Unit#2 MCB Flashcards
Regulation of Gene Expression
What is the most common use of northern blotting?
A. Measuring the level of expression of specific genes in different tissues
B. Detecting RFLP’s
C. Detecting SNPs
D. Measuring the amounts of a specific tRNA in different tissues.
E. Measuring the amounts of a specific protein in different tissues.
A. Measuring the level of expression of specific genes in different tissues.
Northern Blotting: * Detect RNA molecules of specific sequence and determine their size * Semi-quantitative * Detect Differences in expression between different tissues (Gene expression analysis) * Detect alternatively spliced transcripts.
A 35-year-old male is receiving chemotherapy for a brain tumour. He has been prescribed vinblastine as part of his chemotherapeutic regimen. Vinblastine functions to block mitosis by which of the following means?
A. Hydrolyzing tubulin-GTP, promoting rapid microtubule depolymerisation
B. Binding to free tubulin dimers preventing polymerisation
C. Preventing microtubule formation by capping and severing the growing end.
D. Preventing formation of the contractile ring during cytokinesis
E. Stabilizing existing microtubules, preventing recycling of tubulin dimers.
B. Binding to free tubulin dimers preventing polymerization.
Vincristine, vinblastine and colchisine all block microtubule polymerization by binding to the tubulin dimers, Paclitaxel blocks microtubule depolymerization by stabilizing existing microtubules.
A Plasmid is:
a. an ionized gas
b. single-stranded DNA
c. A viral vector
d. Capable of self replication in a bacterial host.
e. A type of flat-screen TV
F. about 10^6 bp in size.
Answer: D. Capable of self-replication in a bacterial host.
Vectors:
*Carry the DNA of interest.
*Modified from naturally occurring vectors.
*Replicate in the host, independently of the host genome
*Modified to allow easy cloning, antibiotic selection, gene expression, etc. Examples:
- Plasmids are widely used, carry relatively small loads of cDNAs
- Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes (BACs), carry larger loads, for example genomic chromosomal fragments
- Viral Vectors, are mainly used for delivery of DNA into animals/humans for example in gene therapy.
Total proteins are isolated from a muscle biopsy. The proteins are separated by SDS-PAGE and then blotted to a PVDF membrane. The dystrophin protein is then detected using a dystrophin-specific antibody. The Technique is know as…. A. Southern Blotting
B. Western Blotting
C. Northern Blotting
D. South-western Blotting
E. Eastern Blotting.
A. Western Blotting Western Blotting:
- Proteins are separated by SDS-PAGE
- Transferred to a membrane
- Probed with an antibody against the protein of interest.
- Enzymatic detection of the antibody . Detect specific Proteins and determine their size. . Semi quantitative . Detect differences in expression between different tissues.
A biotech company is developing a gene therapy that might extend the life of humans and is based on the over expression of a gene that protects cells from harmful superoxides generated by the Mitochondria. They want to test their strategy in a mouse model before beginning clinical trials in humans. The gene driven by an augmented promoter is inserted into an expression vector and microinjected into a mouse oocyte. the oocyte is mated with a sperm cell in vitro, and the new zygote is then implanted into a pseudopregnant female. What is the best term for the offspring that result?
A. Cloned Mice
B. Treated Mice
C. Transgenic Mice
D. Knock-out Mice E. Knock-in-Mice
C. Transgenic Mice Transgenic Organisms:
* Organisms that have had exogenous DNA added to their genomes that can be stably transmitted in a heritable manner.
* Aka. Genetically engineered or genetically modified organisms.
Transgene:
* The exogenous DNA that is added to the organism. In simple transgenics, the transgene incorporates randomly into the genome. ( Usually gain-of-function)
Knock-in-Mice
Knock-in-animals. .
A transgenic animal in which a specific mutation or modification is introduced into both endogenous copies of a gene . May be gain-of-function or a specific loss-of-function mutation.
You have isolated a novel human brain protein that plays a role in Parkinson’s Disease. you have sequenced the protein and inferred the coding sequence of the gene. you would like to obtain the coding sequence by screening a library. Which type of library is most appropriate to screen?
A. Genomic DNA BAC library
B. Genomic DNA viral Library
C. Muscle cDNA plasmid library
D. Brain cDNA plasmid library.
E. Muscle expression library
D. Brain cDNA plasmid Library cDNA Library
* A library of cDNA molecules (Plasmid vectors)
* Represents all mRNAs present in a particular cell or tissue.
* There is kidney, liver, cerebrum….. cDNA libraries.
After activation of a calcium dependant cell signaling pathway, PKC is activated. Which second messenger or protein is needed for PKC activation?
a. CREB
b. GRB2
c. DAG
d. RAS
e. cAMP
c. DAG
PKC activation follows the PLC pathway activated by GPCRs or RTKs. PLC cleaves inositol phospholipid generating IP3 (which triggers release of Ca2+ into the cytoplasm) and DAG which activate PKC. cAMP and CREB are part of the PKA pathway. RAS and GRB2 are part of the RAS-MAPK pathway.
Cyclic AMP (cAMP) is …
A.a messenger of low energy in the cell
B.formed by adenylyl cyclase
C. a hormone
D.a type of G-protein
B. Formed by adenylyl cyclase
Correct. cAMP is a second messenger formed by adenylyl cyclase.
When describing heterotrimeric Gproteins, the binding of the signal molecule ( such as a hormone) to the receptor results in….
A. binding of ATP
B. receptor dimerization
C. activation of the tyrosine kinase domain
D. Dissociation of the alpha subunit.
D. Dissociation of the alpha subunit.
The binding of the singal molecule on the outside of the cell to its receptor results in herotrimeric G proteins dissociating in the cytosol. The alpha subunit will separate from beta/gamma and activate the effector protein.
Inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate (IP3) is a second messenger thaat triggers the release of Ca2+ from the endoplasmic/sarcoplasmic reticulum.
True/False
True, but only after activation of cAMP phosphodiesterase.
True
The peptide-based class of hormones cannot pass through the plasma membrane to enter the cell. The act indirectly through a special class of membrane receptor proteins to produce a “second messenger” inside the cell. Many of these receptors activate an enzyme to generate the second messenger. how do these proteins turn the enzyme on?
A. Through proteolytic activation of nuclear ion channels
B. Through activation of a G-stimulatory protein complex
C. Through activation of an intracellular HSP90 complex
D. Through recruitment of chaperon molecules that carry the hormone inside the cell.
B. Through Activation of a G-stimulatory protein complex.
Good. There is a large class of G-protein coupled receptor proteins that share this common mechanism. Binding of the hormone changes the conformation of the receptor so that an associated GTP-binding trimer of proteins is caused to dissociate. The alpha-subunit, with bound GTP, will bind to a specific enzyme and promote its activity to form the second messenger that spreads throughout the cell.
A 20 year old male patient presents with yet another episode of bronchitis. After taking his history it transpires that he and his girlfriend have been trying to conceive for over a year and that he suffers from chronic paranasal sinusitis. You already suspect several diagnoses and order a chest x-ray, which reveals situs inversus. your final diagnosis is confirmed by a mutation in:
A. Myosin V
B. Myosin II
C. Axonemal Dynein
D. Cytosolic Dynein
E. Kinesin.
C. Axonemal Dynein
The condition described is Kartageners syndrome, a primary ciliary dyskinesia in which cilia and flagella are unable to bend due to the defective gene mutation.
Vesicular transport along microtubules requires the activity of _______ to get from the ER and Golgi to the plasma membrane:
A. Myosin V
B. Dynein
C. Troponin C
D. Kinesin
E. Myosin II
D. Kinesin
Dyneins and Kinesins are the motor proteins that travel along microtubules. Kinesins walk towards the positive end. Myosins walk along the actin filaments.
Dinitrophenol (DNP) is lipid-soluble and can, therefore, diffuse across the membrane. It has a dissociable proton with a pKa near 7.2. Thus, in the intermembrane space where [H+] is high (pH low), DNP picks up a proton, which it carries across the membrane. At the lower proton concentration of the matrix, the H+ dissociates. As a consequence, what would you expect?
A.Decreased ATP production
B.Increased CO2 excretion
C.Increased efficiency of the electron transport chain (ETC)
D.No changes in electrochemical gradient
A. Decrease ATP production
Correct. DNP acts as an uncloupler, just like the protein thermogenin.
An antibiotic is being developed to treat a bacterial infection. The drug is being designed to interfere with the synthesis of a cell component. Which of the following would be the most effective target?
A. Cell membrane
B. Cell Wall
C. Chromosomes
D. Lysosomes
E. Nucleus
B. Cell Wall
Excellent, the wall is the only choice that is unique to bacteria and not present in human cells, which makes it an ideal target for a new antibiotic.
An unequal distribution of Ran/GTP across the nuclear envelope is maintained by the localization of Ran GAP (Ran GTPase-activating protein) in the cytoplasm and Ran GEF (Ran guanine nucleotide exchange factor) in the nucleus. When Ran GAP hydrolyzes GTP of Ran/GTP in the cytoplasm which of the following happens next?
A. Inactivated Ran releases importin/exportin
B. Ran replaces GDP with GTP immediately in the cytoplasm
C. Inactivated Ran carries the exportin back to nucleus
D. Ran binds importin/exportin
A. Inactivated Ran releases importin/exportin
Which of the following components of the electron transport chain is involved in apoptosis?
A. Cytochrome c oxidase (Complex IV)
Hepatosplenomegaly, aseptic necrosis of femur, bone crisis and macrophages that look like crumpled tissue paper- these are symptoms of which of the following diseases?
A. Gaucher’s Disease
B. Tay-Sachs disease
C. Niemann-Pick disease
D. Fabry’s Disease
A. Gaucher’s Disease
All of the following are transmembrane enzymatic proteins that span the inner mitochondria membrane except?
A. NADH dehydrogenase (Complex I)
B. Succinate Dehydrogenase (Complex II)
C. Cytochrome b-c1 complex. (Complex III)
D. Cytochrome c oxidase (Complex IV)
E. ATP Synthase.
B. Succinate Dehydrogenase (Complex III)
Correct. Complex II does not cross the inner mitochondrial membrane.
In rare acquired diseases such as paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and congenital diseases such as hyperphosphatasia with mental retardation syndrome (HPMRS), patients lack proteins attached to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane. These disorders are caused by a deficiency in the synthesis of…
A. Cholesterol
B. Glycosylphospatidylinosytol
C. Phosphatidylserine
D. Phophatidylserine
E. Sphingomyelin
B. Glycosylphospatidylinositol.
Correct. GPI serves as an anchor for membrane proteins.
Sanfilippo syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disease. It is caused by a deficiency in one of the enzymes needed to break down the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) heparan sulfate (which is found in the extracellular matrix and on cell surface glycoproteins). How would you classify this genetic disorder?
A. Leukodystrophies
B. Mucolipidoses
C. Mucopolysacharidoses
D. Sphingolipidoses
C. Mucopolysacharidoses.
Correct! Mucopolysacharidoses involve an accumulation of sulfated polysacharides or GAGs.
Where are ribosomal proteins synthesized?
A. In cytoplasm by free ribosomes.
B. In rough ER by attached ribosomes
C. Inside the nucleolus
D. Inside the nucleus
A. In cytoplasm by free ribosomes.





























