Bio Final Exam

15. DNA is replicated by A. Reverse transcriptase B. RNA-dependent DNA-polymerase C. DNA-dependent DNA-polymerase D. RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase

C

35. You are reading an article about a person being diagnosed with a type of sarcoma. This type of cancer affects __________. A. cells related to the immune system B. the skin C. connective tissue D. white blood cells

C

Consider this pedigree where the filled shapes represent those with a genetic disorder. This particular disorder must be: A. Incompletely dominant B. Dominant C. It could be either recessive or dominant D. Recessive

D

10. Which of the statements below is the best description of confirmation bias? A. Scientists would rather get information that confirms what other scientists thought than to get independent evidence on a particular problem. B. Overvaluing ideas or information that appears to match our pre-existing worldview. C. The tendency to rapidly reject information that seems obviously true. D. The inability for scientists to actually prove anything.

B

12. We talked about Pfizer's pill that passed a phase a 2/3 trial for the treatment of COVID. Which of the following statements is not true about this trial? A. The drug reduced the chance of hospitalization from COVID. B. The drug reduced the chance of catching COVID. C. None of the other answers are untrue. D. The drug reduced the chance of death from COVID.

B

19. A mutation in a strain of influenza results in the production of different H spikes. This change could be life threatening because A. All of the answer choices are correct. B. H spikes are used as antigens to identify the virus by the immune system. C. H spikes are more deadly than N spikes. D. H spikes allow quicker viral replication in host cells.

B

21. What is the relationship between an ecosystem and a biome? A. A biome is a collection of different ecosystems that are at the same latitude. B. A biome is a collection of similar ecosystems across the world. C. Ecosystems include multiple biomes that that are at the same latitude. D. Ecosystems include multiple biomes that contain closely related species.

B

26. A biome is defined by its A. elevation and temperature. B. average temperature and precipitation. C. animals and precipitation. D. animals and forestry.

B

33. One method of constructing an influenza vaccine is to use an influenza strain that has been modified by removing proteins that contribute to its virulence. This process is called __________. A. inactivation B. attenuation C. sterilization D. deactivation

B

5. There are two forms of geoengineering. They are ______ and ______. A. solar radiation management B. carbon dioxide removal C. deforestation D. wind harvesting

A & B

9. Which of the following are considered clean forms of alternative energy? Choose all appropriate answers. A. Wind B. Nuclear power C. Gasoline powered automobiles D. Geothermal

A & D

11. You have a viral infection. In your immune response, the ____________ are acting as antigens. A. proteins made by your B-Cells that bind to the viral coat protein B. viral coat proteins C. complement produced by your immune cells D. circulating T-Cells that recognize viral laden cells because they display portions of the viral coat proteins

B

12. With gene therapy, what do we mean when we talk about a vector? A. A mechanism to determine the sequence of a genetic medicine B. A way to choose which genes are likely to confer a benefit to the patient's condition C. A mechanism to deliver genes into cells D. A way to put genetically engineered cells into a patient's body

C

7. Adding iron to the southern oceans has been proposed. Which of the following would be expected not to be part of the process to help fight climate change? A. Increase photosynthesis in phytoplankton. B. Increased biomass production. C. Increased absorption of light by the oceans. D. Increased transport of organic carbon to the deep ocean.

C

If a breast cancer patient has not responded to treatment and the cancer has spread to the brain, the patient is classified as having Stage ______ cancer. 1 3 4 2

C

If a person has a cancer that interferes with organs of the urinary system, that person may have trouble A. fighting off other diseases. B. getting oxygen to tissues. C. with regulating the water-salt balance of the blood. D. getting nutrients and water to tissues.

C

8. Which two forms of energy following have the lowest carbon footprint? A Coal B Natural gas C Wind D Nuclear

C & D

19. Which of the following is a valid scientific hypothesis? A. Classical paintings are better than contemporary music. B. None of the other answers are correct. C. Adding toxins to the water supply is wrong. D. If you go directly South exactly 112 miles from the middle of goat island in the Niagara river you will find three hobbits living under an old oak tree.

D

30. There is reasonably strong evidence that each of these events is associated with human-caused global climate change except: A. Increased frequency of severe droughts B. Increased frequency of extreme precipitation events C. Increased frequency of costal flooding D. Increased frequency of tornados

D

32. A DNA molecule has the sequence GATCGA. What sequence of RNA does this code for? (Necessary information: DNA basepairs : T-A, A-T, C-G, G-C; RNA : U substitutes for T.) a. GATCGA b. CTAGCT c. GAUCGA d. CUAGCU

D

4. How many gene therapy treatments are FDA approved? A. None B. 1-100 C. Over 1000 D. 2-10 E.101-1000 F. One

D

5. Most cells in your body are at a particular cell cycle checkpoint. Which one? M S G2 G1

D

13. We talked about three methods to use gene therapy to treat sickle cell disease. A) Destroying a switch that regulates synthesis of fetal hemoglobin. B) Adding a sequence that codes for the non-sickling version of hemoglobin while leaving the original gene intact. C) Replacing the DNA sequence that codes for the sickling version of hemoglobin with one that codes for the non-sickling form. Which of these involves using CRISPER/Cas9? A. B and C B. B only C. C only D. A and B E. A and C F. A only

E

24. The sickle-shaped red blood cells can block the capillaries of organs in multiple body systems. The _____ may become enlarged and that can result in abdominal pain and decreased recycling of red blood cells. A. Bladder B. Kidney C. Large intestine D. Heart E. Spleen

E

26. Which of the following can be directly tested with statistics? A. None of the other answers are correct. B. The average height of college-aged men is greater that the average height of college-aged women. C. More than one of the other answers is correct D. College age women with birthdays in the summer months earn better grades than those whose birthdays fall in the winter months. E. The average heights are the same in college-aged men born in the odd and months.

E

You saw this graph in class. Based on the graph, which of the following is not true. A. Much, but not all, of the year to year variability is associated with El Niño and La Niña events. B. El Niño years, neutral years and La Niña years all show increasing temperatures over time. C. In strong El Niño years, temperatures are warmer than expected based on the date. D. The instigators based the year on a June to June year rather that a January to January year so that the effects of a given El Niño or La Niña event would not be split between calendar years. E. El Niño years tend to be warmer than La Niña years, but there is no correlation between the strength of the phenomenon and the yearly temperatures.

E

10. We talked about the experiment from Israel that looked at the effect of the third (booster) shot on people over 60. Which of the following statements is not true about this study? A. It measured the probability of catching COVID in unvaccinated vs fully vaccinated individuals. B. It showed there the booster shot reduced the probability of catching COVID after a lag of about 2 weeks. C. It had a very large sample size. D. It was published in a peer reviewed Journal.

A

10. Which of the following is NOT a disadvantage of using a bone marrow transplant from a matched donor as a treatment for sickle cell disease? A. The treatment must be repeated every year or so. B. The stem cells of the donor could be rejected by the patient. C. The stem cells of the patient are killed before implantation of the donor cells. Therefore, if the transplant does not work the patient is in trouble. D. It is an invasive treatment that stresses the patient

A

11. We have talked about Merck's and Pfizer's oral medications for the treatment of COVID that have just passed late clinical trials. Which of the following statements best describes the modes of action for these medications? A. The Merck's and Pfizer's oral medications both inhibit viral enzymes; the enzymes they inhibit play very different roles in the viral life cycle. B. The Merck's and Pfizer's oral medications inhibit the same viral enzyme but do so in a different manner. C. Merck's oral medication inhibits a viral enzyme, but Pfizer's oral medication does not. D. Both Merck's and Pfizer's oral medications inhibit the same viral enzyme. E. Pfizer's oral medication inhibits a viral enzyme, but Merck's oral medication does not.

A

13. Which of these statements best describes a p-value? A. The probability that the difference in the average (means) in the treatments is due to chance, assuming the null is true. B.The probability that the difference in the average (means) in the treatments is the same. C. The probability that the difference in the average (means) in the treatments is due to a real difference, assuming the null is true. D. The probability that the difference in the average (means) in the treatments is due to chance, assuming the null is false. E. The probability that the difference in the average (means) in the treatments is different.

A

14. Which of the following is an important difference between the processes most cells use and many virus use? A. In cellular processes, protein molecules are made individually from the information in mRNA. In many viruses, multiple protein molecules are initially made as a block. B. There are many more different kinds of mRNA produced from viral DNA than there are from the normal cellular DNA. C. In cellular processes, the proteins are translated with cellular ribosomes but viruses use viral ribosomes and other parts of the translation machinery to make the proteins. D. The cellular DNA and the viral DNA are made with different nucleotides.

A

15. Freckles are dominant in humans. Suppose that you had a father who is homozygous recessive and a mother who is heterozygous for the trait. What is their expected phenotypic ratio of their children? a. 50% freckled, 50% not freckled b. 75% freckled, 25% not freckled c. 100% freckled, 0% not freckled d. 0% freckled, 100% not freckled e. 25% freckled, 75% not freckled

A

15. Two months ago you received a vaccine against Sars-CoV-2. Today you get a substantial exposure to the virus. Some of the viruses successfully infect your cells. A. You would get clonal expansion of both T-cell and B-cell memory cells. B. You would get clonal expansion of neither T-cell nor B-cell memory cells. C. You would get clonal expansion of B-cell memory cells but not T-cell memory cells. D. You would get clonal expansion of T-cell memory cells but not B-cell memory cells.

A

17. Which of the following statements best describes the structure of a hemoglobin molecule? A. Hemoglobin is composed of four globin molecules, each with their own heme group that binds to and carries oxygen. B. Hemoglobin is composed of three globin molecules and one heme group per hemoglobin molecule. Each heme group binds to and carries oxygen. C. Hemoglobin is composed of two globin molecules, both with their own heme group that binds to and carries oxygen. D. Hemoglobin is composed of four globin molecules, each of which contains millions of heme groups, each of which binds to and carries oxygen.

A

18. Which of the following best describes the effects climate change is having on tropical reef biomes? A. The increase in water temperature disrupts the algae-coral symbiotic relationship, which results in death to the coral reefs. B. The decrease in water temperature disrupts the algae-coral symbiotic relationship, which results in death to the algae. C. The increased precipitation in nearly land area reasults in increasing runoff which dilutes the seawater and harms the reefs. D. The amount of water avaliable for reef formation has diminished, which also kills the living coral reef beds.

A

19. Before 1900, carbon cycled most rapidly between A. atmospheric reservoirs and living organisms. B. geologic and atmospheric reservoirs and living organisms. C. geologic and atmospheric reservoirs. D. geologic reservoirs and living organisms.

A

20. In the human life cycle, gametes are formed through the process of ______, and all other cells are formed through the process of ______. A. meiosis; mitosis B. meiosis; binary fission C. binary fission; mitosis D. mitosis; meiosis

A

20. Photosynthesis takes carbon in from the atmosphere and uses it to form ______, the energy source for all plants and animals to use in cellular respiration. A. organic carbon B. carbon dioxide C. carbon monoxide D. water

A

23. Which of the following in not a possible outcome of a base substitution in a protein-coding gene. A. The protein might be unchanged chemically but changed functionally. B. The protein might be much longer or shorter. C. The protein might be changed both chemically and functionally. D. The protein might be unchanged both chemically and functionally

A

25. Cells within the inside of a tumor secrete growth factors, which cause capillaries to grow toward the tumor. This process is called ______, and contributes to the growth and spread of the tumor. A. angiogenesis B. biogenesis C. abiogenesis D. metastasis

A

25. The Hershey Chase experiments tested whether proteins or nucleic acids were the hereditary material. They did two sets of experiments. In one set they labeled the DNA with radioactive P (common in DNA but not in proteins). In the other they labeled the proteins with radioactive S (present in proteins but not in DNA). They added viruses to the bacteria, and waited just long enough so that they knew that the bacterial cells became infected. Then they knocked off any viruses from the outside of the bacteria. They found: A. The radioactive P was found in the E. coli cells and the radioactive S was found outside of them. B. The radioactive S was found in the E. coli cells and the radioactive P was found outside of them. C. The radioactive S and P was found in the E. coli cells. D. The radioactive S and P was found outside of the E. coli cells.

A

26. In a self-amplifying RNA vaccine approach we talked about in class A. An mRNA coding for both the polymerase and antigen is added to the patient. B. An mRNA coding for the antigen is added together with a chemical that turns on a RNA polymerase. C. A protein antigen is added to the patient together with an mRNA coding for the polymerase. D. A RNA polymerase is added to the patient together with an mRNA coding for the antigenic protein.

A

27. Which of the following statements correctly describes telomere length in normal and cancer cells? a. Telomeres are longer in embryonic cells than in most adult cells. B. In non-cancerous cells, telomeres remain constant throughout a person's life. C. Telomeres are shorter in cancer cells than in normal cells. D. In non-cancerous cells, telomeres elongate as a person ages.

A

29. _____ contain the same genes but often different alleles. After DNA replication, ______ contain identical alleles combinations. A. Homologous chromosomes; sister chromatids B. Sister chromosomes; homologous chromatids C. Homologous chromatids; sister chromosomes D. Sister chromatids; homologous chromosomes

A

31. If R0 is greater than 1: (Hint: read the question carefully) A. The viral disease might spread, or it might die out. B. The viral disease will die out. C. Spreading of the viral disease is inevitable.

A

7. We talked about the FDA approved gene therapy for Leber's congenital amaurosis, an inherited eye disease. Which of the following statements is false? A. This treatment used an RNA virus for the vector. B. This treatment adds a gene that codes for an enzyme. C. This treatment is an example of in vivo gene therapy. D. This treatment involves adding a gene to non-dividing cells.

A

A breast cancer patient may be diagnosed with being hormone receptor positive. This receptor protein is known as the ______ protein. A. HER-2 B. TP53 C. BRCA1 D. p53

A

According to the carbon budget we used in class, which of the following add the most CO2 into the atmosphere yearly A. Microbial respiration and decomposition B. Plant photosynthesis C. Burning fossil fuels plus cement making D. Ocean photosynthesis

A

In a double-blind experimental design for a medical trial: A. Neither the patient nor the doctors know who has gotten the experimental treatment and who got the control treatment. B. Neither the patient nor the doctors know what the experimental hypothesis is C. The patients know what the treatments is due to informed consent, but neither the doctors who administrator the tests not the nurses who collect information from the patient know who has gotten the experimental treatment and who got the control treatment,

A

Which food choice gives you the largest carbon footprint? A. Beef B. Cheese C. Chicken D. Beans

A

replication fork shown here. You can assume that both polymerase molecule have primers. You would expect: A. One polymerase to move towards the replication fork and the other one to move away from it. B. Both polymerases to move towards the replication fork. C. There is no way to tell which way they will move. D. Both polymerases to move away from the replication fork.

A

3. The antibody secreting cells are called B cells. A patient is infected with SARS-CoV-2. Which of the following are true about this person's response? A. Choose the two correct answers. Different B-cells will be making different types of antibodies directed at against many types of antigens. B. Each of this person's B-cells will be making many types of antibodies directed against many types of antigens. C. Different B-cells will be making the same type of antibody directed against the same type of antigen. D. Each of this person's B-cells will be making only one type of antibody directed against one type of antigen.

A & D

33. Which two of these polymerases function with the central dogma of biology. (This does not include viral polymerases.) A. DNA -dependent RNA-polymerase B. RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase C. RNA-dependent DNA-polymerase D. DNA-dependent DNA-polymerase

A & D

36. Which two of the following are components of the Moderna COVID vaccine? A. RNA B. Aluminum salts C. DNA D. Lipid

A & D

39. Which two of the following acts as net sources of carbon dioxide within the carbon cycle? A. Burning of fossil fuel from within the earth B. Release of carbon dioxide into the air by the ocean C. Photosynthesis by plants D. Respiration from humans and animals

A & D

4. Which two approaches to genetic engineering in plants could conceivable help mitigate the process of global climate change? A. Developing plants that reflect rather than absorb wavelengths of light not used in photosynthesis. B. Developing plants that absorb infrared radiation and thus prevent its absorption by greenhouse gasses. C. Developing plants that have increased rates of respiration. D. Developing plants to better capture CO2 by enhancing photosynthesis.

A & D

7. You are looking at two articles, both posted on the same day but one in a pre-print server and one in a peer-reviewed journal. Which two of the following statements below are correct? (Select two.) A. The article in the preprint server was probably written more recently than the one in the journal. B. Both articles have passed equally challenging peer-review, but the journals peer review was from university scientists and the pre-print servers peer review was by industry scientists. C. You can count on the quality of the article in the peer reviewed journal being better. D. The authors might consider revising the article in the preprint server, but not the one in the journal.

A & D

6. Under the CRISPER/Cas9 approach for gene therapy, which two statements below are correct? A. The guide RNA recognizes the gene therapy target B. The Cas9 protein cleaves the DNA C. CRISPER cleaves the DNA D. The Cas9 protein recognizes the gene therapy target E. CRISPER recognizes the gene therapy target

A &B

12. One kind of polydactyly (extra fingers) is chromosome-based and dominant. It is also very rare. Assume that a cell of a man with polydactyly has finished Meiosis I. What would you expect about the chromatids in one of the daughter cells? A. There would be 2 copies of the polydactyly allele and 2 copies of the wild-type allele in the cell. B. There would be a 50% chance of the cell having 2 copies of the polydactyly allele and a 50% chance of the cell having no copies of the polydactyly allele. C. There would be 1 copy of the polydactyly allele and 1 copy of the wild-type allele in the cell. D. There would be a 50% chance of the cell having 1 copy of the polydactyly allele and a 50% chance of having no copies of the polydactyly allele.

B

13. Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease in which the disease is caused by a defective cftr gene. Compare two cells from a particular human male who is a cystic fibrosis carrier. One of his cells has just completed mitosis and another cell has just completed meiosis. Which of the statements below is FALSE? A. The cell that has completed mitosis has twice as much DNA as the cell that has just completed meiosis. B. The cell that has completed mitosis has two alleles for the non-functional cftr. C. The cell that has completed mitosis has twice as many chromosomes as the cell that has just completed meiosis. D. The cell that has completed meiosis has a 50% change of one allele for the non-functional cftr, and a 50% chance of the wild-type allele for the same gene.

B

14. What is the main difference in the formation of coal vs. the formation of natural gas and oil? A. Coal is formed mainly from deposits of plants and animals living in oceans, and natural gas and oil formed mainly from the remains of plants and animals in swampy anoxic environments. B. Natural gas and oil is formed mainly from deposits of plants and animals living in oceans, and coal formed mainly from the remains of plants and animals in swampy anoxic environments. C. Natural gas and oil require intense heat and pressure to form and coal only requires an anoxic environment D. Coal takes several million years to form and natural gas and oil take much less time, roughly several thousand years.

B

16. Of the viruses that cause influenza in humans A. Neither Influenza A and influenza B viruses are zoonotic. B. Influenza A viruses are zoonotic, influenza B are not. C. Both Influenza A and influenza B viruses are zoonotic. D. Influenza B viruses are zoonotic, influenza A are not.

B

20. One difference between the virus that causes influenza and the one that causes COVID is: A. The virus that causes influenza has a viral envelope, the virus that causes COVID does not. B. The virus that causes influenza has two different types of spikes, and the virus that causes COVID has one type of spike. C. The virus that causes COVID incorporates DNA into the host genome, the virus that causes influenza does not. D. The virus that causes influenza has DNA as the genetic material, the virus that causes COVID has RNA.

B

22. Consider a fly that is heterozygous for short wings. The short wings allele is recessive. You are examining a cell from the male fly that is just about to start meiosis. In the cell A. there would be a total of 4 alleles for wing length; alleles must be the same. B. there would be a total of 4 alleles for wing length; of these there are 2 identical alleles for short wings and 2 wild-type alleles. C. there would be a total of 4 alleles for wing length; it is possible that they would all be different. D. there would be a total of 2 alleles for wing length; it is possible that they would both be different. E. there would be a total of 2 alleles for wing length; they must be identical.

B

23. What is the direct consequence of the genetic change that results in the sickle cell disease? A. The hemoglobin molecules loose some of their binding to oxygen so that they cannot pick up enough oxygen. B. The hemoglobin molecules expose a sticky (hydrophobic) patch on the outside of the molecule that binds to other hemoglobin molecules. C. The hemoglobin molecules lose the ability to carry CO2 from the body to the lungs. D. The hemoglobin molecules bind to oxygen so tightly that they do not give up the oxygen to tissues when needed by the cells of the body.

B

23. Which of the events below best describes the initial stage by which an influenza virus infects a cell? A. DNA in the viral capsid bind to proteins in the cell membrane of the host cell. B. Proteins in the viral envelope bind to proteins in the cell membrane of the host cell. C. RNA in the viral capsid bind to lipids in the cell membrane of the host cell. D. Proteins in the viral capsid bind to proteins in the cell membrane of the host cell.

B

24. Which kind of cells are infected by the flu virus? A. Mesophyll cells of the respiratory tract B. Epithelial cells of the respiratory tract C. Epithelial cells of the digestive tract D. Mesophyll cells of the digestive tract

B

25. Natural killer cells of the innate immune system survey the body looking for non-self cells. The recognize a non-self cell because it A. has a particular MHC-I protein defined by the pathogen involved. B. lacks the MHC-I protein that other cells of the organism display. C. has a particular set of genes that can be recognized by the natural killer cells. D. has a different genome than that of the organism's other cells.

B

28. Gene expression requires two steps. What are they? A. Replication and transcription B. Transcription and translation C. Replication and translation

B

28. Which of the following statements about the protein subunit approach to producing a COVID vaccine is not true. A. There is a subunit vaccine in testing for COVID, but it has not yet been approved in the US. B. The RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase of the virus originally contaminates the isolated spike proteins but is then heat-inactivated. C. The isolated spike protein can be injected into patients as a vaccine. D. The spike protein is made in large amounts by the nucleated cell. E. The gene for the spike protein is moved first into a bacterium and then into a nucleated cell.

B

30. How are most cancers named? A. For the patient who first was the first person identified as suffering from it. B. From the type of tissue from which the cancer arises. C. For the physician who first discover that kind a cancer.

B

30. In one approach to making COVID vaccines, a gene from SARS-CoV-2 is packed inside an inactive DNA virus (adenovirus) and injected into the patient. Which of the following is not part of this process? A. The viral spike protein is translated by the cells. B. The mRNA for the spike protein is moved into the DNA of the host cell. C. The SARS-CoV-2 gene for the spike protein is transcribed within the patient's cells. D. Pieces of the viral coat protein are brought to the cell surface of the antigen presenting cells. E. The adenovirus, containing a gene from SARS-CoV-2 is injected into the patient's body.

B

31. In the Meselson and Stahl experiments, the bacteria were grown in medium with "heavy N" (15N), so the initial DNA was all labeled with the heavy N. Then cells were transferred into medium containing only "light nitrogen" (14N), so subsequent DNA would be labeled with the lighter N. Lastly, they analyzed the position(s) of the DNA band(s) on a CsCl density gradient. Assuming the conservative model is true, what would they expect after one round of DNA replication in the new medium. A. There would be three bands with unequal amounts of DNA in each. B. There would be two bands with equal amounts of DNA in each. C. There would be one band. D. There would be four bands with unequal amounts of DNA in each. E. There would be two bands with unequal amounts of DNA in each. F. There would be three bands with equal amounts of DNA in each.

B

32. As climate change continues, the prevalence of vector-borne disease has increased. Why is this? A. Diseases are more contagious in warmer weather, so as climates have warmed, vector-borne diseases spread faster. B. As climates have warmed and winters have become less severe, the range of insect vectors has increased, bringing with them the diseases they carry. C. The bacteria and viruses that cause disease multiply more rapidly in warmer weather, so as climates have warmed, the pathogens that cause disease are more prevalent. D. Higher temperatures are correlated with higher metabolism and the higher metabolism results in an increase in the speed with which a disease develops in an infected person.

B

34. Suppose that a cell's replication of DNA is prevented from finishing. You would expect the cell A. to arrest the cell cycle in M . B. to arrest the cell cycle in G2. C. to arrest the cell cycle in G1. D. to arrest the cell cycle in S.

B

35. Even though there are alternate energy sources, fossil fuels are used for approximately ______ of the United States energy needs. A. 30% B. 80% C. 50% D. 20%

B

36. Which stage of a clinical trail is the one that requires the use of a control with placebos, involves large numbers of patients and must be passed before FDA approval of the treatment. A. Stage 2 B. Stage 3 C. Stage 5 D. Stage 4 E. Stage 1

B

37. Which of these has more heat? A Lake Erie in August B The Arctic Ocean C A cup of very hot cocoa D A hot spring in Yellowstone National park

B

4. Radiation is targeted cancer therapy that works by A. interfering with the spindle fibers that separate the sister chromatids. B. breaking the DNA and introducing mutations. C. interfering with the cell's ability to unwind DNA during DNA replication. D. mimicking nucleotides, which results in an incorrectly developed DNA molecule.

B

6. The immune system can usually fight off invading microorganisms, but has a much more difficult time eliminating cancer cells. Which of the statements below reflects the biggest reason why? A. Invading microorganisms are usually widely dispersed in the body, but cancer cells usually are usually not. B. The cancer cells take advantage of the immune system's mechanism to prevent targeting cells the immune system identifies as "self" C. The cancer cells are usually widely dispersed in the body, but invading microorganisms are usually not. D. The cancer cells have ready access to the body's nutrients, something that most invading microorganisms cannot do.

B

6. Which of the following relationship between apoptosis and genes associated with cancer is true? A. An active tumor suppressor leads to less apoptosis B. An inactive tumor suppressor leads to less apoptosis C. An active proto-oncogene/oncogene leads to less apoptosis D. An inactive proto-oncogene/oncogene leads to less apoptosis

B

8. Benign tumors are not considered a threat because they A. have controlled cell division. B. do not spread or cause more tumors. C. do not have mutations. D. All of the answer choices are correct. maintain their original function.

B

8. Monoclonal antibodies are used in the treatment of some breast cancers. Which of the following statements is false? A. This treatment only works for certain kinds of breast cancers and is ineffective with other types. B. The gene for the receptor is a tumor suppressor gene. C. In normal (non-cancerous cells) the cell produces thousands of receptors, but in types of cancer targeted from this treatment the cells produces even more copies. D. The monoclonal antibody binds to an estrogen receptor found on the surface of certain cells of the breast tissue.

B

9. In blood transfusions as a treatment for sickle cell disease A. The patient obtains blood stem cells from another patient who has matched types of hemoglobin. B. The mature red blood cells from a donor are given to the patient. C. The donor cells are more likely to sickle than the patient's own cells. D. The process corrects the genetic defect in the patient.

B

9. Which of the following blood cells would be measured to evaluate a patient for cancer? A. Osteocytes B. White blood cells C. Red blood cells D. Platelets E. All the answer choices are correct.

B

According to the analysis we gave in class, which of the following sources of energy is the least expensive in 2021? A. Industrial Coal B. Industrial Solar C. "Peaker" gas D. Industrial Nuclear

B

At which point of the respiratory system would sickle-cell disease cause an impact? A. Inhalation of air into the nasal cavity B. The diffusion of gasses across the alveoli into the capillaries C. The flow of air down the trachea D. The delivery of air into the alveoli

B

Consider two DNA-dependent DNA-polymerases, each bound to a strands of the DNA double helix and directly apart from one another. As they become active, which of the following results are possible. (Assume that each has already started polymerizing so that it can continue to add new nucleotides.) A. Sometimes the polymerases would go in the same direction and sometimes in the opposite directions. B. The polymerases would go in opposite directions. C. The polymerases would go in the same direction (both to your right or both to your left).

B

Increased greenhouse gasses are causing the Earth to heat more than it has in the recent past. Which of the statement below describes the reason for this increased heating? A. The energy from the incoming sun's rays is absorbed by the greenhouse gasses and thus more heats up the atmosphere. B. Sunlight is absorbed by the earth and some energy is re-emitted as infrared. This energy is absorbed by the greenhouse gasses and less escapes the earth into space. C. The sun's rays are more likely to be reflected off the atmosphere before they reach the earth because the greenhouse gasses. D. The sun's rays are less likely to be reflected off the atmosphere before they reach the earth because the greenhouse gasses.

B

The astronomer Carl Sagan proposed that he had an indivisible, undetectable dragon in his garage. A. This is an invalid scientific hypothesis that is false. B. This is an invalid scientific hypothesis, and one cannot know if it is right or wrong. C. This is a valid scientific hypothesis, and one cannot know if it is right or wrong. D. This is a valid scientific hypothesis that is true. E. This is a valid scientific hypothesis that is false. F. This is an invalid scientific hypothesis that is true.

B

Which of the following limitations of DNA-dependent DNA-polymerase is exploited in PCR that allows selective amplification of certain DNA segments? A. DNA-dependent DNA-polymerase requires high energy molecules to power its activity. B. DNA-dependent DNA-polymerase can only add to double stranded DNA. C. DNA-dependent DNA-polymerase requires a DNA template. D. DNA-dependent DNA-polymerase requires free nucleotides to function.

B

You are comparing two studies that focused on whether cell phone use is dangerous. In both cases, the investigators compared 100 students who spent more than 3 hours a day on the phone with other 100 students who spent less that 15 minutes a day on the phone. In study A, the investigators compared the student outcomes with respect to 80 different diseases and found that there were significant differences in 4 of them. In study B the investigators focused on only 1 disease that they were concerned about and found a significant difference between the groups. As a student who uses their cell phone more than 3 hours a day... A. You should not be worried about either, because it is "just statistics". B. You should not be as worried about study A, because you suspect these results of this study were consistent with sample error. C. You should be more worried about study A, because it was a much more comprehensive study which considered many more outcomes. D. You should be equally worried about both, because they both found significant differences.

B

10. Consider the experiment on the evolution of antibiotic resistance. The investigators made a mega plate and then tested evolution in the bacterium E. coli. Which two of the statements below are correct? A. Investigators identified between 3 and 10 individual mutations that increased the resistance of E. coli to an antibiotic over two weeks. B. The investigators determined that it took multiple mutations in a single lineage to allow E. coli to survive in the strongest antibiotic tested. C. Investigators identified hundreds of individual mutations that increased the resistance of E. coli to an antibiotic over two weeks. D. Investigators identified many more many mutations that killed the E. coli than they did mutations that gave antibiotic resistance.

B & C

24. Which of the following are considered vectors for human disease? Choose all appropriate answers. A. Vibrio bacteria (causes some "flesh eating disease") B. Ticks C. Aedes mosquitoes D. The malaria parasite E. West Nile virus

B & C

34. The mRNA vaccines have been called "software for a cell". In what two ways is this true? A. Unless it is specifically removed, the addition of mRNA permanently changes the recipient cell just like the addition of a program into a computer permanently changes the B. Adding mRNA adds information into a cell that changes something; software adds information into a device that changes something. C. The additional RNA molecules will duplicate themselves in a cell and can be exported between cells just like computer updates can be copied and sent between computers. D. The mRNA vaccines can be rapidly updated like a software update to your device to match any changes in a target virus.

B & D

13. Consider the experiment on the evolution of antibiotic resistance. The investigators made a mega plate and then tested evolution in the bacterium E. coli. The megaplate contained a layer with food on it and another layer in which the bacteria could move. The plate was divided into horizontal strips of differing composition. The center strip of the plate had: A. A high concentration of bacteriophage. B. Just enough antibiotic to kill normal E. coli. C. About 1,000 times as much antibiotic as it would take to kill normal E. coli. D. No antibiotic added.

C

14. Consider an aardvark liver cell and a worm muscle cell in the aardvark and worm respectively. The two cells have different shapes and carry out very different functions. The direct cause of these differences is: A. The cells have different DNA. B. The cells have different RNA. C. The cells have different proteins. D. The cells have different polymerases.

C

16. Tongue rolling is dominant. Suppose that you have a woman who can roll her tongue married to a man who cannot. Which of the following pieces of information will allow you to calculate the likelihood (% of cases) in which their first born could roll their tongue? A. If you know that both the woman's mother and father could their tongues. B. If you know that the woman's father could roll his tongue. C. If you know that the woman's mother could not roll her tongue. D. If you know both man's parents can roll their tongues. E. If you know the man's mother could not roll her tongue. F. If you know that the man's father could not roll his tongue.

C

18. Which of these is not true about the inflammatory response? A. It is part of innate immunity. B. It is triggered by cytokines. C. It is part of adaptive immunity. D. It, rather than the virus, is a common source of the flu symptoms.

C

2. You have a cell infected by a coronavirus. Which of the following components are used in synthesis of viral components? A. DNA-dependent DNA-polymerase and RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase B. Only RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase C. RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase and the ribosomal-based translation machinery D. DNA-dependent RNA-polymerase and the ribosomal-based translation machinery E. Only the ribosomal-based translation machinery F. DNA-dependent RNA-polymerase, RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase and the ribosomal-based translation machinery G. Only DNA-dependent RNA-polymerase

C

21. A macrophage eats and destroys an antibody-labeled virus. This represents A. One component of the adaptive immune system responding to an event generated by another component of the adaptive immune system. B. One component of the innate immune system responding to an event generated by another component of the innate immune system. C. A component of the innate immune system responding to an event generated by the adaptive immune system. D. A component of the adaptive immune system responding to an event generated by the innate immune system.

C

21. In semiconservative replication: A. The two strands of the parental DNA are fragmented, complementary DNA is made from those fragments and then the fragments are stitched together to make the two double-stranded DNA molecules. B. The two strands in the parental DNA molecule remains intact, and rejoin after serving as templates, and the other double helix is made of 2 new strands each complementary to one of the original strands. C. Each of the two strands in the parental DNA molecule remains intact, but the two strands get separated into the two daughter double helices. A completely new strand is synthesized in each daughter double helix.

C

22. When two different forms of a virus infect the same cell, the host cell may manufacture viral particles from both viruses to reassemble them into a new form of virus. This process is called __________. A. artificial selection B. the founder effect C. antigenic shift D. antigenic drift

C

24. Hydroxychloroquine has been proposed as a treatment for COVID. Suppose that you are trying to determine if 50 mg hydroxychloroquine reduced the possibility of college-age students coming down with COVID. The independent variable would be: A. Whether the students were randomly assigned to the experimental or control treatments. B. Whether the students got enough vitamin D to help the hydroxychloroquine work. C. Whether the students were given a pill containing hydroxychloroquine or a pill with no active ingredient. D. Whether the students came down with COVID.

C

25. You may hear people state that "the climate has always changed over the Earth's history and therefore we should not worry about it." Which of the above is not a good argument against this. A. In the past, climate change has been linked to mass extinctions, especially of human sized land animals. B. The rate of climate change is much faster now than it has been for at least 800,000 years. C. The Earth's climate has not changed very much - its probable that human activity will cause a more drastic change than has ever happened. D. There are steps that we can make to reduce the contributors to the greenhouse effect.

C

27. The omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is classified as ____________ by the CDC. A. A variant of critical attention B. A variant of high consequence C. A variant of concern D. A variant being monitored

C

28. Autotrophs generally A. Carry out both photosynthesis and respiration but usually more respiration than photosynthesis. B. Carry out respiration only. C. Carry out both photosynthesis and respiration but usually more photosynthesis than respiration. D. Carry out photosynthesis only.

C

29. Which of the answers below is true about coronaviruses? A. There are (or have been) three strains that have led to epidemics or pandemics and no other human pathogenic strains. B. There is (or has been) one strain that has led to epidemics or pandemics and many other human pathogenic strains. C. There are (or have been) three strains that have led to epidemics or pandemics and a few other human pathogenic strains. D. There are (or have been) dozens of strains that have led to epidemics or pandemics and no other human pathogenic strains.

C

29. Which of the following is not true about the great dying? A. It was associated with large increases in atmospheric CO2. B. It is thought to have been triggered by massive volcanic activity in Russia. C. More land animals went extinct than did marine animals. D. It was the largest mass extinction in Earth's history.

C

29. Which of the following statements about homeostasis is false? A. Homeostasis is usually based on negative feedback. B. Homeostasis is an active process rather than a passive one. C. Homeostasis works only at the level of the organism. Other mechanisms are responsible for maintaining cellular processes. D. Body temperature regulation in humans is an example of homeostasis.

C

3. One proposed engineering solution to global climate control is to affect ocean clouds. How might this help? A. Increasing ocean clouds might reduce the level of ozone, one of the greenhouse gasses. B. Decreasing ocean clouds might allow light to reflect off the surface of the ocean, and thus be sent back into space. C. Increasing ocean clouds might reflect more incoming sunlight back into space before it hits the Earth. D. Clouds displace the greenhouse gasses, therefore allowing a window by which the infrared radiation (IR) from the ocean can more easily escape the earth.

C

31. When are chromosomes copied? A. immediately before cell division (G2). B. during mitosis. C. between the growth phase (G1) and D. preparation for cell division (G2). in the growth phase of interphase (G1).

C

33. For a while there were people that were stating that global warming was over because there "was no significant warming trend from 1998 to 2012". These data A. were based only on the ocean temperature. B. were based on a completely different data set than those used by most climate scientists. C. were selected form a larger data set starting after an anomalously warm year. D. were representative of the data from 1990 to 2021.

C

35. When scientists first started to design mRNA vaccines for COVID, they realized it was important to stabilize the spike protein by introducing mutations into the gene for the spike. Where did they get the information necessary to do this? A. Combining information about the influenza H2N2 virus structure with the sequence of SARS-CoV-2. B. Combining information about the influenza H2N2 virus structure with the sequence of the SARS-1 virus. C. Combining information about the SARS1 virus structure with the sequence of SARS-CoV-2. D. Combining information about the SARS-CoV-2 virus structure with the sequence of SARS-CoV-2.

C

36. Consider the contributions of thermal expansion of water and addition of water by melting ice. Which of the following statements best describes the relative contributions of these two factors to global increase in sea level rise? A. Both contribute significantly, but thermal expansion contributes about twice as much to sea level rise as melting ice. B. Both contribute, but melting ice contributes more than 90% of sea level rise and thermal expansion contributes less than 10%. C. Both contribute significantly, but melting ice contributes about twice as much to sea level rise as thermal expansion. D. Both contribute, but thermal expansion contributes more than 90% of sea level rise and melting ice contributes less than 10%.

C

5. Merck's drug Molnupiravir has recently passed phase 3 trials for the treatment of Coronavirus. Which enzyme/process does Molnupiravir effect? A. None of the other answers are correct. B. The ribosomal based translation machinery C. RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase D. DNA-dependent DNA-polymerase E. DNA-dependent RNA-polymerase

C

5. Which of the following tools is a special type of X-ray that is used to determine if the cancer has spread? A. Screening mammogram B. MRI C. CT scan D. PET scan

C

Which of the following would not be considered organic carbon? A. Biomass B. Fossil fuels C. CO2 D. Methane

C

11. The HIV virus that causes AIDS is a retrovirus. Suppose that you have a patient with HIV. You have a way of instantly destroying all viral RNA without destroying any other RNA or DNA in this patient. You can maintain this treatment for 30 days. What would you expect to happen? (Hint: this is a thinking question, not a memorization one.) A. The patient's cells would be cured and unable to make new infectious viruses either before or after the 30-day period. B. The patient's cells would be able to make new infectious viruses both before and after the 30-day period. C. For 30 days the patient's cells would be able to make new infectious viruses. However, after the 30 days are up the virus could be unable to replicate and spread. D. For 30 days the patient's cells would be unable to make new infectious viruses. However, after the 30 days are up the virus could be able to replicate again and spread.

D

14. During DNA replication, the ______ strand is the one being used by the DNA polymerase to synthesize the new ______ strand of DNA. A. complementary; daughter B. template; parent C. daughter; template D. template; daughter

D

17. Early in the COVID pandemic, many patients died. One treatment that is now used in many serious cases of COVID and has been shown to improve the patient's chances is: A. Giving cytokines inhibit the cellular response to the patient's own steroids. B. Giving cytokines to turn on the cellular response to the patient's own steroids. C. Giving steroids to turn on the cellular response to the patient's own cytokines. D. Giving steroids to inhibit the cellular response to the patient's own cytokines.

D

17. The main difference between global warming and climate change is that A. It is obvious that the Earth is no longer warming, so the eco fascists have changed the terminology so their points are not so obviously bankrupt. B. There is no difference between climate change and global warming. C. Not every year is warmer than the previous one. D. Climate change includes changes in participation not just temperature.

D

26. Transcription starts with RNA polymerase binding to the start of the gene called a/an A. start codon B. primer C. origin of replication D. promoter

D

27. Griffith's experiment was one of the first that suggested there was a non-living "factor" that was transferred between different bacteria and changed them. What was the most critical experiment showing inheritance driven by a non-living factor. (Hint S: the strain was the deadly one.) A. Killed R strain bacteria plus live S strain bacteria were injected into the mouse and the mouse lived. B. Killed R strain bacteria plus live S strain bacteria were injected into the mouse and the mouse died. C. Killed S strain bacteria plus live R strain bacteria were injected into the mouse and the mouse lived. D. Killed S strain bacteria plus live R strain bacteria were injected into the mouse and the mouse died.

D

27. Increased CO2 in atmosphere is detrimental to ocean life that makes various kinds of shells. Which of the steps below is NOT part of this process? A. Increased bicarbonate in the ocean B. Decreased ability for organisms to make calcium carbonate C. Increased carbonic acid in the ocean D. Increased carbonate in the ocean E. Increased dissolved CO2 in the ocean

D

28. Suppose you have a gene that contains a single nucleotide deleted halfway through the coding sequence for a protein. You would expect: A . The first half of the resultant protein will have a very different amino acids than wild-type, but the last half will be very similar to wild-type. B. All the amino acids of the protein (both the first part and the last part) will be very different from wild-type. C. The central part of the protein to be changed but the parts before and after the change to code for a wild-type sequence of amino acids. D. The first part of the protein to be similar to wild-type, but the last half of the protein will have very different amino acids.

D

3. In chorionic villus cell sampling, a sample is obtained A. by removing blood from the umbilical cord. B. with a long needle to withdraw fluid that contains fetal cells. C. by removing cells from the mother's uterus. D. with a long suction tube to remove cells from the site of placenta development.

D

30. In the Meselson and Stahl experiments, the bacteria were grown in medium with "heavy N" (15N), so the initial DNA was all labeled with the heavy N. Then cells were transferred into medium containing only "light nitrogen" (14N), so subsequent DNA would be labeled with the lighter N. Lastly, they analyzed the position(s) of the DNA band(s) on a CsCl density gradient. Assuming the semiconservative model is true, what would they expect after three rounds of DNA replication in the new medium. A. There would be two bands with equal amounts of DNA in each. B. There would be three bands with equal amounts of DNA in each. C. There would be four bands with unequal amounts of DNA in each. D. There would be two bands with unequal amounts of DNA in each. E. There would be one band. F. There would be three bands with unequal amounts of DNA in each.

D

32. Which of the following statements about the relationship between R0 and Re is false? A. R0 is not influenced by social distancing, but Re is. B. R0 assumes no recovered individuals, but Re takes into account recovered individuals. C. R0 assumes no vaccination, but Re is affected by vaccination. D. R0 can be affected by mutation, but Re assumes no mutation.

D

32. You have heard an advertising jingle for a cleaning product multiple times. When you are in the store looking at cleaners, you are ___ likely to associate that brand with cleaning than the other brands due to ___. A. More // the Dunning Kruger effect B. More // confirmation bias C. Less // the Dunning Kruger effect D. More // cognitive ease E. Less // cognitive ease F. Less // confirmation bias

D

33. A DNA molecule has the sequence GATCGA. What sequence of amino acids does this code for? (Necessary information : DNA basepairs : T-A, A-T, C-G, G-C; RNA : U substitutes for T. Also see the table.) A. Pro-His B. Phe, Gln C. Asp, Arg D. Leu, Ala

D

37. Myc is an proto-oncogene/oncogene, BRCA is a tumor suppressor. Which of the statements below is true? A. Myc influences the cycle cell at all three checkpoints, but BRCA does not. B. Myc promotes tumorigenesis when inappropriately inactive, but BRCA promotes tumorigenesis when inappropriately active. C. Myc changes its activity as a result of mutation, but BRCA does not. D. 1 abnormal copy of myc can promote tumorigenesis but it takes 2 abnormal copies of BRCA to promote tumorigenesis.

D

38. Which of the following is true about El Niño and La Niña? A. In a neutral year the trade winds blow hot water from the east of Australia to the west coast of South America; in the El Niño years winds are stronger. B. In a neutral year the trade winds blow hot water from the west of South America to the east of Australia; in the El Niño years the trade winds are stronger. C. In a neutral year the trade winds blow hot water from the east of Australia towards the west coast of South America; in the El Niño years, the trade winds are less strong. D. In a neutral year the trade winds blow hot water from the west of South America to the east of Australia; in the El Niño years the trade winds are less strong.

D

6. Suppose that one proposed putting space-born opaque shields in outer space to shade parts of the earth. This would be considered: A SQL fenestration B Genetic engineering C CDR geoengineering D SRM geoengineering

D

7. What would be the advantage of using a microarray as opposed to a PCR reaction to look for genetic evidence that a patient has cancer, or is susceptible to cancer. A. The microarray takes a tiny sample, while the PCR requires the patient to give lots of blood. B. The microarray can test hundreds of patients at the same time and is thus much cheaper per patient. C. The base pairs are so small they can be better studied by a microarray than they can by PCR. D. A microarray can test for lots of different genetic sequences found in one patient.

D

8. One of the gene therapy approaches for sickle cell disease involves fetal hemoglobin. What is the general approach used here? A. To change the fetal hemoglobin gene in the patient so that the patient makes a different form of fetal hemoglobin. B. To destroy the fetal hemoglobin gene in the patient so that fetal hemoglobin is never made. C. To turn on a switch that causes the cells to make fetal hemoglobin. D. To turn off a switch that causes the cells to make non-fetal hemoglobin.

D

9. A mutation in a tumor suppressor gene can lead to cancer because these genes are involved in: A. creating the cleavage furrow. B. incorporating amino acids during translation. C. synthesizing mRNA during transcription. D. checking the DNA for damage during the cell cycle. E. aligning chromosomes during mitotic division.

D

An editor for a journal is selecting peer reviewers for a manuscript. Which of these qualifications is most important? A. The peer reviewer should be located at a major research university. B. The peer reviewer should enjoy reading manuscripts. C. The peer reviewer should be a native writer in the language of the journal. D. The peer reviewer should be an expert in the area.

D

Suppose that a t-test revealed a p-value of 0.04. What would you conclude? A. You would reject the null hypothesis and would say the differences are not significantly significant. B. You would not reject the null hypothesis and would say the differences are not significantly significant. C. You would not reject the null hypothesis and would say the differences are significantly significant. D. You would reject the null hypothesis and would say the differences are significantly significant.

D

Which of the following is the main difference between in vivo and ex vivo gene therapy? A. In ex vivo gene therapy, the actual addition of the gene into cells occurs inside the body, and in vivo gene therapy the gene is added into cells in the lab. B. Ex vivo gene therapy uses modified DNA of bacterial viruses, whereas in vivo gene therapy uses DNA isolated from the individual's own cells. C. Ex vivo gene therapy uses modified DNA of bacterial viruses, whereas in vivo gene therapy uses DNA isolated from human donor cells. D. In ex vivo gene therapy, the actual addition of the gene into cells occurs in the lab, and in vivo gene therapy the gene is added inside the patient's body.

D

12. Humans have 23 "sets" of chromosomes. Suppose that you are looking at a cell just entering M but before the separation of the chromosomes to the daughter cells. You would expect: A. 46 chromosomes each with 1 chromatid B. 92 chromosomes each with 1 chromatid C. 23 chromosomes each with 2 chromatids D. 92 chromosomes each with 2 chromatids E. 46 chromosomes each with 2 chromatids. F. 23 chromosomes each with 1 chromatid

E

22. Which of the following is a greenhouse gas whose output has markedly decreased to nearly zero. The reduced output of this gas has resulted in substantially less global warming than would otherwise have happened. A. Nitrous oxides B. Water vapor C. Methane D. Ozone E. CFC

E

Consider this pedigree. Individuals with sickle cell are denoted as filled in. Using this pedigree, person 1 must be_______ and person 2 must be _______. Hint 1 be as specific as possible given the data, hint 2: look at the data, not just the form of the pedigree. A. Person 1 could be heterozygous or homozygous and person 2 must be homozygous. B. Person 1 could be heterozygous or homozygous and person 2 could be heterozygous or homozygous. C. Person 1 must be homozygous and person 2 could be heterozygous or homozygous. D. Person 1 must be homozygous and person 2 must be heterozygous. E. Person 1 must be heterozygous and person 2 could be heterozygous or homozygous. F. Person 1 must be heterozygous and person 2 must be homozygous. G. Person 1 could be heterozygous or homozygous and person 2 must be heterozygous.

E