NSB 230 – MICROBIOLOGY
CHAPTER 9 – STUDY GUIDE
1. Define genetics. What is the scope of genetics?
2. Name and briefly describe the levels of genetic study.
3. Define genome.
4. Compare and contrast a bacterial chromosome vs. an eukaryotic chromosome.
5. What is a gene? What are the three categories of genes?
6. Define genotype and phenotype.
7. What is the basic unit of DNA? Describe its structure.
8. Why do we say that DNA has an antiparallel arrangement?
9. Why do we say that DNA has a semiconservative replication process?
10. Name and briefly describe the function of the enzymes that participate in DNA replication.
11. Define transcription.
12. What are the key points that connect DNA and protein function?
13. Compare and contrast DNA structure with RNA structure.
14. What are the major types of RNA involved in protein synthesis? Briefly describe their function.
15. What is the function of the promoter and leader sequence in DNA transcription?
16. What is the function of RNA polymerase?
17. Why do we say that the genetic code is redundant?
18. Define translation.
19. What is the function of the start codon? And the stop codons?
20. What is a polyribosome or polysome? Why do we observe this structure in prokaryotic cells and not in
eukaryotic cells?
21. What is an intron? What is an exon?
22. What is a spliceosome? What is its function?
23. Why does mRNA have to be processed before it leaves the eukaryotic nucleus?
24. What is an operon? What are the two types of operons? Give one example of each.
25. What is an inducer? What is a corepressor?
26. What is a mutation? How is a mutant strain different from a wild type (wild strain)?
27. What is the difference between a spontaneous mutation and an induced mutation?
28. Name and briefly describe the different categories of mutations.
29. Name and briefly describe the enzymatic mechanisms to repair damaged DNA.
30. What is the purpose of the Ames test?
31. What is a lethal mutation?
32. What is genetic recombination?
33. What are the three mechanisms of genetic recombination in bacteria?
34. Briefly describe conjugation. What is the difference between F factor transfer and Hfr transfer?
35. What is the main difference between conjugation in Gram negative organisms and conjugation in Gram
positive organisms?
36. Briefly describe transformation. What is a competent cell?
37. Why is transformation useful in recombinant DNA technology?
38. Briefly describe transduction. What is the difference between generalized transduction and specialized
transduction?
39. What is a transposon? What are the different methods of transposition?
40. What kind of changes can result from transposition events in bacteria?
41. Briefly describe a viral genome.
42. What are the main differences between the multiplication cycle of a dsDNA virus and that of a ssRNA
virus?