AUF SOM DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY UNIT EXAM IN NUCLEIC ACIDS July 29, 2013 NAME ____________________________________________________________________ I. MULTIPLE CHOICE.

Please write the letter of the BEST ANSWER.

______1. The carbon atom of the sugar that is involved in the formation of the beta Nglycosidic bond in the sugar-base moiety in nucleic acids. A. Carbon 1 B. Carbon 2 C. Carbon 5 D. Carbon 3

______2. What type of bond is formed between a phosphate group and a sugar in the phosphate- sugar backbone? A. ionic bond B. electrostatic bond ______3. C. Hydrogen bond D. covalent

What type of bond is affected during the denaturation of Nucleic Acids? C. Non covalent D. Ionic bond

A. Hydrogen bond B. covalent bond

______4. What specific technique was used in the 1950s to identify the exact chemical structure of DNA? A. SDS PAGE B. X-ray crystallography ______5. C. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance D. Western blot

Which is a function of DNA?

A. carries the information to the site of protein synthesis B. carries the genetic code C. building blocks of proteins D. stores genetic information ______6. Which of the following major structures of DNA is left handed? B. B DNA D. C DNA

A. Z DNA C. A DNA ______7.

Which level of the DNA structure has a packing ratio of around 10? C. Solenoid D.A chromosome in metaphase

A. Bare double-helix DNA B. 10 nm fibril of nucleosome ______8. A. B. C. D.

It is the distance measured in one single turn of the DNA helix (B form) : 0.34 nm 34 nm 3.4 nm Distance would depend if measurement was done in the major or minor groove.

______9.

True of messenger RNA :

A. It is the end product of transcription. B. Monocistronic mRNA codes for only one polypeptide and is usually seen in prokaryotes. C. It transports amino acids to site of protein synthesis. D. It helps the ribosome by catalyzing the formation of peptide bonds during protein synthesis. ______10. : A. B. C. D. ______11. There are forces or interactions that stabilizes the DNA duplex. These include

The phosphodiester bonds N Beta glycosidic bonds between sugars and bases Hydrophobic interactions of successive base pairs peptide bonds contributed by histones Conformation of DNA found in DNA-RNA hybrids C DNA B DNA

A. Z DNA B. A DNA ______12.

The default or the physiologic DNA seen in the cell C DNA B DNA

A. Z DNA B. A DNA

______13. Occur naturally in regions of DNA that have a sequence of alternating purines and pyrimidines (e.g. poly GC) A. Z DNA B. A DNA C DNA B DNA

______14. Which statement best depicts the principles on DNA emphasized by the Chargaffs rules? A. The base composition of DNA generally is essentially the same among eukaryotes. B. DNA isolated from the skin of humans has the same base composition as the ones isolated from the human liver. C. The base composition of DNA of an infant differs from an elderly. D. A=G and C=T ______15. True of Histone H1 EXCEPT: C. Rich in Arginine D. Found in linker DNA

A. Most tissue-specific and species-specific B. Not found in nucleosome core II. ENUMERATION

For Numbers 16 & 17 : Give at least (2) two differences between DNA and RNA : _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ For Numbers 18 & 19 : Mention at least (2) differences between B DNA and A DNA: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________

III.

STRUCTURE (2 points) For Numbers 20 & 21

Illustrate : A Nucleotide /The Perfect Trio. Show specific carbons involved in the Phosphoester and glycosidic bonds. No need to draw the nitrogenous base ;-)

IV.

NOMENCLATURE For Numbers 22 to 25.

Your are to synthesize a DNA molecule. Write the name of the corresponding NUCLEOSIDE using the available bases below. Base 22. Guanine 23. Cytosine 24. Thymidine 25. Adenine Bonus point : The DNA is a double helix, others use the analogy of the ladder. What structures form the rungs of the DNA ladder? Nucleoside ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________

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