Dissection is a surgical procedure in which instruments are used to cut and separate tissues for study.

Eviseration is the removal of the organs or the contents of a cavity. Exsanguination describes massive bleeding. Dissociation is the separation of a complex compound into simpler molecules. Dissemination involves spreading something over a considerable area.

High transformation yield corresponds with the highest transformation efficiency. The condition that had a pre-incubation of 60 minutes, a heat shock duration of 60 seconds, and a heat shock temperature of 42°C had the highest transformation efficiency of 5.5 x 10⁷ cfu/μg.

Differences in pre-incubation duration and heat shock duration do not have a large effect on transformation efficiency. However, at a heat shock temperature of 42°C degrees, regardless of the pre-incubation and heat shock durations, the transformation efficiency is at least 10⁵ fold bigger. Thus, heat shock temperature is the most potent variable tested.

For a successful transformation, the heat shock temperature must be higher than the temperature at which the bacteria grows (37°C). This is also the temperature at which the bacteria recover. The heat shock creates pores in the plasma membrane of the cell, allowing the plasmid DNA to enter. If the temperature is not high enough, pores will not form in the membrane and the bacteria will not be transformed; therefore, the transformation efficiency will be zero.  

If the ampicillin expired, there is no selection for only transformed bacteria to grow. As a result, both transformed and non-transformed bacteria would grow. If the ampicillin were indeed expired, we would expect many more colonies to grow. Conditions 4, 5, and 6 have the highest transformation efficiency (most colonies) and would have most likely been the conditions plated on expired ampicillin.

The correct answer is varying amounts of DNA. Increasing the amount of plasmid DNA can increase transformation efficiency; however, if too much plasmid DNA is introduced into the transformation, a lawn of bacteria will result.

Electro-competent bacteria are transformed by an entirely different mechanism than described here. The type of incubator used for the heat shock will most likely not produce a noticeable difference. When troubleshooting a transformation, the amount of ampicillin is rarely considered; the amount of ampicillin used to select for transformed bacteria is generally always the same.

If the cell cannot progress past metaphase, the cell is most likely having trouble separating the sister chromatids. This process is mediated by attaching the kinetochore microtubules to the kinetochore on the sister chromatids. Our most likely explanation for a problem proceeding past metaphase is that the mutation is affecting the formation of microtubules. The progression from metaphase to anaphase is regulated by the metaphase checkpoint in the cell cycle, which is used to ensure proper attachment of spindle fibers to the centromeres. Problems with spindle fiber formation and binding would cause the cell to be arrested in metaphase.

Actin and myosin are not directly involved in this portion of mitosis, but are very important during cytokinesis. Chromosome condensation has already occurred (during prophase), so our mutation cannot be affecting those proteins.

Cellular division usually takes place in four steps before undergoing cytokinesis. In prophase, the chromosomes condense and become visible, and the spindle apparatus begins to form. In metaphase, the chromosomes line up on the equator of the cell. In anaphase, the chromatids are pulled apart and separated to opposite sides of the cell. Finally, telophase involves the nuclear membrane reforming around the chromosomes, which begin to decondense.

Once the cell has split and transported its sister chromatids to opposite ends of the cell, the nuclear envelopes can begin to regenerate around the genetic material at each pole. This event occurs during the end of mitosis, commonly known as telophase.

Combrestatin interferes with the formation of microtubules, which make up the cytoskeletal architecture of a cell; therefore, the correct answer choice is involved with some microtubule-based process. DNA and protein synthesis do not involve microtubules, and would not be affected by the lack thereof. Muscle contraction depends on myosin, actin, troponin, etc., and not on microtubules. Membrane depolarization involves sodium/potassium channels, neurotransmitters, etc., and is not directly affected by microtubule inhibition.

The only answer that remains is mitosis, which involves microtubules in chromosomal segregation. The mitotic spindle in this separation is primarily composed of microtubules. The polymerization and depolymerization of microtubules is crucial for mitotic division. Combrestatin therefore prevents proper mitosis.