Tools of recombinant DNA technology - restriction enzymes ligases vectors plasmids bacteriophages - One Line Questions

1. What is a 'recognition site' for a restriction enzyme? A specific DNA sequence where the enzyme binds and cuts
2. A 'multiple cloning site' (MCS) in a plasmid vector is characterized by: Several different restriction enzyme recognition sites clustered together
3. What is a 'cloning vector'? A DNA molecule used to carry a foreign gene into a host cell
4. Which of the following is a common method for selecting bacteria that have taken up a plasmid containing a reporter gene like lacZ? Blue-white screening
5. What is the primary challenge in using 'blunt ends' for ligation compared to 'sticky ends'? Blunt ends are less stable and ligate less efficiently
6. What is the term for the small, circular, extrachromosomal DNA molecules found in bacteria that are often used as vectors? Plasmids
7. The enzyme responsible for methylating DNA, often preventing cleavage by restriction enzymes that recognize the same site, is: Methylase
8. The enzyme that converts RNA into DNA is called: Reverse Transcriptase
9. Which enzyme is used to synthesize cDNA from mRNA? Reverse Transcriptase
10. Which type of enzyme is primarily used to cut DNA at specific recognition sites during recombinant DNA technology? Restriction Endonuclease
11. Which method is used to introduce foreign DNA into plant cells using Agrobacterium tumefaciens? Disarmed Ti plasmid vector
12. Which restriction enzyme recognizes the sequence GAATTC and cuts between G and A? EcoRI
13. What is the significance of the palindromic nature of many restriction enzyme recognition sites? It ensures that the enzyme cuts both DNA strands at the same position
14. The ability of a plasmid to confer antibiotic resistance to the host cell is useful because: It helps in the selection of transformed cells
15. What is the advantage of using a 'suicide vector' in recombinant DNA technology? It is designed to be unstable and is eliminated from the host after integration
16. The enzyme that unwinds DNA during replication and transcription is: Helicase
17. The enzyme that adds a phosphate group to the 5' end of a DNA fragment is: Kinase
18. Which type of bacteriophage is commonly used as a cloning vector? M13
19. What is a 'genomic library' constructed using? A collection of DNA fragments from the entire genome cloned into vectors
20. Which of the following is a naturally occurring plasmid that is widely used in genetic engineering? pBR322
21. Which of the following is NOT a type of cloning vector? Ribosome
22. Which of the following is a type of artificial chromosome used as a vector? Yeast Artificial Chromosome (YAC)
23. What is the term for the DNA sequence recognized by a restriction enzyme? Recognition site
24. What does the 'ampR' gene on the pBR322 plasmid confer? Resistance to ampicillin
25. Which enzyme is responsible for forming phosphodiester bonds to seal the gaps in the DNA backbone between inserted DNA and the vector? DNA Ligase
26. Which of the following is a commonly used vector in genetic engineering for cloning DNA fragments? Plasmid
27. Which of the following is an example of a restriction enzyme? EcoRI
28. What is a 'host cell' in the context of recombinant DNA technology? The organism that receives and replicates the recombinant DNA
29. The ability of a restriction enzyme to cut DNA at a specific sequence is determined by: The specific nucleotide sequence of the recognition site
30. What is the primary advantage of using bacteriophages over plasmids as vectors for certain applications? They can carry larger DNA inserts
31. Bacteriophages are useful as vectors because: They have a high copy number within the host cell
32. Restriction enzymes are often referred to as 'molecular scissors' because: They cut DNA at specific recognition sequences
33. Restriction enzymes that cut DNA symmetrically, producing 'sticky ends', are most useful for recombinant DNA technology because: They allow for precise joining of DNA fragments
34. Which of the following is a limitation of using bacteriophages as vectors? They have a limited carrying capacity for DNA inserts
35. Which of the following is a characteristic of 'blunt ends' generated by some restriction enzymes? They have single-stranded overhangs
36. What characteristic of Type III restriction enzymes makes them less ideal for routine cloning compared to Type II? They require ATP and are less specific
37. What is the role of a 'selectable marker' on a cloning vector? To identify and select host cells that have successfully taken up the vector
38. What is the primary role of the 'polylinker' region in a cloning vector? To provide multiple restriction sites for inserting foreign DNA
39. What is the purpose of using a 'linker' in recombinant DNA technology? To introduce specific restriction sites into blunt-ended DNA
40. What is the role of the 'origin of replication' (ori) in a plasmid vector? To allow the plasmid to replicate within the host cell
41. What is the function of a 'shuttle vector'? To replicate in two or more different host organisms
42. What is the main function of DNA ligase in recombinant DNA technology? To join DNA fragments together
43. What is the function of a 'promoter' sequence in a cloning vector, especially when expressing a foreign gene? To initiate transcription of the inserted gene
44. What is the process of introducing recombinant DNA into bacterial cells called? Transformation
45. The process of inserting a foreign DNA fragment into a plasmid vector is called: Ligation
46. The process of using a bacteriophage to transfer genetic material from one bacterium to another is called: Transduction
47. Which class of restriction enzymes requires ATP for their activity and cuts DNA at sites other than their defined recognition sequence? Type I
48. The most commonly used restriction enzymes in molecular cloning belong to which type? Type II
49. Which type of restriction enzyme has subunits that perform both restriction and modification (methylation) activities? Type I
50. What are bacteriophages? Viruses that infect bacteria