BSCI 1510-03 Practice Exam I

Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________

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READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS:

BEFORE YOU START THE EXAM: PRINT YOUR NAME (LAST NAME FIRST) ON THE
SCANTRON COMPUTER SHEET AND FILL IN THE CORRESPONDING BUBBLES

1. Do NOT open the exam until you are told to do so

2. Only write your name and answers on the Exam Sheet in PEN and write clearly as it is on
the record.

3. Only use a number 2 pencil for the SCANTRON sheet. Print and bubble your name (last
name first)

4. Read all questions carefully

5. Nothing but your writing tools and test are permitted to be out in open view. No notes,
books, calculators, watches, phones, etc.

6. You will have until 1pm to complete the exam

7. Failure to close the exam and hand it in will result in a reduction of 10 points
Each multiple-choice question has a single best answer (2 pts each). You must
CIRCLE that answer in PEN here and bubble it in PENCIL on the scantron.

1. The flow of genetic information is controlled by a series of biochemical reactions that result
in the production of proteins, each with its own specific order of amino acids. Choose the
correct series of biochemical reactions from the options presented here.
A) replication, transcription, translation
B) replication, translation, transcription
C) translation, transcription, replication
D) translation, replication, transcription

2. Which of the following expressions accurately describes the calculation of pH?

A) pH = –log10[H+]
B) pH = log10[H+]
C) pH = –log2[H+]
D) pH = –log10[OH–]

3. Which of the following monomer building blocks is necessary to assemble selectively

permeable boundaries around and inside cells?
A) sugars
B) fatty acids
C) amino acids
D) nucleotides

4. A covalent bond between two atoms is formed as a result of the ______________.

A) sharing of electrons.
B) loss of electrons from both atoms.
C) loss of a proton from one atom.
D) transfer of electrons from one atom to the other.

5. Cells require one particular monosaccharide as a starting material to synthesize nucleotide

building blocks. Which of the monosaccharides below fills this important role?
A) glucose
B) fructose
C) ribulose
D) ribose

6. Which entity in bacteria differentiates it from a eukaryote?

A) Phage
B) Ribosome
C) Cytosol
D) Cytoplasmic membrane
7. Although all protein structures are unique, there are common structural building blocks that
are referred to as regular secondary structures. Some proteins have  helices, some have 
sheets, and still others have a combination of both. What makes it possible for proteins to
have these common structural elements?
A) specific amino acid sequences
B) side-chain interactions
C) the hydrophobic-core interactions
D) hydrogen bonds along the protein backbone

8. Protein structures have several different levels of organization. The primary structure of a
protein is its amino acid sequence. The secondary and tertiary structures are more
complicated. Consider the definitions below and select the one that best fits the term
“protein domain.”
A) a small cluster of  helices and  sheets
B) the tertiary structure of a substrate-binding pocket
C) a complex of more than one polypeptide chain
D) a protein segment that folds independently

9. Molecular chaperones can work by creating an “isolation chamber.” What is the purpose of
this chamber?
A) The chamber acts as a garbage disposal, degrading improperly folded proteins so that they do
not interact with properly folded proteins.
B) This chamber is used to increase the local protein concentration, which will help speed up the
folding process.
C) This chamber serves to transport unfolded proteins out of the cell.
D) This chamber serves to protect unfolded proteins from interacting with other proteins in the
cytosol, until protein folding is completed.

10. Which of the following statements about allostery is true?

A) Allosteric regulators are often products of other chemical reactions in the same biochemical
pathway.
B) Allosteric regulation is always used for negative regulation of enzyme activity.
C) Enzymes are the only types of proteins that are subject to allosteric regulation.
D) Binding of allosteric molecules usually locks an enzyme in its current conformation, such
that the enzyme cannot adopt a different conformation.

11. Disease symptoms from sickle cell anemia are caused by a change in _____________
A) Kd
B) secondary structure
C) Km
D) quaternary structure
12. Three phospholipids X, Y, and Z are distributed in the plasma membrane as indicated in the
Figure below. For which of these phospholipids does a scramblase potentially exist?

A) X only
B) X and Z only
C) X and Y
D) Y and Z
E) X, Y, and Z

13. Both glycoproteins and proteoglycans contribute to the carbohydrate layer on the surface of
the cell. Which of the following is not true of glycoproteins?
A) They can be secreted into the extracellular environment.
B) They have only one transmembrane domain.
C) They have long carbohydrate chains.
D) They are recognized by lectins.

14. A competitive inhibitor ________ to the active site of an enzyme and increases the
_________ without altering the ___________.
A) binds, V max, K m
B) does not bind, K m, Vmax
C) binds, K m, V max
D) does not bind, V max, Km
E) binds, activity, conformation

15. The nucleotide component that determines RNA versus DNA is a:

A) triose
B) hexose
C) tetrose
D) pentose
16. Which of the following best describes fats in plant cells?
A) triacylglycerol with saturated fatty acids
B) triacylglycerol with unsaturated fatty acids
C) diacylglycerol with trans-fatty acids
D) diacylglycerol with cis double bonds
E) all of the above

Fill in the short answer or fill in the blank only with the space provided (6 pts each)

17. Indicate whether the statements below are true or false. If a statement is false, explain why it
is false.
A. Any covalently bonded H atom can participate in a hydrogen bond if it comes in close
proximity with an oxygen atom that forms part of a water molecule.
B. Protons are constantly moving between water molecules, which means there is an
overall equilibrium between hydroxyl ions and hydronium ions in aqueous solutions.
C. A strong base is defined as a molecule that can readily remove protons from water.

18. Indicate whether the statements below are true or false. If a statement is false, explain why it
is false.
A. A disaccharide consists of a sugar covalently linked to another molecule such as an
amino acid or a nucleotide.
B. The presence of double bonds in the hydrocarbon tail of a fatty acid does not greatly
influence its structure.
19. Indicate whether the following statements are true or false. If a statement is false, explain
why it is false.
A. Generally, the total number of nonpolar amino acids has a greater effect on protein
structure than the exact order of amino acids in a polypeptide chain.
B. The “polypeptide backbone” refers to all atoms in a polypeptide chain, except for
those that form the peptide bonds.
C. The relative distribution of polar and nonpolar amino acids in a folded protein is
determined largely by hydrophobic interactions, which favor the clustering of nonpolar side
chains in the interior.

20. Indicate whether the following statements are true or false. If a statement is false, explain
why it is false.
A. Feedback inhibition is defined as a mechanism of down-regulating enzyme activity by
the accumulation of a product earlier in the pathway.
B. If an enzyme's allosteric binding site is occupied, the enzyme may adopt an alternative
conformation that is not optimal for catalysis.
C. Protein phosphorylation is another way to alter the conformation of an enzyme and
serves exclusively as a mechanism to increase enzyme activity.
21. Indicate whether the following statements are true or false. If a statement is false, explain
why it is false.
A. CO2 and O2 diffuse freely across cell membranes.
B. Transporters are similar to channels, except that they are larger, allowing folded
proteins as well as smaller organic molecules to pass through them.
C. Cells expend energy in the form of ATP hydrolysis so as to maintain ion
concentrations that differ from those found outside the cell.

22. 4 molecules are shown below. Write the name of each compound beside its identifying upper
case letter.
A.
B.
C.
D.

B
 C

23. For each of the following sentences, fill in the blanks with the best word or phrase selected
from the list below. Not all words or phrases will be used; each word or phrase should be
used only once.
A molecule moves down its concentration gradient by __________________ transport, but
requires __________________ transport to move up its concentration gradient. Transporter
proteins and ion channels function in membrane transport by providing a
__________________ pathway through the membrane for specific polar solutes or
inorganic ions. __________________ are highly selective in the solutes they transport,
binding the solute at a specific site and changing conformation so as to transport the solute
across the membrane. On the other hand, __________________ discriminate between
solutes mainly on the basis of size and electrical charge.

active hydrophilic noncovalent

amino acid hydrophobic passive
amphipathic ion channels transporter proteins
24. Fill in the Table. In the “Type of transport” column, designate whether the transporter works
by uniport, symport, or antiport mechanisms.

Fill in the answer to the essay question only with the space provided (10 pts each)

25. Sketch two trees of life showing how the major groups are related to each other. Describe the
similarities and differences between the trees, why the relationships are shown that way,
what explains the differences between the group relationships in the two trees, and which
tree is more accurate for an evolutionary tree of life?
26. If ATP production is blocked in an animal cell, the cell will swell up. Explain this
observation.