Chapter 11 Test Bank
11-1 Which of the following phenomena will be observed if a cell's membrane is pierced? (a) the membrane reseals (b) the membrane collapses (c) a tear is formed (d) the membrane expands
A
11-13 Which of the following phospholipid precursors is the most hydrophobic? (a) triacylglycerol (b) diacylglycerol (c) phosphate (d) glycerol
A
11-16 Water molecules readily form hydrogen bonds with other polar molecules, and when they encounter nonpolar molecules they must form hydrogen-bonding networks with neighboring water molecules. Which of the following molecules will cause a "cage" of water to form? (a) 2-methylpropane (b) acetone (c) methanol (d) urea
A
11-18 Membrane lipids are capable of many different types of movement. Which of these does not occur spontaneously in biological membranes? (a) switching between lipid layers (b) lateral movement (c) rotation (d) flexing of hydrocarbon chains
A
11-22 Most animal fats form a solid at room temperature, while plant fats remain liquid at room temperature. Which of the following is a feature of lipids in plant membranes that best explains this difference? (a) unsaturated hydrocarbons (b) longer hydrocarbon tails (c) higher levels of sterols (d) larger head groups
A
11-24 Membrane synthesis in the cell requires the regulation of growth for both halves of the bilayer and the selective retention of certain types of lipids on one side or the other. Which group of enzymes accomplishes both of these tasks? (a) flippases (b) phospholipases (c) convertases (d) glycosylases
A
11-28 A group of membrane proteins can be extracted from membranes only by using detergents. All the proteins in this group have a similar amino acid sequence at their C-terminus: -KKKKKXXC (where K stands for lysine, X stands for any amino acid, and C stands for cysteine). This sequence is essential for their attachment to the membrane. What is the most likely way in which the C-terminal sequence attaches these proteins to the membrane? (a) The cysteine residue is covalently attached to a membrane lipid. (b) The peptide spans the membrane as an α helix. (c) The peptide spans the membrane as part of a β sheet. (d) The positively charged lysine residues interact with an acidic integral membrane protein.
A
11-32 Porin proteins form large, barrel-like channels in the membrane. Which of the following is not true about these channels? (a) They are made primarily of α helices. (b) They are made primarily of β sheets. (c) They cannot form narrow channels. (d) They have alternating hydrophobic and hydrophilic amino acids.
A
11-4 Which type of lipids are the most abundant in the plasma membrane? (a) phospholipids (b) glycolipids (c) sterols (d) triacylglycerides
A
11-40 Plasma membranes are extremely thin and fragile, requiring an extensive support network of fibrous proteins. This network is called the ____________. (a) cortex. (b) attachment complex. (c) cytoskeleton. (d) spectrin.
A
11-44 The lateral movement of transmembrane proteins can be restricted by several different mechanisms. Which mechanism best describes the process by which a budding yeast cell designates the site of new bud formation during cell division? (a) proteins are tethered to the cell cortex (b) proteins are tethered to the extracellular matrix (c) proteins are tethered to the proteins on the surface of another cell (d) protein movement is limited by the presence of a diffusion barrier
A
11-50 Consider the apical location of a particular protein expressed in epithelial cells, illustrated in Figure Q11-50A. When a molecule that chelates calcium is added to the cell culture medium, you observe a redistribution of that protein around the entire cell, shown in Figure Q11-50B. Which is most likely to be true about the role of calcium in maintaining an apical distribution of protein A? (a) calcium is required to maintain the structural integrity of the junctional complex (b) calcium is required for the binding of the junctional proteins to the cell cortex (c) calcium is a structural component of protein A (d) calcium inhibits intracellular transport of protein A
A
11-55 The endothelial cells found closest to the site of an infection express proteins called lectins. Each lectin binds to a particular ____________ that is presented on the surface of a target cell. (a) oligosaccharide (b) aminophospholipid (c) polysaccharide (d) sphingolipid
A
11-56 You have isolated two mutants of a normally pear-shaped microorganism that have lost their distinctive shape and are now round. One of the mutants has a defect in a protein you call A and the other has a defect in a protein you call B. First, you grind up each type of mutant cell and normal cells separately and separate the plasma membranes from the cytoplasm, forming the first cell extract. Then you set aside a portion of each fraction for later testing. Next, you wash the remaining portion of the membrane fractions with a low concentration of urea (which will unfold proteins and disrupt their ability to interact with other proteins) and centrifuge the mixture. The membranes and their constituent proteins form a pellet, and the proteins liberated from the membranes by the urea wash remain in the supernatant. When you check each of the fractions for the presence of A or B, you obtain the results given below.Which of the following statements are consistent with your results (more than one answer may apply)? (a) Protein A is an integral membrane protein that interacts with B, a peripheral membrane protein that is part of the cell cortex. (b) Protein B is an integral membrane protein that interacts with A, a peripheral membrane protein that is part of the cell cortex. (c) Proteins A and B are both integral membrane proteins. (d) The mutation in A affects its ability to interact with B.
A&D
11-15 Where does most new membrane synthesis take place in a eukaryotic cell? (a) in the Golgi apparatus (b) in the endoplasmic reticulum (c) in the plasma membrane (d) in the mitochondria (e) on ribosomes
B
11-19 There are two properties of phospholipids that affect how tightly they pack together: the length of the hydrocarbon chain and the number of double bonds. The degree of packing, in turn, influences the relative mobility of these molecules in the membrane. Which of the following would yield the most highly mobile phospholipid (listed as number of carbons and number of double bonds, respectively)? (a) 24 carbons with 1 double bond (b) 15 carbons with 2 double bonds (c) 20 carbons with 2 double bonds (d) 16 carbons with no double bonds
B
11-2 The plasma membrane serves many functions, many of which depend on the presence of specialized membrane proteins. Which of the following roles of the plasma membrane could still occur if the bilayer were lacking these proteins? (a) intercellular communication (b) selective permeability (c) cellular movement (d) import/export of molecules
B
11-27 Membrane proteins, like membrane lipids, can move laterally by exchanging positions with other membrane components. Which type of membrane proteins is expected to be the least mobile, based on their function? (a) channels (b) anchors (c) receptors (d) enzymes
B
11-34 The amino acid sequences below represent the sequences of transmembrane helices. The characteristics of α helices that form a channel are different from those that form a single transmembrane domain. Select the helix that forms a single transmembrane domain. (a) VGHSLSIFTLVISLGIFVFF (b) IMIVLVMLLNIGLAILFVHF (c) ILHFFHQYMMACNYFWMLCE (d) VTLHKNMFLTYILNSMIIII
B
11-38 We know the detailed molecular structure and mechanism of action of the transmembrane protein bacteriorhodopsin. This protein uses sunlight as the source of energy to pump ______ out of the cell. (a) ATP (b) H+ (c) K+ (d) Na+
B
11-39 In the photosynthetic archaean Halobacterium halobium, a membrane transport protein called bacteriorhodopsin captures energy from sunlight and uses it to pump protons out of the cell. The resulting proton gradient serves as an energy store that can later be tapped to generate ATP. Which statement best describes how bacteriorhodopsin operates? (a) The absorption of sunlight triggers a contraction of the β barrel that acts as the protein's central channel, squeezing a proton out of the cell. (b) The absorption of sunlight triggers a shift in the conformation of the protein's seven, membrane spanning α helices, allowing a proton to leave the cell. (c) The absorption of sunlight triggers a restructuring of bacteriorhodopsin's otherwise unstructured core to form the channel through which a proton can exit the cell. (d) The absorption of sunlight triggers the activation of an enzyme that generates ATP.
B
11-45 The lateral movement of transmembrane proteins can be restricted by several different mechanisms. Which mechanism best describes the process by which focal adhesions are formed to promote cell motility? (a) proteins are tethered to the cell cortex (b) proteins are tethered to the extracellular matrix (c) proteins are tethered to the proteins on the surface of another cell (d) protein movement is limited by the presence of a diffusion barrier
B
11-49 Consider the apical location of a particular protein expressed in epithelial cells, illustrated in Figure Q11-49A. Which type of defect described below is the most likely to cause the redistribution of that protein around the entire cell, shown in Figure Q11-49B? (a) a nonfunctional protein glycosylase (b) the deletion of a junctional protein (c) the truncation of a protein found in the extracellular matrix (d) a nonfunctional flippase
B
11-59 It is possible to follow the movement of a single molecule or a small group of molecules. This requires the use of antibodies linked to small particles of gold, which appear as dark spots when tracked through video microscopy. What is this method called? What does the abbreviation stand for? (a) SDS (b) SPT (c) GFP (d) FRAP
B
11-7 Formation of a lipid bilayer is energetically favorable. How does this arrangement result in higher entropy for the system, and thus make bilayer formation energetically favorable? (a) Polar head groups form a hydrogen-bonding network at the interface with water. (b) Water molecules form cagelike structures around hydrophobic molecules. (c) Hydrogen bonds form between neighboring polar head groups in the bilayer. (d) Fatty acid tails are highly saturated and flexible.
B
11-9 A bacterium is suddenly expelled from a warm human intestine into the cold world outside. Which of the following adjustments might the bacterium make to maintain the same level of membrane fluidity? (a) Produce lipids with hydrocarbon tails that are longer and have fewer double bonds. (b) Produce lipids with hydrocarbon tails that are shorter and have more double bonds. (c) Decrease the amount of cholesterol in the membrane. (d) Decrease the amount of glycolipids in the membrane.
B
11-14 Three phospholipids X, Y, and Z are distributed in the plasma membrane as indicated in Figure Q11-14. For which of these phospholipids does a flippase probably exist? (a) X only (b) Z only (c) X and Y (d) Y and Z
C
11-23 New membrane phospholipids are synthesized by enzymes bound to the _____________ side of the _________________ membrane. (a) cytosolic, mitochondrial (b) luminal, Golgi (c) cytosolic, endoplasmic reticulum (d) extracellular, plasma
C
11-35 Unlike soluble, cytosolic proteins, membrane proteins are more difficult to purify. Which of the following substances is most commonly used to help purify a membrane protein? (a) high salt solution (b) sucrose (c) detergent (d) ethanol
C
11-46 The lateral movement of transmembrane proteins can be restricted by several different mechanisms. Which mechanism best describes the process by which neutrophils are recruited by endothelial cells? (a) proteins are tethered to the cell cortex (b) proteins are tethered to the extracellular matrix (c) proteins are tethered to the proteins on the surface of another cell (d) protein movement is limited by the presence of a diffusion barrier
C
11-48 The lateral movement of transmembrane proteins can be restricted by several different mechanisms. Which mechanism best describes the process by which an antigen-presenting cell triggers an adaptive immune response? (a) proteins are tethered to the cell cortex (b) proteins are tethered to the extracellular matrix (c) proteins are tethered to the proteins on the surface of another cell (d) protein movement is limited by the presence of a diffusion barrier
C
11-52 Which of the following statements about the carbohydrate coating of the cell surface is false? (a) It is not usually found on the cytosolic side of the membrane. (b) It can play a role in cell-cell adhesion. (c) The arrangement of the oligosaccharide side chains is highly ordered, much like the peptide bonds of a polypeptide chain. (d) Specific oligosaccharides can be involved in cell-cell recognition.
C
11-54 Both glycoproteins and proteoglycans contribute to the carbohydrate layer on the surface of the cell. Which of the following is not true of glycoproteins? (a) They can be secreted into the extracellular environment. (b) They have only one transmembrane domain. (c) They have long carbohydrate chains. (d) They are recognized by lectins.
C
11-8 Which of the following statements is true? (a) Phospholipids will spontaneously form liposomes in nonpolar solvents. (b) In eukaryotes, all membrane-enclosed organelles are surrounded by one lipid bilayer. (c) Membrane lipids diffuse within the plane of the membrane. (d) Membrane lipids frequently flip-flop between one monolayer and the other.
C
11-12 Some lipases are able to cleave the covalent bonds between the glycerol backbone and the attached fatty acid. What final products do you expect to accumulate through the action of the enzyme monoacylglycerol lipase? (a) phosphoglycerol and free fatty acid (b) sterol and glycerol (c) free phosphate and glycerol (d) glycerol and free fatty acid
D
11-21 Cholesterol serves several essential functions in mammalian cells. Which of the following is not influenced by cholesterol? (a) membrane permeability (b) membrane fluidity (c) membrane rigidity (d) membrane thickness
D
11-25 Membrane curvature is influenced by the differential lipid composition of the two membrane monolayers. Which factor do you think has the largest impact on the curvature of biological membranes? (a) amount of cholesterol (b) charge of the lipid head group (c) length of the hydrocarbon tails (d) size of the lipid head group
D
11-41 Red blood cells have been very useful in the study of membranes and the protein components that provide structural support. Which of the following proteins is the principal fibrous protein in the cortex of the red blood cell? (a) tubulin (b) attachment proteins (c) actin (d) spectrin
D
11-47 The lateral movement of transmembrane proteins can be restricted by several different mechanisms. Which mechanism best describes the process by which nutrients are taken up at the apical surface of the epithelial cells that line the gut and released from their basal and lateral surfaces? (a) proteins are tethered to the cell cortex (b) proteins are tethered to the extracellular matrix (c) proteins are tethered to the proteins on the surface of another cell (d) protein movement is limited by the presence of a diffusion barrier
D
11-51 Diversity among the oligosaccharide chains found in the carbohydrate coating of the cell surface can be achieved in which of the following ways? (a) varying the types of sugar monomers used (b) varying the types of linkages between sugars (c) varying the number of branches in the chain (d) all of the above
D
11-58 We can estimate the relative mobility of a population of molecules along the surface of a living cell by fluorescently labeling the molecules of interest, bleaching the label in one small area, and then measuring the speed of signal recovery as molecules migrate back into the bleached area. What is this method called? What does the abbreviation stand for? (a) SDS (b) SPT (c) GFP (d) FRAP
D
11-6 Which of the following membrane lipids does not contain a fatty acid tail? (a) phosphatidylcholine (b) a glycolipid (c) phosphatidylserine (d) cholesterol
D
