Week 10 - DNA Technologies

Question 1

What is a genome?

Answer 1

An organism’s complete set of DNA, including all of its genes.

Question 2

What are the two types of cells in the human body?

Answer 2

• Somatic cells * Germ cells

Question 3

What is the difference between somatic cells and germ cells?

Answer 3

Somatic cells have two genome copies; germ cells have one genome copy after meiosis.

Question 4

What are purines and pyrimidines?

Answer 4

• Purines: Adenine, Guanine * Pyrimidines: Cytosine, Thymine

Question 5

What is the role of Helicase in DNA replication?

Answer 5

It unwinds/unzips the double helix structure of DNA.

Question 6

What is a replication fork?

Answer 6

The ‘Y’ shaped structure formed during DNA replication.

Question 7

What are the leading and lagging strands in DNA replication?

Answer 7

• Leading strand: 3’ to 5’ direction * Lagging strand: 5’ to 3’ direction

Question 8

What is the function of DNA polymerase?

Answer 8

It adds new complementary nucleotide bases during DNA synthesis.

Question 9

What are Okazaki fragments?

Answer 9

Chunks of DNA added to the lagging strand during replication.

Question 10

What is PCR?

Answer 10

A laboratory technique for making millions to billions of copies of a specific segment of DNA.

Question 11

What is the purpose of primers in PCR?

Answer 11

To select a segment of the genome to be amplified.

Question 12

What is gel electrophoresis used for?

Answer 12

To separate DNA fragments based on their size and charge.

Question 13

What is recombinant DNA technology?

Answer 13

A technique created by combining DNA from different sources.

Question 14

What are restriction enzymes?

Answer 14

DNA-cutting enzymes that cut DNA at or near specific sequences.

Question 15

What is transformation in DNA cloning?

Answer 15

The process in which DNA is introduced into a cell.

Question 16

What is the Human Genome Project?

Answer 16

A project aimed to identify and map all the genes in the human genome.

Question 17

When was the Human Genome Project completed?

Answer 17

In 2003.

Question 18

What are the four stages of Next Generation Sequencing?

Answer 18

1. DNA fragmentation
2. Adapter ligation
3. Amplification on flow cells
4. Detection of fluorescent signals

Question 19

What is Sanger sequencing?

Answer 19

Uses chain terminating nucleotides to create dna fragments of different lengths

Question 20

What is the significance of dideoxynucleotides in Sanger sequencing?

Answer 20

They block further polymerization, resulting in strands of different lengths.

Question 21

What is semi-conservative DNA replication?

Answer 21

Each new DNA molecule consists of one old and one new chain of nucleotides.

Question 22

Fill in the blank: DNA is synthesized in the ______ direction.

Answer 22

5’ to 3’ direction.

Question 23

True or False: The end product of purine catabolism is ammonia.

Answer 23

False.

Question 24

What is the primary site for purine synthesis?

Answer 24

The liver.

Question 25

What is the first stage of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)?

Answer 25

DNA fragmentation

Question 26

What is the second stage of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)?

Answer 26

Adapter ligation

Question 27

What is the third stage of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)?

Answer 27

Amplification on flow cells

Question 28

What is the fourth stage of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)?

Answer 28

Detection of fluorescent signals

Question 29

What is short read sequencing?

Answer 29

Sequencing where DNA is fragmented and amplified in clones of between 75 base pairs and 400 base pairs

Question 30

What are adapters used for in DNA sequencing?

Answer 30

Adapters are ligated to the fragments of sequences

Question 31

How are DNA fragments processed in NGS?

Answer 31

DNA fragments are attached to the Flow cells and grow due to bridge amplification

Question 32

What technology uses electrical signals to produce real-time sequences?

Answer 32

Oxford Nanopore sequencing

Question 33

What is the maximum sequencing speed of Oxford Nanopore technology?

Answer 33

10,000 bases per second

Question 34

What is a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP)?

Answer 34

A difference at one base position in DNA

Question 35

What year was the Human Genome Project completed?

Answer 35

2003

Question 36

Fill in the blank: The first human chromosome (22) was sequenced in _______.

Answer 36

1999

Question 37

What is the purpose of the 100,000 genomes project?

Answer 37

To incorporate whole genome sequencing into national healthcare systems

Question 38

What are the three core pillars of Genome UK?

Answer 38

• Diagnosis and personalized medicine
• Prevention
• Research

Question 39

What is Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)?

Answer 39

A technique used to amplify a specific DNA sequence

Question 40

What is gel electrophoresis used for?

Answer 40

Separating and analyzing macromolecules, including DNA and RNA

Question 41

True or False: Illumina sequencing technology sequences several million clusters simultaneously.

Answer 41

True

Question 42

What is the significance of the year 1953 in genomics?

Answer 42

The DNA double helix structure is identified

Question 43

What is the main function of an ultra-high-resolution digital camera in Illumina sequencing?

Answer 43

To collect images of the flow cell showing the fluorescence around each cluster

Question 44

Which sequencing technology uses zero-mode waveguides for long reads?

Answer 44

Pacific Biosciences sequencing

Question 45

What is the role of a powerful computer in the Human Genome Project?

Answer 45

To assemble short sequences into longer reads

Question 46

Fill in the blank: The first multi-gene sequencing diagnostic test for tumour profiling in the NHS was developed in _______.

Answer 46

2013

Question 47

What is the relationship between base pairs and electrical signals in Nanopore sequencing?

Answer 47

A correlation of base and electrical signal means sequences are produced in real time