Principles and processes of biotechnology - recombinant DNA technology, gene cloning - Question Bank

1. What is the term for the process where a gene is inserted into a vector, and this vector is then introduced into a host cell for replication?
A) Gene expression
B) Gene silencing
C) Gene cloning
D) Gene therapy
2. Which of the following is a method for generating blunt ends from sticky ends?
A) Using a DNA polymerase with a proofreading activity
B) Using a ligase enzyme
C) Using a restriction enzyme that produces blunt ends
D) Using a nuclease that degrades single strands
3. What is the primary application of creating a cDNA library?
A) To study non-coding regions of the genome
B) To study genes that are actively expressed in a particular cell type or tissue
C) To identify all possible restriction sites
D) To determine the complete genomic sequence
4. What is a 'stop codon' in the context of gene expression?
A) A codon that initiates protein synthesis
B) A codon that signals the termination of translation
C) A codon that codes for an amino acid
D) A codon that is recognized by RNA polymerase
5. Which enzyme is responsible for removing RNA primers during DNA replication and is also used in some molecular cloning techniques?
A) DNA polymerase I
B) DNA polymerase III
C) Reverse transcriptase
D) RNase H
6. What is the significance of the term 'competent' when referring to bacterial cells for transformation?
A) The cells are resistant to antibiotics
B) The cells are capable of taking up foreign DNA
C) The cells have a high rate of replication
D) The cells produce specific enzymes
7. What is the process of separating DNA fragments based on their size using an electric current?
A) Chromatography
B) Spectrophotometry
C) Gel electrophoresis
D) Centrifugation
8. What is the primary advantage of using a shuttle vector in gene cloning?
A) It can replicate in only one type of host cell
B) It can replicate in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic host cells
C) It contains only one selectable marker
D) It is resistant to restriction enzymes
9. When using restriction enzymes, what is the term for the enzyme that methylates DNA, often preventing the enzyme from cutting?
A) Methylase
B) Ligase
C) Polymerase
D) Endonuclease
10. What is the function of a promoter in a gene cloning construct?
A) To terminate transcription
B) To initiate transcription
C) To join DNA fragments
D) To mark the gene for selection
11. In the context of gene cloning, what does the term 'chimeric DNA' refer to?
A) DNA synthesized entirely in vitro
B) DNA synthesized using only synthetic nucleotides
C) DNA molecule composed of fragments from different sources
D) DNA molecule with a single strand
12. What is the purpose of using a linker in gene cloning?
A) To add a specific restriction site to a DNA fragment
B) To increase the size of the DNA fragment
C) To reduce the number of DNA fragments
D) To prevent DNA degradation
13. What is the term for a host cell that has successfully taken up the recombinant DNA?
A) Wild-type cell
B) Transformed cell
C) Parental cell
D) Lysogenic cell
14. Which of the following is a key component of a recombinant DNA molecule?
A) Only DNA from a single organism
B) DNA from two or more different organisms
C) Only RNA and DNA
D) Only protein and DNA
15. What is the process of inserting a gene of interest into a specific location in the genome called?
A) Gene cloning
B) Gene amplification
C) Gene targeting
D) Gene expression
16. What is a bacteriophage used for in gene cloning?
A) As a host cell for transformation
B) As a vector to deliver foreign DNA into bacteria
C) As an enzyme to cut DNA
D) As a selectable marker
17. To overcome the challenge of introns, scientists often clone the gene's:
A) Genomic DNA
B) cDNA
C) Promoter sequence
D) Terminator sequence
18. What is the main challenge in cloning a gene that is interrupted by introns in eukaryotes?
A) Restriction enzymes cannot cut introns
B) Prokaryotic host cells cannot splice introns
C) Introns are too large to be cloned
D) Introns interfere with primer binding
19. What is the term for a DNA molecule that is capable of replicating independently of the host chromosome and is used as a vector?
A) Genome
B) Chromatid
C) Replicon
D) Plasmid
20. Restriction enzymes that produce blunt ends are often used in gene cloning because:
A) They are easier to ligate
B) They are more specific
C) They require less DNA
D) They are more abundant
21. Which type of restriction enzyme cuts at a specific recognition sequence and requires ATP for its activity?
A) Type I
B) Type II
C) Type III
D) Type IV
22. What is the function of the 'ori' (origin of replication) sequence on a plasmid?
A) To allow the plasmid to be cut by restriction enzymes
B) To initiate DNA replication
C) To provide a site for primer annealing
D) To select for transformed cells
23. Biolistics (gene gun) is a method used for introducing foreign DNA into:
A) Animal cells
B) Bacterial cells
C) Plant cells
D) Fungal cells
24. What is the process of introducing a plasmid into a plant cell called?
A) Transformation
B) Transduction
C) Agrobacterium-mediated transformation
D) Biolistics
25. What does the 'ampR' gene on a plasmid typically confer resistance to?
A) Heat
B) Antibiotics like ampicillin
C) UV radiation
D) Heavy metals
26. In blue-white screening, what indicates the presence of a recombinant plasmid?
A) White colonies
B) Blue colonies
C) No colonies
D) Red colonies
27. Which of the following is a method for screening recombinant cells?
A) Centrifugation
B) Gel electrophoresis
C) Blue-white screening
D) Spectrophotometry
28. What is the primary advantage of using Taq polymerase in PCR?
A) It is highly specific for eukaryotic DNA
B) It is thermostable and can withstand high temperatures
C) It requires a high concentration of dNTPs
D) It synthesizes DNA at a very slow rate
29. The 'recognition site' for a restriction enzyme is typically:
A) A short, single-stranded sequence
B) A long, double-stranded sequence
C) A palindromic sequence
D) A GC-rich sequence
30. What is the term for a plasmid that has been engineered to contain a foreign gene and is used for cloning?
A) Competent cell
B) Recombinant plasmid
C) Host cell
D) Origin of replication
31. Which of the following is NOT a basic step in recombinant DNA technology?
A) Isolation of DNA
B) Fragmentation of DNA
C) Ligase-mediated joining of DNA fragments
D) Cellular respiration
32. What is gene cloning?
A) The process of identifying genes
B) The process of creating multiple identical copies of a specific DNA fragment
C) The process of sequencing a genome
D) The process of altering gene expression
33. Complementary DNA (cDNA) is synthesized from:
A) mRNA using DNA polymerase
B) DNA using RNA primers
C) mRNA using reverse transcriptase
D) tRNA using DNA ligase
34. What is a cDNA library?
A) A library of DNA sequences that code for ribosomal RNA
B) A library of DNA sequences representing the genes that are actively transcribed into mRNA
C) A library of DNA sequences from the mitochondrial genome
D) A library of DNA sequences that are not actively transcribed
35. What is a genomic library?
A) A collection of all RNA molecules in a cell
B) A collection of DNA fragments representing the entire genome of an organism
C) A collection of proteins synthesized by a cell
D) A collection of all possible restriction enzyme sites
36. The amplification of specific DNA sequences in PCR occurs through repeated cycles of:
A) Denaturation, annealing, and ligation
B) Denaturation, annealing, and extension
C) Annealing, extension, and ligation
D) Restriction, ligation, and transformation
37. What is the role of primers in PCR?
A) To denature the DNA template
B) To provide a starting point for DNA synthesis
C) To join DNA fragments
D) To stabilize the DNA molecule
38. What enzyme is used in PCR to synthesize new DNA strands?
A) Restriction endonuclease
B) DNA ligase
C) Taq polymerase
D) Reverse transcriptase
39. What is the purpose of the denaturation step in PCR?
A) To anneal primers to the DNA template
B) To extend the primer and synthesize new DNA
C) To separate the double-stranded DNA into single strands
D) To ligate DNA fragments
40. What does PCR stand for?
A) Protein Chain Reaction
B) Polymerase Chain Reaction
C) Plasmid Cloning Reaction
D) Prokaryotic Cell Replication
41. Which of the following is a method used to increase the efficiency of transformation in bacterial cells?
A) Centrifugation
B) Electrophoresis
C) Heat shock or electroporation
D) Chromatography
42. The process of introducing recombinant DNA into a bacterial cell is called:
A) Transformation
B) Transduction
C) Conjugation
D) Replication
43. What is the role of a selectable marker gene in a cloning vector?
A) To facilitate the insertion of foreign DNA
B) To provide a specific recognition site for restriction enzymes
C) To allow identification of transformed cells
D) To replicate the DNA within the host cell
44. Which of the following is a common type of cloning vector?
A) Ribosome
B) Plasmid
C) Centriole
D) Lysosome
45. What is a 'vector' in gene cloning?
A) The gene of interest
B) An enzyme that cuts DNA
C) A DNA molecule used to carry foreign genetic material into a host cell
D) A method for amplifying DNA
46. What are 'sticky ends' in the context of restriction enzymes?
A) Overhanging single-stranded DNA sequences that can anneal with complementary sequences
B) Blunt-ended DNA fragments
C) DNA fragments with nicks in their phosphodiester backbone
D) Regions of DNA resistant to enzyme cleavage
47. A palindromic sequence in DNA is one that:
A) Reads the same forwards and backwards on the same strand
B) Reads the same forwards and backwards on opposite strands
C) Contains only purine bases
D) Is rich in G-C content
48. What is the function of DNA ligase in gene cloning?
A) To cut DNA strands
B) To synthesize new DNA strands
C) To join DNA fragments together
D) To methylate DNA
49. Which enzymes are crucial for cutting DNA at specific recognition sites in recombinant DNA technology?
A) Ligases
B) Polymerases
C) Restriction enzymes
D) Reverse transcriptase
50. What is the primary goal of recombinant DNA technology?
A) To isolate DNA from a single cell
B) To introduce foreign DNA into an organism
C) To combine DNA from different sources to create a new DNA molecule
D) To amplify DNA using PCR
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