Unit 3 AP Biology Questions
Which of the following best explains how small molecules move between adjacent cells in a plant shoot?
The molecules pass freely through plasmodesmata, which are cytoplasmic strands connecting two cells.
The diagram above shows a developing worm embryo at the four-cell stage. Experiments have shown that when cell 3 divides, the anterior daughter cell gives rise to muscle and gonads and the posterior daughter cell gives rise to the intestine. However, if the cells of the embryo are separated from one another early during the four-cell stage, no intestine will form. Other experiments have shown that if cell 3 and cell 4 are recombined after the initial separation, the posterior daughter cell of cell 3 will once again give rise to normal intestine. Which of the following is the most plausible explanation for these findings?
A cell surface protein on cell 4 signals cell 3 to induce formation of the worm's intestine.
The diagram above illustrates feedback control as exerted by the hormone thyroxine. Following surgical removal of the thyroid gland, the level of TSH in the blood will increase. Which of the following best explains this increase?
A decrease in thyroxine levels means a loss of inhibition to the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary, leading to increased TSH secretion.
The mechanism of action of many common medications involves interfering with the normal pathways that cells use to respond to hormone signals. Which of the following best describes a drug interaction that directly interferes with a signal transduction pathway?
A medication enters the target cell and inhibits an enzyme that normally synthesizes a second messenger.
The diagram above represents a model of signal transduction pathways (I and II) in a cell that is targeted by two different hormones (H1 and H2). The components of the signal transduction pathways are identified in the figure legend. Each cellular molecule in both pathways can exist in an inactive or active form. When the components in pathway I are sequentially activated, the TAP molecules promote cell division. When the components in pathway II are sequentially activated, downstream signaling by the G protein is inhibited. Based on the model, which of the following mutations is most likely to result in a cell that will generate a cancerous tumor?
A mutation in the gene encoding G-PIP that results in a nonfunctional protein
The figure above shows a model of a ligand precursor being cleaved to produce an active ligand that binds to a specific receptor. Which of the following is most likely to reduce the binding of the active ligand to its receptor?
A mutation in the receptor gene that causes a substitution of a charged amino acid for a nonpolar amino acid in the ligand binding site of the receptor
Which of the following best describes the production of DMSP by coral and coral symbionts?
A negative feedback mechanism that reverses the environmental change
Damaged tissue releases chemicals that activate platelets and stimulate the formation of blood clots. Which of the following predictions about the activity of platelets best describes a positive feedback mechanism?
Activated platelets release chemicals that activate more platelets.
In mammals, an increase in the concentration of sodium in the blood triggers the release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) from the pituitary gland. As the concentration of sodium in the blood returns to previous levels, the release of ADH from the pituitary gland is reduced. Based on the information presented, which of the following describes the most likely role of ADH in maintaining blood osmolarity?
ADH promotes an increase in the movement of water into the bloodstream.
The endocrine system incorporates feedback mechanisms that maintain homeostasis. Which of the following demonstrates negative feedback by the endocrine system?
After a meal, blood glucose levels become elevated, stimulating beta cells of the pancreas to release insulin into the blood. Excess glucose is then converted to glycogen in the liver, reducing blood glucose levels.
Based on the model of ferritin synthesis presented in Figure 2, which of the following describes the role of feedback on the control of intracellular iron levels?
An increase in iron levels activates synthesis of ferritin protein. Ferritin protein in turn binds iron, thereby decreasing both free iron levels and ferritin synthesis.
The model shown in the figure represents the role of two hormones, calcitonin and parathyroid hormone (PTH), in maintaining normal blood calcium levels in humans. If a dietary change results in an increase in blood calcium concentration above normal levels, which of the following is the most likely effect on calcium homeostasis?
Calcitonin levels will rise, thus promoting the deposit of calcium into bones.
Ethylene gas is an organic molecule that serves many cell signaling roles in flowering plants. Which of the following best explains how a positive feedback mechanism involving ethylene works?
Cells of ripening fruit produce ethylene, which activates the ripening response in other fruit cells.
Researchers investigating the regulation of neurotransmitter release from presynaptic neurons proposed a model (Figure 1) in which CDK5 To test their model, the researchers used a modified version of green fluorescent protein (GFP*) GFP* exhibits a bright green fluorescence. In acidic conditions, GFP* exhibits no fluorescence. Using standard techniques, the gene encoding GFP* is easily introduced into living cells. By engineering the expression of GFP* in laboratory-cultured nerve cells, the researchers found that a bright green fluorescence was exhibited only when a presynaptic neuron was given a certain stimulus. Previous experiments indicate that CDK5 is active only when attached to a protein called p35 p35
Degradation of p35 results in increased synaptic activity
Notch is a receptor protein displayed on the surface of certain cells in developing fruit fly embryos. Notch's ligand is a membrane-bound protein called Delta that is displayed on the surface of adjacent cells. When Notch is activated by its ligand, the intracellular tail of the Notch protein becomes separated from the rest of the protein. This allows the intracellular tail to move to the cell's nucleus and alter the expression of specific genes. Which of the following statements best explains Delta's role in regulating cell communication through the Notch signaling pathway?
Delta restricts cell communication to short distances within a developing embryo.
Two types of cells, alpha and beta cells, produce signaling molecules that affect blood sugar levels in opposite ways (Figure 1). Epinephrine is a chemical, often released during periods of exercise, that ultimately causes an increase in blood sugar levels in the body. Based on Figure 1, which of the following best explains how exercise causes blood glucose levels to rise?
Epinephrine activates alpha cells, causing the release of glucagon, and inhibits beta cells, blocking the release of insulin.
Epinephrine is a protein hormone found in many animals. Epinephrine stimulates a signaling pathway that results in the breakdown of glycogen to glucose in the liver cells. Which of the following describes the initial steps in the process whereby epinephrine stimulates glycogen breakdown?
Epinephrine binds to a cell-surface receptor; the activated receptor stimulates production of the second messenger, cAMP
Which of the following claims is most consistent with the data shown in Figure 2 ?
Esp expression is necessary to prevent the overproduction of insulin.
The epinephrine signaling pathway plays a role in regulating glucose homeostasis in muscle cells. The signaling pathway is activated by the binding of epinephrine to the beta-2 adrenergic receptor. A simplified model of the epinephrine signaling pathway is represented in Figure 1. A researcher claims that the epinephrine signaling pathway controls a catabolic process in muscle cells. Which of the following statements best helps justify the researcher's claim?
Glycogen phosphorylase catalyzes the conversion of glycogen to glucose-1-phosphate.
The epinephrine signaling pathway plays a role in regulating glucose homeostasis in muscle cells. The signaling pathway is activated by the binding of epinephrine to the beta-2 adrenergic receptor. A simplified model of the epinephrine signaling pathway is represented in Figure 1. Based on Figure 1, which of the following statements best describes the epinephrine signaling pathway?
In involves enzymes activating other enzymes.
Based on the data, which of the following best represents how the mice with the implanted hESC-β cells use negative feedback to return blood glucose levels to normal if blood glucose levels increase?
Increased insulin secretion by hESC-β cells → increased glucose uptake by body cells → decreased insulin secretion by hESC-β cells
Cortisol is a hormone produced in response to stress, including starvation, in humans. Which of the following is most likely an immediate effect of a starvation-induced increase in cortisol secretion?
Increased mobilization of fatty acids from fat cells
In a certain signal transduction pathway, the binding of an extracellular molecule to a cell-surface protein results in a rapid increase in the concentration of cyclic AMP inside the cell. The cyclic AMP binds to and activates cytosolic enzymes that then activate other enzymes in the cell. Which of the following statements best describes the role of cyclic AMP in the signal transduction pathway?
It acts as a second messenger that helps relay and amplify the signal within the cell.
The epinephrine signaling pathway plays a role in regulating glucose homeostasis in muscle cells. The signaling pathway is activated by the binding of epinephrine to the beta-2 adrenergic receptor. A simplified model of the epinephrine signaling pathway is represented in Figure 1. Cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase is an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of cyclic AMP to a different molecule. Which of the following best predicts the effect of inhibiting cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase in a muscle cell stimulated by epinephrine?
Phosphorylase kinase will remain active because protein kinase A will no longer be deactivated.
Cell communication is critical for the function of both unicellular and multicellular eukaryotes. Which of the following is likely true of cell signaling?
Similar cell signaling pathways in diverse eukaryotes are evidence of conserved evolutionary processes.
n flowering plants, plasmodesmata are narrow channels through cell walls that connect the cytoplasms of adjacent cells. An explanation of how plant cells communicate across cell walls will most likely refer to the diffusion through plasmodesmata of which of the following?
Small, water-soluble molecules
A student claims that the Y chromosome contains the sex-determining region gene, known as the SRY gene, which causes male fetuses to develop testes. Which of the following provides correct information about cell signaling that supports the claim?
The SRY gene produces a protein that binds to specific regions of DNA in certain tissues, which affects the development of these tissues.
Type 1 diabetes results from the destruction of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Individuals with type 1 diabetes produce insufficient amounts of insulin, a hormone that regulates the concentration of glucose in the blood. Which of the following best explains how treatment with a drug that stimulates the production of insulin receptors on target cells will affect the insulin signaling pathway in an individual with type 1 diabetes?
The drug will have little or no effect on the signaling pathway because the receptors will not be activated in the absence of insulin.
Based on the data in Figure 2, which of the following best justifies the researchers' claim that hESC-β implants can functionally replace the mouse's naturally occurring β-cells?
The mouse with an hESC-β implant successfully regulated blood glucose levels after STZ treatment but not after the implant was removed.
Vertebrate immune responses involve communication over short and long distances. Which of the following statements best helps explain how cell surface proteins, such as MHC proteins and T cell receptors, mediate cell communication over short distances?
The proteins interact directly with proteins on the surfaces of other cells.
Which of the following best describes the scientists' findings concerning the density of symbionts presented in Figure 2 ?
The symbiont density at 32°C was different from the density at 27°C on days 5 and 10 of the experiment.
Based on the model of ferritin synthesis presented in Figure 2, which of the following best describes the mechanism whereby iron most likely regulates ferritin production?
Translation occurs under high intracellular iron concentration when the IRP-iron complex dissociates from ferritin mRNA, permitting ribosomes access to the ferritin coding region.
One approach to treating patients with pancreatic cancer and other cancers in which the Hedgehog protein is detected is to modify the Hedgehog signaling pathway. Which of the following is the most useful approach?
Treating patients with a membrane-soluble compound that can bind to Smo and block its activity
Precise regulation of specific hormone levels is required for optimal sperm production in mammals, as summarized in the figure above. Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are synthetic variants of testosterone that are sometimes abused by persons who desire to enhance their athletic performance or alter their physique. Assuming that AAS function in the same way as naturally occurring testosterone, it is most likely that long-term abuse of AAS would
reduce sperm production
The graph above shows changes in glucagon and insulin secretions at different concentrations of blood glucose. Which of the following feedback mechanisms is best supported by the data?
A low glucose level causes the release of glucagon, which stimulates the release of more glucose from tissues, which in turn lowers the amount of glucagon being released.
Researchers investigating the regulation of neurotransmitter release from presynaptic neurons proposed a model (Figure 1) in which CDK5. To test their model, the researchers used a modified version of green fluorescent protein (GFP*) GFP* exhibits a bright green fluorescence. In acidic conditions, GFP* exhibits no fluorescence. Using standard techniques, the gene encoding GFP* is easily introduced into living cells. By engineering the expression of GFP* in laboratory-cultured nerve cells, the researchers found that a bright green fluorescence was exhibited only when a presynaptic neuron was given a certain stimulus. Which of the following observations best supports the hypothesis that CDK5.
Inhibition of CDK5 activity in neurons increases the movement of synaptic vesicles to the plasma membrane in response to a specific stimulus.
Which of the following was a positive control in the experiment?
Normal strain
The epinephrine signaling pathway plays a role in regulating glucose homeostasis in muscle cells. The signaling pathway is activated by the binding of epinephrine to the beta-2 adrenergic receptor. A simplified model of the epinephrine signaling pathway is represented in Figure 1. Which of the following outcomes will most likely result from the irreversible binding of GDP to the G protein?
The intracellular concentration of glycogen will increase.
Based on the information provided, which of the following best justifies the claim that osteocalcin is a hormone?
The osteoblasts in the bone secrete osteocalcin, which causes cells in the pancreas to change their activity.
A researcher observes that mice from the mutant strain experience low blood sugar. Which of the following best describes the feedback mechanism in the pathway (Figure 1) causing the low blood sugar in the mutant strain?
The positive feedback of insulin production
In contrast to type 1 diabetes, where there is no insulin production, type 2 diabetes is characterized by a failure of body cells to respond normally to insulin. Based on the results of the experiment, which of the following best predicts the effectiveness of using hESC-β implantation to treat type 2 diabetes?
The treatment would fail because insulin produced by implanted hESC-β cells will not stimulate glucose uptake by body cells.
Trypsinogen is split by the enzyme enterokinase to form an activated molecule of the protease trypsin. Which of the following would confirm that the activation of trypsin is an example of how a positive feedback mechanism can amplify a biological process?
The trypsin produced by the reaction is capable of splitting and activating additional trypsinogen molecules.
Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) is important in maintaining homeostasis in mammals. ADH is released from the hypothalamus in response to high tissue osmolarity. In response to ADH, the collecting duct and distal tubule in the kidney become more permeable to water, which increases water reabsorption into the capillaries. The amount of hormone released is controlled by a negative feedback loop. Based on the model presented, which of the following statements expresses the proper relationship between osmolarity, ADH release, and urine production?
As tissue osmolarity rises, more ADH is released, causing less water to be excreted as urine.
Scientists compared the chemical structure of several molecules that various bacterial species use for quorum sensing. Quorum sensing is an ability some bacteria have to detect the number of related cells nearby. The chemical structure of some of these molecules found in certain species of bacteria are shown in Figure 1. Which of the following research questions would best guide an investigation of the link between the structure of the signaling molecules and the evolution of quorum sensing?
Did these species evolve from a common ancestor that used a similar signaling molecule?
Researchers investigating the regulation of neurotransmitter release from presynaptic neurons proposed a model (Figure 1) in which CDK5 To test their model, the researchers used a modified version of green fluorescent protein (GFP*) GFP* exhibits a bright green fluorescence. In acidic conditions, GFP* exhibits no fluorescence. Using standard techniques, the gene encoding GFP* is easily introduced into living cells. By engineering the expression of GFP* in laboratory-cultured nerve cells, the researchers found that a bright green fluorescence was exhibited only when a presynaptic neuron was given a certain stimulus. Based on the model, which of the following best explains how regulation of neurotransmitter release might increase the range of responses to a stimulus in the nervous system?
Different neurons in the same neural network can release different amounts of neurotransmitter.
Figure 1. A model of an endocrine signaling pathway showing involved body parts and hormones. GnRH = gonadotropin-releasing hormone, LH= luteinizing hormone, and FSH = follicle-stimulating hormone. Figure 1 shows a model of the endocrine signaling pathway that regulates ovulation. Which of the following observations would provide evidence of a positive feedback mechanism in this system?
Estrogen from the ovaries stimulates the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary to secrete more GnRH, LH, and FSH.
Ethylene is an organic compound produced by ripening fruits. In a controlled experiment, researchers found that ethylene gas stimulated the ripening process in newly harvested fruits. Which of the following describes the most likely connection between natural ethylene production and fruit ripening?
Ethylene gas is a chemical signal through which ripening fruits trigger the ripening process in other fruits.
Many human cells can be stimulated to divide by hormonelike growth factors that bind to receptor proteins (R) on the plasma membrane and trigger an internal signal-transduction cascade. In many cases, however, the process of contact inhibition prevents mitosis when cells are in direct contact with one another. Contact inhibition occurs when proteins called cell adhesion molecules (CAMs CAMs are replaced by another protein, called M. Both pathways are depicted in the figures below. Which of the following statements accurately uses the information presented to support the hypothesis that interruption of M function in a single body cell can result in cancer?
Growth-factor signaling can trigger mitosis in cells that are in direct contact with other cells.
Which of the following best describes the effect of insulin binding to the receptor on the osteoblast cells?
Insulin binding ultimately increases pancreatic secretion of additional insulin.
The epinephrine signaling pathway plays a role in regulating glucose homeostasis in muscle cells. The signaling pathway is activated by the binding of epinephrine to the beta-2 adrenergic receptor. A simplified model of the epinephrine signaling pathway is represented in Figure 1. Which of the following statements best describes the role of adenylyl cyclase in the epinephrine signaling pathway?
It accelerates the production of a second messenger.
Ethylene causes fruits to ripen. In a signaling pathway, receptors activate transcription factors, which ultimately leads to ripening. Which of the following best supports the claim that ethylene initiates the signal transduction pathway that leads to ripening of fruit?
Loss-of-function mutations in ethylene receptors result in changes to the ripening process.
Air is less dense at very high elevations, so less oxygen is available than in the denser air at sea level. Based on the model in Figure 1, if a person travels from sea level to a high elevation location, which of the following correctly predicts the response to the decreased blood oxygen level?
More erythropoietin will be secreted from the kidneys, increasing production of erythrocytes
Steroid hormones, such as testosterone, pass through the plasma membrane and bind to an intracellular protein, as shown in the diagram below. The hormone-receptor complex then enters the nucleus, where it interacts with DNA to promote transcription of a specific gene. Based on the information presented, which of the following will also occur in response to steroid signaling?
Production of a specific mRNA will increase as a result of the binding of the hormone-receptor complex to the DNA
Thyroxin is a hormone that increases metabolic activities within various tissue targets. Low levels of circulating thyroxin trigger the secretion of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from the anterior pituitary. TSH secretion then stimulates thyroxin production and release by the thyroid gland. The increased level of circulating thyroxin inhibits further secretion of TSH from the anterior pituitary. Based on the information provided, which of the following can most likely be concluded about the TSH-thyroxin loop?
The feedback mechanism would maintain relatively constant levels of thyroxin throughout tissue targets.
Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones that control cellular responses through several different signaling pathways. One of the signaling pathways involves the glucocorticoid receptor, an intracellular protein that is activated by binding to a glucocorticoid molecule. A simplified model of the glucocorticoid receptor signaling pathway is represented in Figure 1. Which of the following statements best predicts the effect of a mutation that results in a loss of the glucocorticoid receptor's ligand binding function?
The glucocorticoid receptor will remain associated with the accessory proteins.
Figure 1. A signaling cascade triggers the relaxation of smooth muscle cells. Blood vessels are surrounded by cells called smooth muscle cells. Nitric oxide triggers a signaling cascade in smooth muscle cells that causes the cells to relax (Figure 1). Which of the following is represented by the gradual increase in thickness of the arrows from the top to the bottom of Figure 1 ?
The number of signaling molecules that are produced or activated increases with each step in the pathway.
The coagulation cascade controls blood clot formation in response to blood vessel injury. Thrombin is an enzyme that plays a key role in regulating the coagulation cascade. A simplified model of thrombin's role in regulating the coagulation cascade is represented in Figure 1. Argatroban is a competitive inhibitor of thrombin. Which of the following effects on the coagulation cascade is most likely to result from inhibiting thrombin activity with argatroban?
The rate of fibrin formation will decrease.
Pyruvate dehydrogenase is an enzyme that converts pyruvate to acetyl-CoA. Acetyl-CoA is further metabolized in the Krebs cycle. A researcher measured the accumulation of acetyl-CoA in a reaction containing pyruvate and pyruvate dehydrogenase under several different conditions (Figure 1). Which of the following observations provides the best evidence that acetyl-CoA negatively regulates pyruvate dehydrogenase activity?
The rate of the pyruvate dehydrogenase-catalyzed reaction is slower in the presence of a higher concentration of acetyl-CoA.
Two types of cholesterol transport proteins, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL), bind to cholesterol and carry it through the bloodstream. Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is characterized by high cholesterol levels in the blood, which can lead to cardiovascular disease. FH is associated with a loss-of-function mutation of a gene that encodes LDL receptors in liver cells. Individuals who are heterozygous produce lower-than-normal amounts of the LDL receptors, and individuals who are homozygous for the mutant allele have no LDL receptor function. Individuals with FH can be treated with drugs that result in increased production of LDL receptors in liver cells. Which of the following best explains the observation that the drugs can effectively control blood cholesterol levels in individuals who are heterozygous but are not effective in individuals homozygous for the mutant allele?
There must be at least one copy of the wild-type LDL receptor allele to produce functional LDL receptors.
