Download Biology DNA MCAS questions

BIOLOGY
DNA MCAS
QUESTIONS
Which of the following statements describes
a DNA molecule?
A. It contains the base uracil.
B. It has a double helix shape.
C. It contains five phosphate groups per
nucleotide.
D. It has a backbone of twenty different
nucleotides.
 Which
of the following units are
repeatedly joined together to form a
strand of DNA?
A. amino acids
B. fatty acids
C. nucleotides
D. polysaccharides
The diagram represents a process that occurs
in the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell.
Which of the following statements describes
what is happening in this process?
A. Molecules of RNA are forming
chromosomes.
B. A molecule of mRNA is directing the
production of tRNA.
C. Molecules of DNA are being packaged for
export to the ribosomes.
D. A molecule of DNA is being replicated to
make two identical copies.
 In
a molecule of double-stranded DNA,
the amount of adenine present is always
equal to the amount of
A. cytosine.
B. guanine.
C. thymine.
D. uracil.

The diagram below shows a pair of DNA
nucleotides. The nitrogenous base guanine (G) is
labeled.
Which nitrogenous base pairs with guanine?
A. adenine (A)
B. cytosine (C)
C. thymine (T)
D. uracil (U)
 Radon
is a radioactive gas that is sometimes
present in homes. If radon is inhaled, its decay
products are deposited in the lungs.
Radioactive particles can penetrate cells and
cause changes to the cells’ DNA. These
changes in DNA are an example of which of
the following?
A. homeostasis
B. mitosis
C. mutation
D. transcription
Which
molecule typically has a
double helix shape?
 A.cellulose
 B.DNA
 C.glucose
 D.tRNA
 Which
of the following describes the
function of DNA?
A. encoding genetic information
B. storing energy in chemical bonds
C. speeding up biochemical reactions
D. destroying substances that enter
the cell
A single nucleotide of DNA is composed of which of
the following substances?
A. adenine, guanine, and cytosine
 B. hydrogen, a phosphate group, and adenine
 C. ribose sugar, deoxyribose sugar, and
thymine
 D. deoxyribose sugar, a phosphate group, and a
nitrogenous base

In phenylketonuria (PKU), an enzyme that
converts one amino acid into another does not work
properly. Which of the following is the most likely
cause of this genetic condition?
A. an error in the transcription of the gene for the
enzyme
B. a mutation in the DNA sequence that codes for the
enzyme
C. an excess of the amino acids necessary to produce
the enzyme
D. a structural variation in the amino acid modified
by the enzyme

The table below presents a variety of mRNA three-base
sequences (codons) and the amino acids for which these
sequences code.
 Based on the information in the table, which of the
following changes is least likely to produce a phenotypic
change in an organism?
1 Base
2 base
3 base
Amino Acid
A. GAU to GGU
of mRNA of mRNA of mRNA
G
A
A
Glutamic acid
B. GAU to GUU
C
Aspartic acid
C. GAU to GAA
G
Glutamic acid
D. GAU to GAC
U
Aspartic acid

st
nd
G
U
rd
A
Glycine
C
Glycine
G
Glycine
U
Glycine
A
Valine
C
Valine
G
Valine
U
Valine

The diagram below represents the beginning and end
products of a process that occurs in the nucleus of a
cell.
Which process does the diagram represent?
A. recombination
B. replication
C. transcription
D. translation

A
laboratory technique called polymerase
chain reaction (PCR) produces millions of
copies of a DNA molecule in only a few hours.
PCR is most similar to which of the following
cellular processes?
A. mitosis
B. replication
C. transcription
D. translocation
 During
DNA replication, the wrong
nucleotide was inserted in the DNA
sequence. Which of the following
terms describes this situation?
 A.
mutation
 B. regeneration
 C. transcription
 D. translation

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a hereditary disease
that destroys brain cells. In individuals with HD,
the functioning of a specific protein is altered, and
this leads to the disease’s effects. Which of the
following is the most likely cause of the altered
protein function in individuals with HD?
A. a mutation in the DNA sequence that codes for the
protein
B. an increase in the amount of fat rather than
protein in the diet
C. a decrease in the amount of glucose and amino
acids in the blood
D. a structural abnormality in the endoplasmic
reticulum of brain cells
 Which
of the following features of
DNA is most important in
determining the traits of an
organism?
A. the direction of the helical twist
B. the number of deoxyribose sugars
C. the sequence of nitrogenous bases
D. the strength of the hydrogen bonds

Which of the following models most accurately
represents the structure of DNA?
 In
a eukaryotic cell, which of the following
processes directly involves DNA?
A. translation
B. cellular respiration
C. active transport of ions
D. replication of chromosomes
A portion of one strand of a DNA molecule has
the sequence shown below.
ACCTGAAGG
 Assuming there are no mutations in this portion
of the DNA, what is the corresponding sequence
on the complementary DNA strand?

A. ACCTGAAGG
B. GTTCAGGAA
C. TGGACTTCC
D. TGGACUUCC
The diagram below represents a small section of a
DNA molecule.
ATTCGGGATATT
Which section of DNA represents the complementary
strand to the section of DNA above?




A.
B.
C.
D.
ATTCGGGATATT
TTATAGGGCTTA
TAAGCCCTATAA
AATATCCCGAAT
A DNA sequence is shown below.
TAGGAGCAT
What is produced when the sequence is transcribed?
A. a chain of three amino acids
 B. a set of three tRNA molecules
 C. a section of DNA with the base sequence
ATCCTCGTA
 D. a section of mRNA with the base sequence
AUCCUCGUA


The diagram below represents the expression of the genetic
code in organisms. Three parts of the diagram are labeled
X, Y, and Z.
What do X, Y, and Z represent in the diagram?

A.
X is replication, Y is a gene, and Z is mutation.

B.
X is crossing over, Y is DNA, and Z is mitosis.

C.
X is transcription, Y is mRNA, and Z is translation.

D.
X is meiosis, Y is a chromosome, and Z is transport.

The diagram below shows a process that occurred in the nucleus
of a cell.
Which of the following statements describes what happened in this
process?

A.
DNA was translated.

B.
DNA was converted to RNA.

C.
A mutation occurred as DNA was replicated.

D.
Pieces of DNA from different chromosomes were joined.
 An
enzyme moves along a strand of DNA and
produces a new nucleic acid strand. Part of the
new strand is shown below.
 GUACUCGGCAAUUUCGCA
Which of the following cellular processes created
the new strand?
 A. active transport
 B. translation
 C. replication
 D. transcription
Which of the following statements describes each new
molecule of DNA produced when DNA replicates?
A. Each new molecule is half the length of the
original molecule.
 B. Each new molecule has only the coding portions
of the original molecule in its sequence.
 C. Each new molecule contains one strand from
the original molecule and one newly synthesized
strand.
 D. Each new molecule retains the A, C, and G
bases in the DNA sequence but replaces the T base
with U.

 The
diagram below shows a pair of DNA
nucleotides. The nitrogenous base guanine (G)
is labeled.
Which nitrogenous base pairs with guanine?
 A. adenine (A)
 B. cytosine (C)
 C. thymine (T)
 D. uracil (U)

The diagram below represents the beginning and
end products of a process that occurs in the
nucleus of a cell.
Which process does the diagram represent?
 A. recombination
 B. replication
 C. transcription
 D. translation

Which
of the following processes
produces the nucleotide sequence
UUA from the sequence AAT?
 A.meiosis
 B.replication
 C.respiration
 D.transcription
SAMPLE OPEN RESPONSE QUESTIONS
 DNA
replication and transcription
are important processes in cells.
Identify the end products of both
DNA replication and transcription.
Be specific in your answer.

Explain the importance of each process
in eukaryotic cells.
SAMPLE OPEN RESPONSE QUESTIONS
 DNA
is found in the cells of all organisms.
The structure of DNA is directly linked to
its function. Describe the function of DNA
in organisms.


Draw and label a simple model of DNA that
includes the sugar/phosphate backbone and
nitrogenous bases.
Explain how the structure of DNA enables it to
perform the function you described in part (a).
BE ABLE TO:
Draw and label a nucleotide
 Draw the phases of Mitosis
 Identify all parts of cell involved in Mitosis
 Compare and contrast DNA & RNA
 Replication, Transcription, Translation
 Chromatin – Chromosome – Chromatid
 Centromere
 Centriole
