanation:

In the DNA strand, guanine bonds to cytosine. It does not bond to the other nitrogenous bases. Guanine and cytosine form three hydrogen bonds to keep complementary strands of DNA together.

Example Question #51 : Dna And Rna Structure

What is one of the primary differences between the purines and pyrimidines of DNA?

Possible Answers:

Purines consist of a single ring, whereas pyrimidines consist of two rings

The purines bond to the phosphates on the DNA backbone, whereas the pyrimidines bond to sugar

Purines have a lipid chain, whereas pyrimidines do not

Purines consist of two rings, whereas pyrimidines consist of one ring

Correct answer:

Purines consist of two rings, whereas pyrimidines consist of one ring

Explanation:

One of the primary differences between purines and pyrimidines is that purines consist of two rings, whereas the pyrimidines consist of one ring. One way to help remember the differences between purines and pyrimidines is that pyrimidines are like pyramids: sharp. Sharp things CUT (Cytosine Uracil Thymine). Note that uracil is only present in RNA, while thymine is only present in DNA. All nitrogenous bases bond to the sugar in the DNA backbone. The sugar is also connected to a phosphate group via a phosphodiester bond.

Example Question #52 : Dna And Rna Structure

Which of the following nitrogenous bases are purines?

Possible Answers:

Thymine and uracil

Thymine and guanine

Cytosine and adenine

Guanine and adenine

Adenine and thymine

Correct answer:

Guanine and adenine

Explanation:

Purines are adenine and guanine, while pyrimidines are cytosine, thymine, and uracil.

Example Question #1 : Transcription

Which of the following statements about post-transcriptional processing is true?

Possible Answers:

A poly-A tail is added to the 5' end of the mature mRNA

Exons are spliced out of hnRNA and are not part of the mature mRNA

Post-transcriptional hnRNA processing prevents RNA from degrading as it leaves the nucleus

A methylguanine cap is added to the 3' end of the mature mRNA

Correct answer:

Post-transcriptional hnRNA processing prevents RNA from degrading as it leaves the nucleus

Explanation:

The hnRNA (heterogeneous nuclear RNA) produced from transcription must be processed by several enzymes to create an mRNA (messenger RNA) product that can pass from the nucleus to the cytoplasm without degrading. This involves cutting out introns, which remain in the nucleus, and splicing exons together. Furthermore, a methylguanine cap is added to the 5' end and a poly-A tail is added to the 3' end. 

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