Selected MCQ

Current Question
Actin filaments (microfilaments) participate in all the following processes except:
  • A. Muscle contraction via interaction with myosin
  • B. Formation of the cleavage furrow during cytokinesis
  • C. Rapid, long-range vesicle transport along axons via kinesin
  • D. Structural support of microvilli in intestinal epithelial cells
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
Actin is key in muscle contraction, cytokinesis, and microvilli structure. Kinesin motors move along microtubules, not actin, for long-range vesicle transport.
Related Question 1
A mutation prevents dynein from binding microtubules in eukaryotic cells. Which of the following processes would be most directly impaired?
  • A. Skeletal muscle contraction
  • B. Movement of vesicles from the Golgi apparatus to the endoplasmic reticulum
  • C. Movement of chromosomes toward the spindle poles during mitosis
  • D. Sliding of microtubule doublets in eukaryotic cilia and flagella
Correct Answer: D
Explanation:
Dynein motor proteins drive the sliding of microtubule doublets in cilia and flagella. Without functional dynein, ciliary and flagellar motion would be impaired. (Other processes involve myosin or different motor proteins.)
Related Question 2
Which of the following best describes polygenic inheritance?
  • A. One gene affects multiple traits (e.g., pleiotropy)
  • B. Many genes contribute to one trait (e.g., skin color)
  • C. A trait determined by genes only on the X chromosome
  • D. Inheritance of mitochondrial DNA
Correct Answer: B
Explanation:
Polygenic inheritance means multiple genes (often with additive effects) determine a single phenotype, such as height or skin color, producing continuous variation.
Related Question 3
Which of the following is NOT typically controlled during industrial fermentation in a bioreactor?
  • A. Temperature
  • B. pH
  • C. Oxygen concentration
  • D. DNA sequence of the microorganism
Correct Answer: D
Explanation:
A, B, and C (temperature, pH, oxygen) are critical parameters controlled in fermentation. The chosen strain fixes the DNA sequence and is not a controlled parameter during the run.
Related Question 4
Which of the following techniques compares short tandem repeat (STR) regions among individuals for identification?
  • A. Western blot
  • B. DNA microarray
  • C. DNA fingerprinting
  • D. Northern blot
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
DNA fingerprinting analyzes highly polymorphic regions, especially STRs, to distinguish individuals (used in forensics and paternity testing).
Related Question 5
Which of the following components is *not* required for a standard PCR reaction?
  • A. Template DNA
  • B. DNA polymerase
  • C. Primers
  • D. DNA ligase
Correct Answer: D
Explanation:
PCR requires a thermostable DNA polymerase, primers, dNTPs, and template DNA. DNA ligase is not needed because PCR does not splice DNA fragments.