Biology

Molecular Basis of Inheritance

Question:

How has the sequencing of human genome opened new windows for treatment of various genetic disorders. Discuss amongst your classmates.

Answer:

Knowledge about the effects of DNA variations among individuals can lead to revolutionary new ways to diagnose, treat and someday prevent the thousands of disorders that affect human beings.

  • Besides providing clues to understanding human biology, learning about non-human organisms DNA sequences can lead to an understanding of their natural capabilities that can be applied toward solving challenges in health care, agriculture, energy production, environmental remediation. Deriving meaningful knowledge from the DNA sequences will define research through the coming decades leading to our understanding of biological systems. .
  • This enormous task will require the expertise and creativity of tens of thousands of scientists from varied disciplines in both the public and private sectors worldwide. One of the greatest impacts of having the HG sequence may well be enabling a radically new approach to biological research. In the past, researchers studied one or a few genes at a time. With whole-genome sequences and new high-throughput technologies, we can approach questions systematically and on a much broader scale.
  • They can study all the genes in a genome, for example, all the transcripts in a particular tissue or organ or tumor, or how tens of thousands of genes and proteins work together in interconnected networks to orchestrate the chemistry of life.
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Molecular Basis of Inheritance

Q 1.

Now, sequencing of total genomes getting is less expensive day by the day. Soon it may be affordable for a common man to get his genome sequenced. What in your opinion could be the advantage and disadvantage of this development?

Q 2.

What is DNA polymorphism? Why is it important to study it?

Q 3.

Name any three viruses which have RNA as the genetic material.

Q 4.

Define transformation in Griffith's experiment. Discuss how it helps in the identification of DNA as the genetic material.

Q 5.

Would it be appropriate to use DNA probes such as VNTR in DNA finger printing of a bacteriophage?

Q 6.

What is the function of histones in DNA packaging?

Q 7.

List two essential roles of ribosome during translation.

Q 8.

Explain (in one or two lines) the function of the followings:
(a) Promoter (b) tRNA
(c) Exons

Q 9.

During in vitro synthesis of DNA, a researcher used 2′, 3′ – dideoxy cytidine triphosphate as raw nucleotide in place of 2′-deoxy cytidine. What would be the consequence?

Q 10.

A low level of expression of lac operon occurs at all the time. Can you explain the logic behind this phenomena?

Q 11.

If the sequence of the coding strand in a transcription unit is written as follows: 5-ATGCATGCATGCATGCATGCA TGCATGC-3′
Write down the sequence of mRNA.

Q 12.

In the medium where E. coli was growing, lactose was added, which induced the lac operon. Then, why does lac operon shut down some time after addition of lactose in the medium?

Q 13.

The total number of genes in humansds far less (< 25,000) than the previous estimate (upto 1,40,000 gene). Comment.

Q 14.

Name a few enzymes involved in DNA replication other than DNA polymerase and ligase. Name the key functions for each of them.

Q 15.

Differentiate between the followings:
(a)Repetitive DNA and Satellite DNA
(b)mRNAand tRNA
(c)Template strand and Coding strand

Q 16.

Give any six features of the human genome.

Q 17.

Comment on the utility of variability in number of tandem repeats during DNA finger printing.

Q 18.

Which property of DNA double helix led Watson and Crick to hypothesise semi-conservative mode of DNA replication? Explain.

Q 19.

List the various markers that are used in DNA finger printing.

Q 20.

Group the following as nitrogenous bases and nucleosides: Adenine, Cytidine, Thymine, Guanosine, Uracil and Cytosine.

Q 21.

What is the cause of discontinuous synthesis of DNA on one of the parental strands of DNA? What happens to these short stretches of synthesised DNA?

Q 22.

Based on your understanding of genetic code, explain the formation of any abnormal hemoglobin molecule. What are the known consequences of such a change?

Q 23.

You are repeating the Hershey-Chase experiment and are provided with two isotopes: 32P and 15N (in place of 35S in the original experiment). How do you expect your results to be different?

Q 24.

If a double stranded DNA has 20 per cent of cytosine, calculate the per cent of adenine in the DNA.

Q 25.

Briefly describe the following:
(a) Transcription (b) Polymorphism
(c) Translation (d) Bioinformatics

Q 26.

Sometimes cattle or even human beings give birth to their young ones that are having extremely different sets of organs like limbs/position of eye(s) etc. Comment.

Q 27.

What would happen if histones were to be mutated and made rich in acidic amino acids such as aspartic acid and glutamic acid in place of basic amino acids such as lysine and arginine?

Q 28.

In an experiment, DNA is treated with a compound which tends to place itself amongst the stacks of nitrogenous base pairs. As a result of this, the distance between two consecutive base increases from 0.34 nm to 0.44 nm. Calculate the length of DNA double helix (which has 2 x 109 bp) in the presence of saturating amount of this compound.

Q 29.

There is a paternity dispute for a child'. Which technique can solve the problem? Discuss the principle involved.

Q 30.

How did Hershey and Chase differentiate between DNA and protein in their experiment white proving that DNA is the genetic material?

Q 31.

Do you think that the alternate splicing of exons may enable a structural gene to code for several isoproteins from one and the same gene? If yes, how? If not, why so?

Q 32.

Give an account of the methods used in sequencing the human genome.

Q 33.

During the course of evolution why DNA was chosen over RNA as genetic material? Give reasons by first discussing the desired criteria in a molecule that can act as genetic material and in the light of biochemical differences between DNA and RNA.

Q 34.

What are the functions of (i) methylated guanosine cap, (ii) poly-A "tail"in a mature on RNA?

Q 35.

Distinguish between heterochromatin and euchromatin. Which of the two is transcriptionally active?

Q 36.

The enzyme DNA polymerase in E.coli is a DNA dependent polymerase and also has the ability to proofread the DNA strand being synthesised. Explain. Discuss the dual polymerase.

Q 37.

Give an account of Hershey and Chase experiment. What did it conclusively prove? If both DNA and proteins contained phosphorus and sulphur do you think the result would have been the same?

Q 38.

How has the sequencing of human genome opened new windows for treatment of various genetic disorders. Discuss amongst your classmates.

Q 39.

Who revealed biochemical nature of the transforming principle? How was it done?

Q 40.

Why is the Human genome project called a mega project?

Q 41.

Depending upon the chemical nature of the template (DNA or RNA) and the nature of nucleic acids synthesized from it (DNA or RNA), list the types of nucleic acid polymerases.

Q 42.

A single base mutation in a gene may not ‘always' result in loss or gain of function. Do you think the statement is correct? Defend your answer.

Q 43.

Replication was allowed to take place in the presence of radioactive deoxynucleotides precursors in E. coli that was a mutant for DNA ligase. Newly synthesised radioactive DNA was purified and strands were separated by denaturation. These were centrifuged using density gradient centrifugation. Which of the following would be a correct result?
ncert-exemplar-problems-class-12-biology-molecular-basis-of-inheritance-6

Q 44.

Discuss the significance of heavy isotope of nitrogen in the Meselson and Stahl's experiment.

Q 45.

If the sequence of one strand of DNA is written as follows:
5′-ATGCATGCATGCATGCATGCA
TGCATGC-3′
Write down the sequence of complementary strand in 5′ -> 3′ direction.

Q 46.

Retroviruses do not follow central Dogma. Comment.

Q 47.

Give an account of post transcriptional modifications of an eukaryotic mRNA. “

Q 48.

Recall the experiments done by Frederick Griffith, Avery, MacLeod and McCarty, where DNA was speculated to be the genetic material. If RNA, instead of DNA was the genetic material, would the heat killed strain of Pneumococcus have transformed the R-strain into virulent strain? Explain.

Q 49.

What background information did Watson and Crick have made available for developing a model of DNA What was their contribution?

Q 50.

Define a cistron. Giving examples differentiate between monocistronic and polycistronic transcription unit.