Week 4 Biochemistry: RNA and Protein Synthesis

Quiz Part 1

Section 1. Fill in the blanks.

1. __ is the process in which a gene's DNA sequence is copied (transcribed) to make an
RNA molecule.
2. __ is the main transcription enzyme.
3. Transcription begins when RNA polymerase binds to a __ sequence near the beginning
of a gene (directly or through helper proteins).
4. RNA polymerase uses one of the DNA strands (the __) as a template to make a new,
complementary RNA molecule.
5. Transcription ends in a process called __.
6. __ are the key molecules that give cells structure and keep them running.
7. The region of opened-up DNA is called a __.
8. Transcription uses one of the two exposed DNA strands as a template; this strand is
called the __.
9. The RNA product is complementary to the template strand and is almost identical to
the other DNA strand, called the __.
10. The site on the DNA from which the first RNA nucleotide is transcribed is called the +1
site, or the __.
11. Nucleotides that come before the initiation site are given negative numbers and said
to be __.
12. Nucleotides that come after the initiation site are marked with positive numbers and
said to be __.
13. RNA polymerase always builds a new RNA strand in the __ direction.
14. Instead, helper proteins called __ bind to the promoter first, helping the RNA
polymerase in your cells get a foothold on the DNA.
15. Many eukaryotic promoters have a sequence called a __; plays a role as it's recognized
by one of the general transcription factors which make it easy to pull the strands of
DNA apart.
16. __ is the stage when the RNA strand gets longer, thanks to the addition of new
nucleotides.
17. __ binds to a sequence and starts "climbing" up the transcript towards RNA polymerase.
18. __ depends on specific sequences such as a region rich in C and G nucleotides.
19. In bacteria, RNA transcripts are ready to act as __ and get translated into proteins right
away.
20. When a sequence called a __ shows up in an RNA molecule during transcription, an
enzyme chops the RNA in two at that site.
Section 2. Determine the following.

1 2

3 4 5

8
7

10 11

Section 3. Match the following events with the correct stage of transcription.
 Week 4 Biochemistry: RNA and Protein Synthesis
Quiz Part 2

Section 1. Provide your answer

1. What are the nucleosides of the RNA?
2. What are the nucleotides of the RNA?
3. What are the nucleosides of the DNA?
4. What are the phases of transcription?
5. What are the processes of RNA and Protein synthesis?
6. What are the types of RNA?
7. What is the start codon?
8. What are the stop codons?

Section 2. Provide your answer.

1. The following DNA strand is used as a template for transcription:
3' CGTAAGCGGCT 5'
The corresponding RNA is: __
The corresponding amino acids are __
The corresponding anticodon tRNA is __
2. The following RNA strand was produced:
5' AAAAUGAGUAAG 3'
What DNA strand could have been the template for this RNA?
What are the corresponding amino acids?
What is the corresponding anticodon?
3. Write the corresponding codon, amino acids, and anticodons using the following DNA
strand (2).

Section 3. True or False. Correct the statement when the answer is false.
1. RNA synthesis is in a 5’ → 3’ direction.
2. Gene transcription by E. coli RNA polymerase takes place in three phases: initiation,
elongation, and extermination.
3. Nucleosides are compounds without phosphate group.
4. Nucleotides are compounds without phosphate group.
5. 5’ means the hydroxyl group of the first nucleotide is attached to the 5' carbon of the
sugar ring.
6. 3’ means the phosphate group is attached to the 3' carbon of the sugar ring of the last
nucleotide.
7. Humans and other eukaryotes have three different kinds of RNA polymerases: I, II, and
III.
8. There are 44 = 256 possible codons in RNA.
9. Codon is to mRNA; anticodon is to rRNA.
10. The complementary base of DNA “A” is RNA “G”.
11. Wobble position is a redundancy effect coded at the 1st nucleotide sequence
12. Anticodon translation is in a 5’ → 3’ direction.
13. Anticodon ensures that the correct amino acid will be added to the growing polypeptide
chain.
14. Protein synthesis is a complex process that begins with adequate supplies of sugar to
charge the tRNA molecules that deliver them to the protein synthetic apparatus.

Section 4. Multiples choices.

1. The amino acid leucine has several possible codons, due to the degeneracy of the
genetic code. This means that there is more than one possible __________ for leucine.
a) rRNA
b) ribosome
c) DNA
d) mRNA
e) tRNA
2. Which of the following nucleic acids brings an amino acid through the cytosol to a
ribosome during translation?
a) None of these choices are correct
b) mRNA
c) rRNA
d) tRNA
3. What is the purpose of tRNA?
a) To bring amino acids to ribosomes
b) To aid in the transcription of genes
c) To form part of the ribosome
d) To bring information from within the nucleus to the cytoplasm
4. How does a ribosome detect that the correct amino acid is being added during
translation?
a) Appropriate base pairing between mRNA and rRNA
b) Translation factors
c) It doesn’t; correct sequences are checked later by chaperones during protein
folding
d) Appropriate base pairing between the mRNA and tRNA
5. If the enzyme, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase malfunctions, which of the following
processes will be impeded?
a) Post-transcriptional RNA processing
b) Transcription
c) None of the other answers
d) DNA replication
e) Translation
6. Which of the following correctly pairs each kind of RNA with its function?
a) mRNA carries genetic information from DNA
tRNA carries amino acids to ribosomes
rRNA associates with proteins to form the ribosome
b) mRNA carries amino acids to ribosomes
tRNA associates with proteins to form the ribosome
rRNA carries genetic information from DNA
c) mRNA carries genetic information from DNA
tRNA carries proteins to ribosomes
 rRNA associates with proteins to form the ribosome
d) mRNA carries proteins to ribosomes
tRNA carries amino acids to ribosomes
rRNA associates with proteins to form the ribosome
e) mRNA carries amino acids to ribosomes
tRNA carries genetic information from DNA
rRNA associates with proteins to form the ribosome
7. Which of the following choices is the enzyme that adds amino acids to tRNA
molecules?
a) RNA polymerase
b) Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase
c) Synthase
d) Primase
8. How are ribosomal units typically organized during translation?
a) Two subunits of equal size
b) A large subunit and a small subunit
c) A single large complex
d) Two small subunits
9. Which of the following amino acids is responsible for the initiation of the translation
of a polypeptide?
a) Alanine
b) Methionine
c) Asparagine
d) Leucine
e) Valine
10.In messenger RNA, each codon specifies a particular __________.
a) nucleotide
b) amino acid
c) pyrimidine
d) purine