Biochemistry : Nucleic Acid Structures

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Biochemistry

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Nitrogenous Bases

Which of the following statements is true regarding the condition known as gout?

Possible Answers:

Gout is caused by excessive production of uric acid.

Gout is caused by a deficiency in the enzyme xanthine oxidase.

Fluorouracil is an effective treatment for gout.

Gout is caused by the excessive breakdown of pyrimidine bases.

Correct answer:

Gout is caused by excessive production of uric acid.

Explanation:

When purines are broken down, they go through the intermediates hypoxanthine and xanthine, then are converted to uric acid. Xanthine oxidase is the enzyme that converts xanthine to uric acid. Treatments for gout are suicide inhibitors of xanthine oxidase, lowering the production of uric acid and building up the intermediates. This is preferable, because unlike uric acid, the intermediates are highly soluble.

Example Question #1 : Dna And Rna

Which molecule contains an anticodon region?

Possible Answers:

htRNA

tRNA

mRNA

rRNA

DNA

Correct answer:

tRNA

Explanation:

tRNA carries the anticodon. tRNA is a transfer ribonucleic acid; it is a type of RNA molecule that decodes the mRNA sequence to form a protein. The anticodon is the part of the tRNA structure that complements the mRNA codon, dictating the identity of the amino acid carried by the tRNA and required to build the proper polypeptide chain.

Example Question #2 : Dna And Rna

Which of the following statements about RNA is false?

Possible Answers:

RNA forms intramolecular double helices

None of the other answers is false

mRNA has a half-life shorter than the cell division cycle

Hairpin turn structures are composed of two RNA molecules in a parallel configuration

A hydroxyl group on the 2’ of riboses makes RNA phosphodiester bonds fragile

Correct answer:

Hairpin turn structures are composed of two RNA molecules in a parallel configuration

Explanation:

The presence of an  group on the 2’ carbon if ribose does indeed make any phosphodiester bonds at this site subject to hydrolysis. RNA can sometimes form double-helices, such as in tRNA. mRNA is constantly being degraded in the cytoplasm, and so it has a very short half-life relative to the life of the cell. RNA’s hairpin turn structures are composed of only one molecule which has doubled back on itself, rather than two separate molecules.

Example Question #2 : Dna And Rna

Which of the following statements about B DNA are incorrect?

Possible Answers:

B DNA has a wide and deep major groove and a narrow and shallow minor groove

All of these are correct

B DNA has a diameter of 

B DNA is right handed with 10 base pairs per turn

B DNA is the most commonly found double helical structure

Correct answer:

B DNA has a wide and deep major groove and a narrow and shallow minor groove

Explanation:

B DNA has a wide and deep major groove and a narrow and deep minor groove. All other statements regarding B DNA are true.

Example Question #2 : Dna And Rna

1. chromosome

2. solenoid

3. nucleosome

4. radial loop

5. base pair

6. nucleotide

Place the above structures in order from smallest to largest.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The correct order is base pair, nucleotide, nucleosome ("bead on a string"), solenoid, radial loop, chromosome. A solenoid is created by the packing of DNA with multiple nucleosomes, and a radial loop is compacted even further in chromatin.

Example Question #3 : Dna And Rna

Two strands of DNA were isolated from a solution, named DNA-1 and DNA-2. DNA-2 was found to have a higher melting point (temperature at which the two strands break apart). What can we conclude about the two strands' nucleotide composition? 

Possible Answers:

DNA-1 has a higher adenine and thymine concentration

DNA-1 has a higher guanine and cytosine concentration

DNA-2 has a higher guanine and cytosine concentration

DNA-2 has a higher adenine and thymine concentration

Correct answer:

DNA-2 has a higher guanine and cytosine concentration

Explanation:

Recall that guanine and cytosine form three hydrogen bonds to one another in DNA, while adenine and thymine only form two hydrogen bonds to one another. This means that DNA strands with higher concentrations of guanine and cytosine will be more stable, and thus require greater energy to break apart. In this case, since DNA-2 required more energy (higher temperature) to denature, it has a higher concentration of guanine and cytosine. 

Example Question #4 : Dna And Rna

Transcription is initiated when RNA polymerase binds to the DNA at the __________. (In humans, this is known as the TATA box). 

Possible Answers:

operator

promoter region

poly-A tail

initiator

start codon

Correct answer:

promoter region

Explanation:

The promoter region is a short segment of DNA that is recognized and bound to by RNA polymerase prior to transcription. The promoter region is usually upstream of the operator and will not be transcribed into mRNA. 

Example Question #5 : Dna And Rna

Which of the following statements concerning DNA packing is incorrect?

Possible Answers:

Joining two units of H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 all together forms a histone octamer

Nucleosomes appear as "beads on a string" when viewed under a microscope

More than one of these are incorrect

A nucleosome is a histone with DNA coiled around it, allowing for extremely efficient DNA packing

Histones are rich in the amino acids Asp and Glu, giving them a net negative charge

Correct answer:

Histones are rich in the amino acids Asp and Glu, giving them a net negative charge

Explanation:

Histones are rich in the amino acids Asp Lys and Glu Arg, giving an overall net negative positive charge. (Because DNA is negatively charged, this allows for tighter binding between the histones and coiled DNA).

Example Question #1 : Dna And Rna

Which of the following is a difference between DNA and RNA?

Possible Answers:

DNA has a  as opposed to a  on carbon two

DNA is only found in prokaryotes and RNA is found in eukaryotes

The sugar of DNA is glucose and the sugar of RNA is fructose

RNA contains sulfur and DNA contains phosphate

Correct answer:

DNA has a  as opposed to a  on carbon two

Explanation:

DNA's sugar is deoxyribose, which involves the lack of a hydroxyl group on the second cabon. RNA's sugar is ribose. DNA and RNA is found in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes and both contain phosphate and neither contain sulfur.

Example Question #2 : Dna And Rna

What enzyme involved DNA replication has a 3'-5' proofreading exonuclease activity to help ensure fidelity in replication of DNA?

Possible Answers:

DNA ligase

Helicase

DNA polymerase I

DNA polymerase III

Primase

Correct answer:

DNA polymerase III

Explanation:

DNA polymerase III is the only DNA replication enzyme with proofreading (3'-5' exonuclease) capabilities. Ligase links Okazaki fragments. Helicase unwinds the two DNA strands. DNA polymerase I contains 5'-3' exonuclease activity, but this is involved in primer removal, not proofreading. Primase is a type of RNA polymerase.

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