BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, PILANI HYDERABAD CAMPUS

FIRST SEMESTER 2014-2015

General Biology (BIO F111)
Comprehensive Examination (Open Book)
Part C
Time 90 min 05/12/2014 30 Marks

Note: Write your answer in given sequence only

Read the paragraphs carefully to answer your questions.
Snowshoe hare is known for changing its coat color during different seasons: during winter, they
have a white fur and during summer, they have brown fur. Certain mutations in these hares result
in animals that cannot change their fur color to brown and therefore remain white in the summer,
exposing themselves to predators. Similarly, there are two types of hare, those having long and
short ear lobes. A hare capable of changing its coat color (brown fur), with short ear lobes was
crossed with another hare that is not capable of changing its fur color (white fur) but with long
ear lobes. The progeny obtained were with light brown fur and with long ear lobes. When these
progeny were crossed, of the 24 hares obtained in F2, there were 10 hares with brown fur and
short ear lobes and 12 with white fur and long ear lobes. Only one hare with brown fur and long
ear lobes and one with white fur and short ear lobes were obtained. On the other hand, a hare
with brown fur and bushy tail was crossed with the one with white fur and non-bushy tail; all
progeny were with light brown fur and bushy tails. These progeny when crossed with each other,
the F2 generation contained progeny with six phenotypes: Brown fur and bushy tail, Brown fur
with non-bushy tail, light brown fur with bushy tail, light brown fur with non-bushy tail, white
fur with bushy tail and, white fur with non-bushy tail in a ratio of 3:1:6:2:3:1 respectively. From
the information given above,

(1) Diagrammatically show the location of the genes encoding fur color, length of the
ear lobes and tail texture. Give a statement of no more than six sentences justifying
the location of these genes.

A scientist interested in identifying the molecular basis of the difference in the genes conferring
the fur color has identified that at a specific position, the protein from white fur contains lysine
(positively charged) in place of glutamate (glutamate) in the same protein from brown fur. It was
also found that the presence of lysine distorts the structure of the protein, making it less stable,
leading to lesser enzymatic activity and white fur color. From this information,

(2) What is (are) the possible single nucleotide change(s) that results in lysine to
glutamate change? Justify your answer in not more than three sentences.

(3) If you are given abundant amounts of the gene (DNA) to work with, what method
(with 2-3 sentence justification) you would use to confirm the nucleotide change
between the two genes. Describe its principle briefly.

(4) From what you know on the influence of environment on enzyme function, explain
in 2-3 sentences how the presence of positively charged amino acids like lysine can
affect the function of the protein that determines the white fur color.

(5) A careful analysis of cells from the brown fur and white fur showed the presence of
darkly staining granules that contain finished proteins in membranous sacs within
the cells from the brown fur but not from the white fur. Which subcellular
compartment is responsible to generate such sacs? What are the other functions of
this subcellular compartment?
 (6) A population in Hardy Weinberg equilibrium contains 100 hares of which 25 hares
with white fur. However, because of predation, only 5 hares with white fur survived.
Based on this information, calculate the number of hares with brown fur, white fur
and light brown fur in the next generation.

(7) Give the name of the physiological response by which the snowshoe hare changes it
fur color from white to brown in color? What would be the change in the chromatin
that contains the gene responsible for such change in fur color during summers and
winters in brown hares?

(8) When the hare with white fur is exposed to tanning lamps for extensive periods of
time, it developed skin cancer. Which protein is normally responsible to prevent
development of cancers because of such exposure? What is its normal function? Do
not exceed more than five sentences.

(9) Assuming that the brown fur color is due to deposition of brown pigment granules
in the skin, which hormone could be responsible for the coloration?

Shyam was admitted into a hospital because of excreting high volumes of urine and excessive
thirst. He was administered with saline but did not show improvement because he was
continuing to excrete high volumes of urine than normal.

(10) If you perform a blood analysis, what general trend would you observe in the levels
of blood cells, water and albumin?

(11) Which hormone could be administered to restore the blood volume by reducing
volume of urine? Justify.

Daniel has come to emergency with a chest pain and showed abnormal electro cardiogram
(ECG). If your line of treatment is based on lack of adequate blood supply to heart,

(12) Which specific artery might be defective in supplying adequate blood to heart?

(13) What could be the cause of this chest pain?

(14) What could be the cause of this defect? Explain in two sentences?

(15) Which specific biomolecules would be responsible for development of this defect?
Justify in 2-3 sentences.