Molecular Biology Answers

Construct an ‘enlarged cell’ map on an 8.5” x 11” o r 11” x 14” sheet of paper (one

side only!!). You must draw t he entire process of t ranscription and t ranslation l inking

the terms (below) with arrows a nd connecting words (n o sentences please! ). Maps

should be neat and attractive. You may add more t erms i f you wish, but you must use a t

least all of t he f ollowing:

5’ cap, spliceosomes, non-coding DNA strand, poly A t ail, ribosomes (large and

small subunits), precursor-mRNA, exons, i ntrons, start codon (AUG), RNA

Polymerase, promoter (TATA box), mRNA, TAC (on DNA strand), polypeptide, t RNA

with anticodon (be specific), amino acids (be specific), release f actor

Note:

2

nd diagram: Show how the leading strand (at least 8 nucleotides long) undergoes

replication. Make sure to show specific nucleotides (show at least 20 nucleotides on

the parent of the complementary leading strand).

● Label the polarity of both strands.

● Indicate direction of replication fork and direction of leading strand replication.

● Include all enzymes involved in the replication of this leading strand. Make sure to

indicate in your drawing where the enzyme(s) would be working on the DNA

molecule.

1

st diagram: Show your original double stranded DNA molecule with specific

nucleotides (show at least 20 nucleotides per strand).

● Include the necessary enzyme(s) required to initiate replication.

● Make sure you indicate in your drawing where the enzyme(s) would be working

on the DNA molecule.

● Label the polarity of both strands.

Using a series of labeled diagrams, show how a double stranded DNA molecule

would undergo replication. No computer generated diagrams please!

If an error occurred during DNA replication, what enzyme would be responsible for

correcting this error? How does it go about doing so?

From a hospital patient afflicted with a mysterious illness, you isolate and culture and

then purify DNA from the culture. You find that the DNA sample obtained from the

culture contains two different kinds of DNA; one was labeled as double-stranded

human DNA and the other was labeled as single stranded viral DNA. However, a

mix-up occurred and the labels were accidentally removed from the test tubes. How

can you figure out which test tube contains which DNA, if you only have access to

the nucleotides in each sample?

There are three histologic specimens of cartilaginous tissue. Two of them are stained with 

hematoxylin-eosin, and one histologic specimen is stained with orcein. What fibres and in what 

type of cartilaginous tissue can be determined by such dyes? What functional properties of the 

cartilaginous tissue do they cause?

1.  As an environmental engineer, you will follow the scientific method and start your work by generating a hypothesis first.

Formulate a hypothesis on how bacterial cells use their characteristics to take up hydrocarbons from oil spills. Specify the mode of transport through the cell membrane (active vs. passive/endocytosis vs. exocytosis) and support your claim with scientific reasoning.

Describe how these bacterial cells would take up hydrocarbons if:

-     they only possessed a cell membrane and lacked the cell wall.

-     they possessed membrane-bound organelles such as vesicles.

Include in your answer the lipid bilayer, structural components of cell membranes and those of cell walls and discuss the selective permeability characteristic of membranes. 

What is the name of a protein that is used for structures?

Questions:

1. What are the major organizational levels among living things? Briefly discuss each level and

give examples.

2. What are the steps of scientific method? Discuss each step briefly.

3. What are the four (4) biomolecules present among living things? Briefly discuss their

function.

4. Discuss the two phases of photosynthesis.

5. Choose one (1) human organ system. Discuss the system’s function and parts. Give an

example of a disease related to the system.

6. What are the hierarchy levels of the current taxonomic classification among living

organisms? Give an example of an organism and state its taxonomic classification based on

the hierarchal levels.