GMS 5057 - MEDICAL CELL BIOLOGY - TEST 1
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
The GMS 5057 Medical Cell Biology Test 1 evaluates a candidate's understanding of
fundamental cell structure, function, and molecular processes essential to human
biology and disease. The exam coverage includes cell membrane structure and
transport mechanisms, organelle functions such as the nucleus, mitochondria,
endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi apparatus, and basic principles of cellular metabolism
and energy production. It also assesses knowledge of DNA structure, gene expression,
protein synthesis, and cell signaling pathways involved in communication and
regulation. Additional topics include the cell cycle, mitosis and meiosis, apoptosis, and
basic mechanisms of cellular response to stress and damage. Overall, the exam
ensures candidates demonstrate a strong foundation in cellular biology concepts
required for understanding medical science and disease processes.
What are regulatory DNA - Answers - They are genes that control when, where, and
how much genes are expressed
Definition of templated polymerization - Answers - DNA is split apart and each strand is
used as a template when being replicated or during transcription.
Multicellular eukaryotic organisms that sexually reproduce arise from - Answers - single
cell (zygote)
Cell function - Answers - interpret hereditary DNA and express information to coordinate
synthesis of molecules that assemble into complex structures that form more cells.
Monomers of DNA and RNA - Answers - Nucleotide
components of a nucleotide - Answers - sugar, phosphate, nitrogenous base
The backbone of a nucleotide has what types of chemical bonds - Answers - covalent
The nucleotide bases interact with eachother via what types of bonds - Answers -
Hydrogen
Central Dogma of Molecular Biology - Answers - - DNA -> RNA -> Protein
- Genes in DNA and hereditary information is expressed.
What are enzymes - Answers - proteins with catalytic sites that catalyze specific
chemical reactions
Enzyme that catalyzes hydrolysis of polysaccharides in bacterial cell walls - Answers -
Lysozyme
,Main currency for energy in cells - Answers - ATP
What structural part of the phospholipid bilayer prevents the passive diffusion of
hydrophilic substances - Answers - hydrophobic core
Amphipathic - Answers - having both a hydrophilic region and a hydrophobic region
Liposome - Answers - Phospholipid bilayer that forms an aqueous compartment as a
result of phospholipids being submerged into water.
What are the two groups of prokaryotes - Answers - Bacteria and Archaea
What are the three branches of the tree of life - Answers - Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
Sequence conservation in rRNA genes among various species including human
suggest what? - Answers - life originated from an ancestral cell.
What are three ways that new genes can arise - Answers - Intragenic mutation
Gene duplication
DNA segment shuffling
Examples of mutations - Answers - nucleotide changes, deletions, and insertions
Horizontal gene transfer - Answers - - transfer of DNA between different organisms
(particularly in bacterial species and rarely in eukaryotic species).
Vertical gene transfer - Answers - parent to progeny
Gene family - Answers - Genes that share related sequences and functions
Largest family of genes - Answers - ABC transporters
ABC transporters - Answers - - ATP-binding cassette transporters
- Transporters that use ATP as energy to perform various functions.
homologous genes - Answers - two or more genes derived from the same ancestral
gene
Orthologs - Answers - Homologous genes with a common ancestor in different species
due to a speciation event.
Paralogs - Answers - Homologous genes with a common ancestor in the same species,
usually due to gene duplication and divergence.
Viruses that infect bacterial cells - Answers - bacteriophages
, Mutant analysis - Answers - using mutants to understand how a biological process
normally works
Mitochondrion origin - Answers - An ancient eukaryotic precursor cell engulfed a
bacterial cell and became a host for the bacterial cell. A symbiotic relationship was
formed.
Human cells have hybrid genomes including: - Answers - Nuclear and mitochondrial
c-KIT - Answers - Cellular receptor tyrosine kinase. Phosphorylates tyrosines on certain
cytosolic proteins. Regulates function and migration of melanocytes in skin.
Piebaldism - Answers - Absence of melanocytes in areas of skin that have less
pigmentation.
What elements make of most mass of cells? - Answers - CHON
What types of bonds have the highest strength - Answers - Covalent
What types of bonds have the highest specificity - Answers - non-covalent
What is the difference between electrostatic/ionic bonds and other non-covalent bonds?
- Answers - there is no partial charges, or sharing of electrons. Ionic bonds are the
interactions between two fully charged atoms.
Water dissolves what types of molecules - Answers - hydrophilic that are polar and
charged.
Amphiphilic - Answers - molecule possessing a polar or charged area that likes water
and a nonpolar or uncharged area that does not like water.
Which part of the fatty acid is hydrophilic? - Answers - Head (carboxylic acid)
Which part of the fatty acid is hydrophobic? - Answers - Tail (hydrocarbon)
Micelle vs Liposome - Answers - Micelle is not a bilayer and does not have an internal
aqueous environment like a liposome.
pH - Answers - negative logarithm of the hydronium ion concentration in moles/L
What are the main families of small organic molecules - Answers - Amino acids, fatty
acids, nucleotides, sugars
Macromolecules formed after polymerization of monomers - Answers - Proteins, lipids,
nucleic acids, carbohydrates (polysaccharides)
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
The GMS 5057 Medical Cell Biology Test 1 evaluates a candidate's understanding of
fundamental cell structure, function, and molecular processes essential to human
biology and disease. The exam coverage includes cell membrane structure and
transport mechanisms, organelle functions such as the nucleus, mitochondria,
endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi apparatus, and basic principles of cellular metabolism
and energy production. It also assesses knowledge of DNA structure, gene expression,
protein synthesis, and cell signaling pathways involved in communication and
regulation. Additional topics include the cell cycle, mitosis and meiosis, apoptosis, and
basic mechanisms of cellular response to stress and damage. Overall, the exam
ensures candidates demonstrate a strong foundation in cellular biology concepts
required for understanding medical science and disease processes.
What are regulatory DNA - Answers - They are genes that control when, where, and
how much genes are expressed
Definition of templated polymerization - Answers - DNA is split apart and each strand is
used as a template when being replicated or during transcription.
Multicellular eukaryotic organisms that sexually reproduce arise from - Answers - single
cell (zygote)
Cell function - Answers - interpret hereditary DNA and express information to coordinate
synthesis of molecules that assemble into complex structures that form more cells.
Monomers of DNA and RNA - Answers - Nucleotide
components of a nucleotide - Answers - sugar, phosphate, nitrogenous base
The backbone of a nucleotide has what types of chemical bonds - Answers - covalent
The nucleotide bases interact with eachother via what types of bonds - Answers -
Hydrogen
Central Dogma of Molecular Biology - Answers - - DNA -> RNA -> Protein
- Genes in DNA and hereditary information is expressed.
What are enzymes - Answers - proteins with catalytic sites that catalyze specific
chemical reactions
Enzyme that catalyzes hydrolysis of polysaccharides in bacterial cell walls - Answers -
Lysozyme
,Main currency for energy in cells - Answers - ATP
What structural part of the phospholipid bilayer prevents the passive diffusion of
hydrophilic substances - Answers - hydrophobic core
Amphipathic - Answers - having both a hydrophilic region and a hydrophobic region
Liposome - Answers - Phospholipid bilayer that forms an aqueous compartment as a
result of phospholipids being submerged into water.
What are the two groups of prokaryotes - Answers - Bacteria and Archaea
What are the three branches of the tree of life - Answers - Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
Sequence conservation in rRNA genes among various species including human
suggest what? - Answers - life originated from an ancestral cell.
What are three ways that new genes can arise - Answers - Intragenic mutation
Gene duplication
DNA segment shuffling
Examples of mutations - Answers - nucleotide changes, deletions, and insertions
Horizontal gene transfer - Answers - - transfer of DNA between different organisms
(particularly in bacterial species and rarely in eukaryotic species).
Vertical gene transfer - Answers - parent to progeny
Gene family - Answers - Genes that share related sequences and functions
Largest family of genes - Answers - ABC transporters
ABC transporters - Answers - - ATP-binding cassette transporters
- Transporters that use ATP as energy to perform various functions.
homologous genes - Answers - two or more genes derived from the same ancestral
gene
Orthologs - Answers - Homologous genes with a common ancestor in different species
due to a speciation event.
Paralogs - Answers - Homologous genes with a common ancestor in the same species,
usually due to gene duplication and divergence.
Viruses that infect bacterial cells - Answers - bacteriophages
, Mutant analysis - Answers - using mutants to understand how a biological process
normally works
Mitochondrion origin - Answers - An ancient eukaryotic precursor cell engulfed a
bacterial cell and became a host for the bacterial cell. A symbiotic relationship was
formed.
Human cells have hybrid genomes including: - Answers - Nuclear and mitochondrial
c-KIT - Answers - Cellular receptor tyrosine kinase. Phosphorylates tyrosines on certain
cytosolic proteins. Regulates function and migration of melanocytes in skin.
Piebaldism - Answers - Absence of melanocytes in areas of skin that have less
pigmentation.
What elements make of most mass of cells? - Answers - CHON
What types of bonds have the highest strength - Answers - Covalent
What types of bonds have the highest specificity - Answers - non-covalent
What is the difference between electrostatic/ionic bonds and other non-covalent bonds?
- Answers - there is no partial charges, or sharing of electrons. Ionic bonds are the
interactions between two fully charged atoms.
Water dissolves what types of molecules - Answers - hydrophilic that are polar and
charged.
Amphiphilic - Answers - molecule possessing a polar or charged area that likes water
and a nonpolar or uncharged area that does not like water.
Which part of the fatty acid is hydrophilic? - Answers - Head (carboxylic acid)
Which part of the fatty acid is hydrophobic? - Answers - Tail (hydrocarbon)
Micelle vs Liposome - Answers - Micelle is not a bilayer and does not have an internal
aqueous environment like a liposome.
pH - Answers - negative logarithm of the hydronium ion concentration in moles/L
What are the main families of small organic molecules - Answers - Amino acids, fatty
acids, nucleotides, sugars
Macromolecules formed after polymerization of monomers - Answers - Proteins, lipids,
nucleic acids, carbohydrates (polysaccharides)
