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Category 2 Practice Questions- Mechanisms of Genetics

1. The four butterflies in the illustrations represent the offspring in the F 1 generation.
Which statement is best supported by the
phenotypes of these offspring?
A. The F1 generation is composed only of males.
B. Two of the offspring in the F1 generation will not be
able to reproduce
C. The F1 generation is the result of a dihybrid cross
D. Two of the offspring in the F1 generation will
experience a spontaneous mutation

2. The survival of a species depends on its ability to adapt to changes in the environment. A
species must be capable of surviving and reproducing despite changes to food sources,
climate, or threats from predators. Which statement correctly describes a way that
mutations increase the likelihood that a species will survive in a changing environment?
A. Mutations are a source of variation in the species.
B. Mutations are the cause of disease in the species.
C. Mutations are not harmful when they occur in somatic cells of the species.
D. Mutations are always passed on to subsequent generations of the species.

3. During meiosis, homologous chromosomes exchange genetic material. This exchange of

genetic material
A. increases the genetic variation
B. reduces the diploid number to the haploid number
C. increases the haploid number to the diploid number
D. reduces the probability of mutations

4. The initial steps in gene expression are modeled below.

Double-stranded DNA first unwinds into two strands.

Which process and product are represented in

Diagram 2?
A. Process: transcription; product: mRNA
B. Process: translation; product: protein
C. Process: replication; product: tRNA
D. Process: recombination; product: polymerase

5. Human bone, muscle, and nerve cells all contain

the same number of chromosomes with the same complement of genes.
What enables these cells to perform specialized activities?
A. The ability of some cells to remove unnecessary DNA sequences
 B. The regulation of gene expression within each cell type
C. The mutation of genes within each cell type
D. The use of different methods of cell division

6. Nitrogenous bases are located on both strands of the DNA double helix. What is the
significance of the nitrogenous bases?
A. The number of adenines and cytosines determines the type of RNA that will be
produced.
B. The order of nitrogenous bases determines the order of amino acids in the proteins
synthesized.
C. The amount of thymine and guanine in the DNA molecules determines the length of
the genes.
D. The type of hydrogen bonding between the nitrogenous bases determines which
amino acid will be added to the peptide chain.

7. In the early 1980s scientists were able to produce two biomolecules by splicing a human
gene into the bacterium E. coli to make recombinant human insulin and growth hormone.
Which statement best explains why this experiment was successful?
A. Human cells are eukaryotic, and E. coli cells are prokaryotic.
B. All living organisms share the same genome.
C. The genes for all organisms are composed of the same building blocks.
D. The human body contains many types of bacteria, including E. coli.

8. Chickens can have different types of feathers. Frizzled feathers curl toward a chickens
head. Assume that feather type is determined by a single gene and that the allele for
frizzled feathers is dominant over the allele for straight feathers. In a cross between two
chickens with straight feathers, what percentage of the offspring can be expected to have
frizzled feathers?
A. 0%
B. 25%
C. 50%
D. 100%

9. Organisms can be classified based on homology, which is shared characteristics inherited

from a common ancestor. In the past, homologies were based on studies of anatomical
structures and patterns of embryonic development. In more recent years, the use of
molecular biology techniques has allowed homologies to be compared at the level of
nucleotide sequences. Nucleotide sequence comparisons are possible because all
organisms share which of the following?

A. DNA bases D. Types of proteins needed for cellular

B. Cellular organelles functions
C. Division of the nuclear chromosomes E.
10.The table shows a DNA sequence and three types of mutations that can change the DNA
sequence.

F.
G. Which mutation will cause translation to stop?

A. Mutations 1 and 3 only C. Mutation 2 only

B. Mutation 1 only D. Mutations 1, 2, and 3

E.
11.Each strand of a DNA molecule contains nitrogenous bases that pair with other
nitrogenous bases in very specific ways. A diagram of a section of DNA is shown.

F.

G. Which DNA strand is complementary to the one shown above?

A.

B.

C.
 D.
H.
12.A segment of DNA is represented in the illustration. How is information for a
specific protein carried on the DNA molecule?
I.
A. As a sequence of nucleotides
B. In the double-helix shape of the condensed chromosome
C. In the ratio of adenines to thymines
D. As a pattern of phosphates and sugars
J.
K.
L.
13.Facial dimples and free earlobes are both considered dominant human traits. What are the
expected phenotypes of the offspring of a female with dimples and free earlobes (DDFf)
and a male with no dimples and attached earlobes (ddff)?
M.
A. 50% with dimples and free earlobes and 50% with dimples and attached earlobes
B. 50% with dimples and free earlobes and 50% with no dimples and attached earlobes
C. 75% with dimples and free earlobes and 25% with no dimples and attached earlobes
D. 75% with dimples and attached earlobes and 25% with no dimples and free earlobes
N.
O.
P.
Q.
R.
S.
T.
U.
V.
14.Human body cells each have 46 chromosomes in their nuclei. Meiosis is necessary in order
to ensure that each gamete produced in the human body has
W.
A. 12 chromosomes C. 46 chromosomes
B. 23 chromosomes D. 92 chromosomes
E.
F.
G.
15.Sexual reproduction in animals depends on the production of gametes. Which of these
processes produces gametes in animals?
H. A Mitosis B Fertilization C Meiosis D Binary fission
I.
J.
16.Sickle-shaped red blood cells result from a mutation in the gene that codes for
hemoglobin. This mutation results in sickle-cell anemia. A partial sequence of bases from a
normal hemoglobin gene and a sequence that results in sickle-cell anemia are shown
below.

K.
L. What type of mutation is depicted in this sequence?
 M. A Substitution
N. B Insertion
O. C Deletion
P. D Frameshift
17. A student builds a model of a DNA
strand.

Q.
R.
S. Which of these models of a DNA strand
shows bases that are complementary to
the ones on the students DNA model?
T.
U.
V.
W.
X.
Y.
18. The sequence of nitrogenous bases in DNA varies widely. The sequence of the bases
in DNA is most important for which of the following?
Z.
AA. A Providing the instructions for the traits of an organism
AB. B Preventing mutations from occurring during DNA replication
AC. C Allowing the DNA to have the shape necessary for replication
AD. D Helping form the sugar-phosphate backbone of DNA molecules

AE.

19.Four different types of cells are shown below.

AF.
AG.
AH.

AH.

Which characteristic is
shared by all four cells?
AI.
A. A mechanism for transforming sunlight C. Membrane-bound organelles that
into energy transport substances
B. Self-locomotion D. Genetic material composed of DNA
AJ. 20.
AK.
21.In 1952 Rosalind Franklin took the x-ray photograph shown below, which gave the world its
first look at DNA. By studying this photograph, scientists gained knowledge about the
 A. role of DNA in protein synthesis
B. mutation of nucleotide sequences in DNA
C. sequence of DNA that makes up the human genome
D. double-helix structure of DNA
22.The picture below shows a persons karyotype.
AL.Which of the following can best be determined by
examining this karyotype?
AM.
AN. A The presence of an additional
chromosome
AO. B The presence of a
homozygous genotype
AP. C The persons genome
AQ. D The persons phenotype
AR.

AS.

AT.

AU.
AV.
AW.
23.Tomato plants usually have hairy stems. Hairless stems are present in tomato plants that
are homozygous recessive for this trait. If the stem characteristics are determined by a
single gene, what is the expected outcome of crossing two tomato plants that are
heterozygous for hairy stems?
AX.
AY. A 75% hairy stems: 25% hairless stems
AZ.
BA. B 100% hairy stems
BB.
BC. C 100% hairless stems
BD.
BE. D 50% hairy stems: 50% hairless stems
BF.
BG.
BH.
24.A section of a nucleic acid is shown below.

BI.

BJ. The process represented in the diagram produces a molecule that is complementary to the
template strand of DNA. What type of molecule is produced?

BK. A New DNA BM. C Messenger RNA

BL.B Polypeptide BN. D Carbohydrate

BO.
25.A model of a DNA molecule is shown below. The arrow indicates
A. the bond between adjacent phosphate and
deoxyribose molecules
B. the junction of introns and exons in the sense strand of
DNA
C. the hydrogen bond between complementary
nucleotides
D. the junction of a codon and a DNA triplet

BP.

26.Crossing-over between nonsister chromatids during meiosis is significant in heredity. This

process most likely leads to an increase in which of the following?
 A. The expression of dominant B. Number of gametes
traits C. The occurrence of polyploidy
D. Genetic variation

E.

27.Characteristics such as a widows peak or attached earlobes are determined by the

genetic code. Which components of DNA are referred to as the genetic code?

A. Phosphate groups C. Deoxyribose sugars

B. Nitrogenous bases D. Hydrogen bonds
 E.

28.In cocker spaniels the allele for a black coat color (B) is dominant over the allele for a
brown coat color (b). If a brown cocker spaniel is crossed with a heterozygous black cocker
spaniel, which of the following genotypic ratios can be expected?

F. F 0 BB: 2 Bb: 2 bb

G. G 1 BB: 2 Bb: 1 bb

H. H 2 BB: 0 Bb: 2 bb

I. J 2 BB: 1 Bb: 0 bb

J.

29. How does DNA in cells determine an organisms complex traits?

A. DNA contains codes for proteins, which are necessary for the growth and functioning of an
organism.
B. DNA separates into long single strands that make up each part of an organism.
C. DNA produces the energy an organism needs in order to grow.
D. DNA folds into the nucleus of each of the cells of an organism.
K.

30. The fact that a strain of yeast with a certain defective gene can use the human version of
the gene to repair itself is evidence that yeast and humans
A. depend on the same food supply
B. share a genetic code
C. both have eukaryotic cells
D. have identical genomes