High School Biology : DNA

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for High School Biology

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Example Questions

Example Question #2 : Understanding The Dna Backbone

What is the main difference between the backbone of an RNA molecule and the backbone of a DNA molecule?

Possible Answers:

The RNA backbone has uracil instead of thymine

The RNA backbone contains a pentose sugar, whereas the DNA backbone contains a hexose sugar

The sugar in the RNA backbone has an extra hydroxyl group

The RNA backbone contains no phosphate groups

Correct answer:

The sugar in the RNA backbone has an extra hydroxyl group

Explanation:

RNA and DNA are both types of nucleic acids; therefore, both molecules are made from nucleotide monomers. Recall that a nucleotide contains a phosphate group, a pentose sugar, and a nitrogenous base. The biggest difference between an RNA nucleotide and a DNA nucleotide is the type of pentose sugar. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, contains deoxyribose sugar whereas RNA, or ribonucleic acid, contains ribose sugar. A ribose sugar contains a hydroxyl group on its 2’ carbon whereas the deoxyribose sugar contains a hydrogen; therefore, the RNA pentose sugar has an extra hydroxyl group.

RNA molecules do contain the nitrogenous base uracil in place of thymine; however, bases are not part of the RNA or DNA backbone structure. The backbone only consists of the phosphate groups and the pentose sugars.

Example Question #1 : Understanding The Dna Backbone

Based on the structure of DNA, what is the charge of DNA?

Possible Answers:

Depends on the surrounding conditions

Negative 

Nonpolar

Neutral 

Positive

Correct answer:

Negative 

Explanation:

Given the backbone of DNA, with the phosphate group attached to the deoxyribose via a phosphodiester bond, DNA is negatively charged. For this reason, histones - the proteins around which DNA molecules are wrapped in eukaryotes - have lots of positively charged amino acids on their DNA-binding sites. This produces a strong attractive force between DNA and histones.

Example Question #1 : Understanding The Dna Backbone

Which of these can be found in the DNA backbone:

I. Phosphate group
II. Ribose
III. Deoxyribose
IV. Phosphodiester bond 

Possible Answers:

II, IV, and IV 

I, II, and III

I, III, and IV

I, II, and IV

I, III, IV, and V

Correct answer:

I, III, and IV

Explanation:

The backbone of DNA consists of a phosphate group and a deoxyribose. These two components are therefore connected by a phosphodiester bond. The nucleotides are not included in the backbone. Instead, they make up the "rungs" of the double helical structure of DNA, which are hydrogen bonded to the bases of the complementary antiparallel strand. 

Example Question #2 : Dna Structure

Which of the following statements are incorrect?

Possible Answers:

In DNA, adenine pairs with thymine, and cytosine pairs with guanine.

The bond between the phosphate and 5-C deoxyribose sugar in DNA is called a phosphodiester bond

DNA is double stranded, while RNA is single stranded.

A phosphate group, 5-C sugar, and a nitrogenous base make up a nucleotide.

The two strands of DNA are connected by phosphodiester bonds

Correct answer:

The two strands of DNA are connected by phosphodiester bonds

Explanation:

The two strands of DNA are actually connected by hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) between the nitrogenous bases. There are 2 hydrogen bonds between adenine and thymine, and 3 hydrogen bonds between cytosine and guanine. All other statements are true.

Example Question #1 : Understanding The Dna Backbone

DNA’s backbone consists of which of the following?

Possible Answers:

Phosphate only

Purine-pyrimidine H-bonds

Phosphate-sugar 

Double helix

Correct answer:

Phosphate-sugar 

Explanation:

DNA is the hereditary material found in virtually all organisms; however, some viruses use RNA. DNA consists of several components. It has a phosphate-sugar (deoxyribose) backbone and is composed of two strands made from purine-pyrimidine hydrogen bonds in a double helix confirmation. The purines associated with DNA include adenine and guanine and the pyrimidines include cytosine and thymine. Adenine bonds with thymine and cytosine bonds with guanine. 

Example Question #3 : Understanding The Dna Backbone

Which of the following is not correct regarding eukaryotic DNA?

Possible Answers:

DNA is found in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and ribosomes.

DNA runs antiparallel in a 5' to 3' direction. 

Deoxyribose is the sugar that composes DNA. 

DNA's bases include adenine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine. 

DNA is self-replicating. 

Correct answer:

DNA is found in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and ribosomes.

Explanation:

All of the responses are correct except that eukaryotic DNA is found in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and ribosomes. In eukaryotes, DNA is only found in the nucleus, mitochondria, and only sometimes free floating in the cytoplasm. DNA is not found in ribosomes. RNA on the other hand, is found in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and ribosomes. Note that since prokaryotes lack membrane-bound organelles, their DNA is free-floating in the cytoplasm.

Example Question #1 : Understanding The Double Helix

Who is credited for the discovery of the DNA double helix?

Possible Answers:

Albert Einstein

James Watson and Francis Crick

Isaac Newton

Rosalind Franklin

Rosalind Franklin and Albert Einstein

Correct answer:

James Watson and Francis Crick

Explanation:

Watson and Crick are credited with discovering the DNA double helix and built a model that explains the shape of DNA. Rosalind Franklin was the crystallographer who found the structure of DNA, but it was Watson and Crick who looked at this scan and realized the shape of DNA. Since Watson and Crick's shunning of Franklin from the discovery, the topic has become a point of controversy. Franklin had died by the time Watson and Crick were awarded the Nobel Prize for their work.

It is important to know that Watson and Crick are credited for the discovery of DNA structure, but selecting Franklin for the question is acceptable.

Example Question #2 : Understanding The Double Helix

Which of the following is a characteristic of DNA?

Possible Answers:

Each DNA nucleotide has a nitrogen group surrounded by oxygen atoms

Each DNA helix consists of two long chains of nucleotides

The ribose sugar is identical in all DNA nucleotides

Uracil pairs with adenine in DNA

Correct answer:

Each DNA helix consists of two long chains of nucleotides

Explanation:

DNA is an organic compound that is made up of repeating subunits call nucleotides. Each DNA nucleotide is composed of three parts: a deoxyribose sugar molecule, a phosphate group, and a nitrogen-containing base. Phosphate groups are formed by a phosphorus atom bonded to four oxygen atoms. The deoxyribose sugar and the phosphate group are identical in all DNA nucleotides and form the backbone of the DNA. There are four possible nitrogenous bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine. In double-stranded DNA, adenine pairs with thymine and guanine with cytosine via hydrogen bonding to create the DNA helix.

During transcription, uracil is added to RNA to complement adenine. DNA does not contain ribose sugar or uracil, but RNA does.

Example Question #11 : Dna Structure

Which of the following scientists is credited with discovering the double-helix structure of DNA? 

I. James Watson

II. Francis Crick

III. Linus Pauling

Possible Answers:

I only

I and III

I, II, and III

I and II

Correct answer:

I and II

Explanation:

The double-helix structure of DNA was discovered by James Watson and Francis Crick, as well as Rosalind Franklin. They published an article titled "Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid" that described the three-dimensional structure of DNA.

Linus Pauling was the first scientist to propose a helical structure for DNA; however, he proposed that DNA was a triple helix. His work regarding DNA structure heavily influenced Watson and Crick who won the Nobel Prize for their model of DNA.

Example Question #12 : Dna Structure

Which of the following is false regarding the DNA double-helix?

Possible Answers:

A double-helix occurs in both double-stranded DNA and double-stranded RNA molecules

Base pairing in the double-helix can be broken down by adding heat

The backbone of the double-helix is held together by covalent bonds

The major groove is the region of the double-helix where the two DNA backbones are closest to each other

Correct answer:

The major groove is the region of the double-helix where the two DNA backbones are closest to each other

Explanation:

The double-helix is the three dimensional structure of a DNA molecule. This structure arises due to the interaction (hydrogen bonding of base pairs) between the two strands of a DNA molecule. A double-helix can occur in any double-stranded molecule; therefore, a double-stranded RNA molecule can also form a double-helix if there is proper base pairing between the strands.

The base pairing in the double-helix involves hydrogen bonds, a type of noncovalent bond or intermolecular force. Since it is a noncovalent bond, hydrogen bonds between bases can be broken down by adding energy in the form of heat. Recall that the DNA backbone contains a series of pentose sugars that have a phosphate group attached to their 5' carbon. These pentose sugars in the DNA backbone are held together by covalent bonds called phosphodiester bonds; therefore, the DNA backbone is held together by covalent bonds.

One of the characteristics of double-helix is the presence of the major groove and the minor groove. The major groove is the region of the double-helix where the distance between the two DNA strands is largest. The minor groove, on the other hand, is the region of double-helix where the distance between the two strands is smallest.

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