Study Guide for Test: All Things Prokaryote
Essential Knowledge
Topic
Chapter in Campbell (7th Ed.)
1A2
Antibiotic Resistance
Article, The Challenge of…, 18.3
2A2
Prokaryote Metabolism
9.2, 9.5
2C1, 2C2
Operons (Feedback Mechanisms and Genetic)
18.3, 18.4
2E1, 2E2, 2E3
Cell Communication, Timing, Coordination, Feedback
TED Talks (Bonnie Bassler)
3A1
DNA and Reproduction (Bacterial), Transformation, Diversity
18.3, 20.1
3B2
Operons and Gene Control
18.3, 18.4
3C1, 3C2, 3C3
Antibiotic Resistance, Transformation, Bacterial Reproduction
20.1
3D1, 3D2
Cell Communication, Quorum Sensing
TED Talks (Bonnie Bassler)
4A2, 4A4
Prokaryote Structure and Function
27
Short/Long Answer
 Explain why the trp and lac operons are examples of negative
feedback mechanisms in organisms.
 In patients infected with nonresistant strains of the tuberculosis
bacterium, antibiotics can relieve symptoms in a few weeks.
However, it takes much longer to halt the infections, and patients
may discontinue treatment while bacteria are still present. How
might this result in the evolution of drug resistant pathogens?
 Explain why quorum sensing is an example of a positive feedback
mechanism in organisms.
 What evolutionary mechanisms might account for the origin and
persistence of cell-to-cell signaling systems in unicellular
prokaryotes?
 Plasmid Mapping
 Quorum sensing article abstract and question sheet
 Draw and label all of the following parts of a prokaryotic cell:
capsule, flagellum, nucleoid region, DNA, cell membrane, cell wall
(gram positive and gram negative), plasmid
Multiple Choice Questions
Assume that you are trying to insert a gene into a plasmid. Someone
gives you a preparation of genomic DNA that has been cut with
restriction enzyme X. The gene you wish to insert has sites on both ends
for cutting by restriction enzyme Y. You have a plasmid with a single site
for Y, but not for X. Your strategy should be to
A) insert the fragments cut with X directly into the plasmid without
cutting the plasmid.
B) cut the plasmid with restriction enzyme X and insert the fragments cut
with Y into the plasmid.
C) cut the DNA again with restriction enzyme Y and insert these
fragments into the plasmid cut with the same enzyme.
D) cut the plasmid twice with restriction enzyme Y and ligate the two
fragments onto the ends of the DNA fragments cut with restriction
enzyme X.
E) cut the plasmid with enzyme X and then insert the gene into the
plasmid.
Restriction fragments of DNA are typically separated from one another by
which process?
A) filtering
B) centrifugation
C) gel electrophoresis
D) PCR
E) electron microscopy
Which of the following is least related to the others?
A) denaturation
B) DNA ligase
C) sticky ends
D) restriction enzymes
E) cloning vector
What is the most logical sequence of steps for splicing foreign DNA into a
plasmid and inserting the plasmid into a bacterium? Next to your answer,
explain why this is the correct answer.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Transform bacteria with recombinant DNA molecule.
Cut the plasmid DNA using restriction enzymes.
Extract plasmid DNA from bacterial cells.
Hydrogen-bond the plasmid DNA to non-plasmid DNA
fragments.
Use ligase to seal plasmid DNA to non-plasmid DNA.
A) I, II, IV, III, V
B) II, III, V, IV, I
C) III, II, IV, V, I
D) III, IV, V, I, II
E) IV, V, I, II, III
A eukaryotic gene has "sticky ends" produced by the restriction
endonuclease EcoRI. The gene is added to a mixture containing EcoRI and
a bacterial plasmid that carries two genes conferring resistance to
ampicillin and tetracycline. The plasmid has one recognition site for EcoRI
located in the tetracycline resistance gene. This mixture is incubated for
several hours, exposed to DNA ligase, and then added to bacteria
growing in nutrient broth. The bacteria are allowed to grow overnight
and are streaked on a plate using a technique that produces isolated
colonies that are clones of the original. Samples of these colonies are
then grown in four different media: nutrient broth plus ampicillin,
nutrient broth plus tetracycline, nutrient broth plus ampicillin and
tetracycline, and nutrient broth without antibiotics.
Bacteria that contain the plasmid, but without the eukaryotic gene,
would grow (draw a picture and explain your answer)
A) in the nutrient broth plus ampicillin, but not in the broth containing
tetracycline.
B) only in the broth containing both antibiotics.
C) in the broth containing tetracycline, but not in the broth containing
ampicillin.
D) in all four types of broth.
E) in the nutrient broth without antibiotics only.
These terms will be used in many multiple choice questions. Each term
may be used once, more than once, or not at all. Draw and explain
repressible and inducible operons using all of these terms.








A. enhancer
B. promoter
C. activator
D. repressor
E. terminator
F. Restriction Enzymes
G. DNA Ligase
H. RNA Polymerase
A mutation that inactivates the regulatory gene of a repressible operon in
an E. coli cell would result in (draw an operon to show your answer)
a. continuous transcription of the structural gene
controlled by that regulator.
b complete inhibition of transcription of the structural
gene controlled by that regulator.
c. irreversible binding of the repressor to the operator.
d inactivation of RNA polymerase.
e. both B and C