SAMPLE EXAM QUESTIONS - PART 2

This is a selection of questions which have appeared on Dr. Schmeidler's Genetics exams in years past. It is not meant to be exhaustive, nor is there any guarantee that these questions will appear on future exams. Please note that the value of these questions would vary considerably, depending on the time required to answer, complexity, and importance (in the greater scheme of things) of each. There may be any number of questions along these lines.

Some multiple choice questions are included here. The rationale is that they are good ways to drill specific pieces of information quickly and directly.

It is assumed that students will use the problems and questions at chapter ends for practice and as study aids. Therefore examples of problems to solve have not been included in large number. Problems should be done in whatever quantity necessary to ensure quick, complete, and accurate solutions. Probably the best exercise is to devise your own questions - if you can generate a question that takes all the components into account, you can probably solve one!

1. The following DNA sequence is a fragment of a much longer piece:

5'-G-A-A-T-A-G-A-T-G-G-T-A-C-A-G-T-A-G-A-A-C-T-C-G-C-A-A-G-C-C-C-3'strand 1

3'-C-T-T-A-T-C-T-A-C-C-A-T-G-T-C-A-T-C-T-T-G-A-G-C-G-T-T-C-G-G-G-5'strand 2

a. If this DNA codes for a polypeptide, which is the template strand (#)?

b. Write the mRNA sequence that would be transcribed.

c. Write the polypeptide that would be translated.

d. If the C-G indicated above were mutated to a A-T, what polypeptide would be translated?

e. If, INSTEAD, a T-A were inserted at the indicated above, what polypeptide would be translated?

2. The following DNA sequence is a fragment of a much longer piece:

5'-G-T-A-A-T-G-T-A-C-C-A-G-G-T-G-T-A-G-T-T-G-A-G-C-G-T-A-C-G-G-G-T-3'strand 1

3'-C-A-T-T-A-C-A-T-G-G-T-C-C-A-C-A-T-C-A-A-C-T-C-G-C-A-T-G-C-C-C-A-5'strand 2

a. If this DNA codes for a polypeptide, which is the template strand (#)?

b. Write the mRNA sequence that would be transcribed.

c. Write the polypeptide that would be translated.

d. If the C-G indicated above were mutated to a A-T, what polypeptide would be translated?

e. If, INSTEAD, a T-A were inserted at the indicated above, what polypeptide would be translated?

f. If, INSTEAD, the T-A indicated above were deleted, what polypeptide would be translated?

3. The following DNA sequence is a fragment of a much longer piece:

*

5'--G-T-G-A-T-G-A-C-C-A-G-G-T-G-T-A-T-T-C-G-C-G-C-C-T-A-G-G-T-G-A--3' strand I

3'--C-A-C-T-A-C-T-G-G-T-C-C-A-C-A-T-A-A-G-C-G-C-G-G-A-T-G-C-C-C-A--5' strand II

a. If this DNA codes for a polypeptide, which is the template strand?

b. Write the mRNA sequence that would be transcribed.

c. Write the polypeptide that would be translated.

d. If the T-A indicated above were mutated to a C-G, what polypeptide would be translated?

e. If, INSTEAD, a C were inserted at the * indicated above, what polypeptide would be translated?

f. If, INSTEAD, the G-C indicated above were deleted, what polypeptide would be translated?

g. (d) and (e) are examples of what sort of mutation?

h. Give an example of another sort of mutation which could be demonstrated here.

now.... make up your own!