Download Questions for Interviews Winter 2016 Frameshift Question Purpose

Questions for Interviews
Winter 2016
Frameshift Question
Purpose of interviews: Do students need more information regarding the DNA structure? Will they
wonder where the enhancer is? Do they need both strands of DNA?
V1.
The following is a DNA sequence. The coding sequence of the gene is in bold and italicized and the
promoter is underlined.
DNA 5’ T G*A A G G A A T T A T A A T A C G A C C A T G A T G T A C G C A T A A A C G T 3’
A mutation occurs in which a base (T) is inserted into the DNA sequence at the position marked with an
asterisk before transcription begins. How will this alteration influence the mRNA sequence (made from
this sequence?)?
V2.
The following is a DNA sequence. The coding sequence of the gene is in bold and italicized and the
promoter is underlined.
DNA 5’ T G*A A G G A A T T A T A A T A C G A C C A T G A T G T A C G C A T A A A C G T 3’
3’ A C T T C C T T A A T A T T A T G C T G G T A C T A C A T G C G T A T T T G C A 5’
A mutation occurs in which a base (T) is inserted into the DNA sequence at the position marked with an
asterisk before transcription begins. How will this alteration influence the mRNA sequence (made from
this sequence)?
Cell membrane question(s)
Q1. Write/Provide a biological explanation for how phospholipids can arrange themselves into a
spherical membrane in an aqueous (water) environment.
Q2. How would a biologist explain the characteristics of a molecule that can pass through a pure
phospholipid bilayer membrane containing no proteins?
Nondisjunction question
V1. If a child is born with two X chromosomes and one Y chromosome, describe all the different possible
ways this could have happened during the production of sperm and/or egg by the child’s parents.
V2. A child is born with two X chromosomes and one Y chromosome. One way this can occur is due to
nondisjunction in the production of the egg. Explain another way this could occur.
Mutation vs. Mutant Question
V1 (original) The words mutant and mutation are commonly used in the English language. How would a
biologist define the word “mutation?”
V2. The words mutant and mutation are commonly used in the English language. In one sentence, how
would a biologist define the word “mutation?”
Recessive Inheritance Question
V1 (original). If neither parent has a trait but some of their offspring do, what would you conclude about
the inheritance of the trait?
V2. Describe the mechanism by which some of the offspring of two parents could have a trait that
neither parent possesses.
V3. A biologist observes that neither parent has a trait but some of their offspring do. How would the
biologist describe the inheritance of this trait?
Calvin Cycle Question
V1 (original). Are products from the Calvin cycle required for the light reactions? Explain your reasoning
V1 newA: Explain how products from the Calvin cycle are used in the light reactions.
V1 newB: something about a change in the normal products? Someone else should write this.
Don’t use? V2. What products from the Calvin cycle are required for the light reactions?
Sex chromosomes vs. autosomes ?
3. A woman and a man have the same mutation in a gene on the X chromosome, which leads to no
protein product being made from this gene. Each of them has one copy of this mutation. How would a
biologist: A. explain how this mutation could affect the woman? B. explain how this mutation could
affect the man?
Genetic code ?
4. A scientist researching a gene in human uses mice to conduct her research because mice have a gene
that is very similar to the human gene. When the scientist looks at the human and mouse DNA and
amino acid sequences for these similar genes, she finds that the amino acid sequences are more similar
than the DNA sequences. How would she explain this finding?