ASCP Molecular Biology Certification / Molecular
Diagnostics Practice
Comprehensive Resource To Help You Ace 2026-2027 Exams
Includes Frequently Tested Questions With ELABORATED
100% Correct COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Guaranteed Pass First Attempt!! Current Update!!
1. What is the theory of polymerase chain reaction? - Correct Answer: a
primer-directed in vitro enzymatic reaction for the production of a specific
DNA fragmented. To amplify small target sequences from DNA (or RNA)
using a thermostable DNA polymerase (taq polymerase).
2. What are the steps of polymerase chain reaction? - Correct Answer:
Denaturation: dsDNA separate by heat 90-96 degree
Annealing: complementary primers hybridizes 40-68 degree
Extension: taq make compementary strands 70-75 degrees
3. What are the controls of polymerase chain reaction? - Correct Answer:
Blank reaction: controls for contamination; no DNA template
Negative control: controls for specificity of amplification reaction; lack
target sequence
DNA template
Positive control: controls for sensitivity; known target sequence DNA
template
,4. What are the advantages of polymerase chain reaction? - Correct
Answer: Simple, rapid, relatively inexpensive
Minute amount of DNA or RNA amplified from clinical samples
High sensitivity and specificity
High-yield amplification achieve
Many usages of PCR
DNA sequence up to 30 kb can be amplified
5. What are the disadvantages of polymerase chain reaction? - Correct
Answer: Must know sequence of DNA of interest
Highly susceptible to contamination or false amplification
Amplification not 100% specific
Specificity of amplification dependent on temp. & Mg concentration
Analysis & product detection longer than PCR reaction itself
6. What is the calculation of melting temperature? - Correct Answer: Tm=
4(# of G&C) + 2(# of A&T)
G/C content of 20-80%
7. In primer design what should you avoid? - Correct Answer: interstrand
homologies: primers ain't similar ( bind to each other)
intrastrand homologies: long primers fold over
longer than GGGG
8. What is basic summary of Reverse transcription - PCR? - Correct
Answer: process which a ssRNA molecule gives rise to a complementary
DNA (cDNA) molecule through a primer-dependent polymerase-dependent
reaction
,9. What is basic summary of Real-time or quantitative PCR? - Correct
Answer: simultaneously quantify & amplify a specific part of DNA;
determine whether or not specific sequence present
10.What is target amplification? - Correct Answer: involves making copies
of a target sequence to a level that can be detected in vitro
11.What is signal amplification? - Correct Answer: number of target
sequences does not change but large amounts of signal are bound to the
target sequence present in the sample
12.What is the differences between target and signal amplification? -
Correct Answer: targets involves synthesis of new copies of target
sequences and signal involves amplification of detection signals
13.What are the steps involved in biochip/microarray technology? - Correct
Answer: Comparing gene transcription in different cells
mRNA into labeled cDNA
Labeled cDNA hybridizes
Laser to see hybridization
Visualization of genes
14.What are the two types probes of microarray technology? - Correct
Answer: probe cDNA - Format 1
Oligonucleotides or peptide nucleic acid - format 2
, 15.What is probe cDNA microarray technology? - Correct Answer: 500-
5000 bases long immobilized on a solid surface by robotics
grids of cDNA each with unique sequence
determines level of mRNA expression produced by collection of cells
16.What is oligonucleotide or peptide nucleic acid microarray technology? -
Correct Answer: 20-80 - mer oligo (primers 20 to 80 nucleotides long)
peptide nucleic acid (PNA)
sample DNA added, hybridized, complementary sequences determine
17.What are the applications for microarray technology? - Correct Answer:
mRNA or gene expression profiling: monitoring expression levels of biology,
medicine , studying treatments, disease & development stages
Comparative genomic hybridization: large genomic rearrangement
SNP detection arrays: single nucleotide polymorphism genome of
populations
Chromatin immunoprecipitation: studies determining protein binding site
occupancy throughout genome
18.Describe the basic microarray readout base on intensity? - Correct
Answer: red: strongly increased activity in treated cells
green: strongly decreased activity in treated cells
light blue: gene equally active in treated and untreated
black: gene inactive in both groups
19.What is the normal karyotype of a male? - Correct Answer: 46, XY
20.What is the normal karyotype of a female? - Correct Answer: 46, XX
Diagnostics Practice
Comprehensive Resource To Help You Ace 2026-2027 Exams
Includes Frequently Tested Questions With ELABORATED
100% Correct COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Guaranteed Pass First Attempt!! Current Update!!
1. What is the theory of polymerase chain reaction? - Correct Answer: a
primer-directed in vitro enzymatic reaction for the production of a specific
DNA fragmented. To amplify small target sequences from DNA (or RNA)
using a thermostable DNA polymerase (taq polymerase).
2. What are the steps of polymerase chain reaction? - Correct Answer:
Denaturation: dsDNA separate by heat 90-96 degree
Annealing: complementary primers hybridizes 40-68 degree
Extension: taq make compementary strands 70-75 degrees
3. What are the controls of polymerase chain reaction? - Correct Answer:
Blank reaction: controls for contamination; no DNA template
Negative control: controls for specificity of amplification reaction; lack
target sequence
DNA template
Positive control: controls for sensitivity; known target sequence DNA
template
,4. What are the advantages of polymerase chain reaction? - Correct
Answer: Simple, rapid, relatively inexpensive
Minute amount of DNA or RNA amplified from clinical samples
High sensitivity and specificity
High-yield amplification achieve
Many usages of PCR
DNA sequence up to 30 kb can be amplified
5. What are the disadvantages of polymerase chain reaction? - Correct
Answer: Must know sequence of DNA of interest
Highly susceptible to contamination or false amplification
Amplification not 100% specific
Specificity of amplification dependent on temp. & Mg concentration
Analysis & product detection longer than PCR reaction itself
6. What is the calculation of melting temperature? - Correct Answer: Tm=
4(# of G&C) + 2(# of A&T)
G/C content of 20-80%
7. In primer design what should you avoid? - Correct Answer: interstrand
homologies: primers ain't similar ( bind to each other)
intrastrand homologies: long primers fold over
longer than GGGG
8. What is basic summary of Reverse transcription - PCR? - Correct
Answer: process which a ssRNA molecule gives rise to a complementary
DNA (cDNA) molecule through a primer-dependent polymerase-dependent
reaction
,9. What is basic summary of Real-time or quantitative PCR? - Correct
Answer: simultaneously quantify & amplify a specific part of DNA;
determine whether or not specific sequence present
10.What is target amplification? - Correct Answer: involves making copies
of a target sequence to a level that can be detected in vitro
11.What is signal amplification? - Correct Answer: number of target
sequences does not change but large amounts of signal are bound to the
target sequence present in the sample
12.What is the differences between target and signal amplification? -
Correct Answer: targets involves synthesis of new copies of target
sequences and signal involves amplification of detection signals
13.What are the steps involved in biochip/microarray technology? - Correct
Answer: Comparing gene transcription in different cells
mRNA into labeled cDNA
Labeled cDNA hybridizes
Laser to see hybridization
Visualization of genes
14.What are the two types probes of microarray technology? - Correct
Answer: probe cDNA - Format 1
Oligonucleotides or peptide nucleic acid - format 2
, 15.What is probe cDNA microarray technology? - Correct Answer: 500-
5000 bases long immobilized on a solid surface by robotics
grids of cDNA each with unique sequence
determines level of mRNA expression produced by collection of cells
16.What is oligonucleotide or peptide nucleic acid microarray technology? -
Correct Answer: 20-80 - mer oligo (primers 20 to 80 nucleotides long)
peptide nucleic acid (PNA)
sample DNA added, hybridized, complementary sequences determine
17.What are the applications for microarray technology? - Correct Answer:
mRNA or gene expression profiling: monitoring expression levels of biology,
medicine , studying treatments, disease & development stages
Comparative genomic hybridization: large genomic rearrangement
SNP detection arrays: single nucleotide polymorphism genome of
populations
Chromatin immunoprecipitation: studies determining protein binding site
occupancy throughout genome
18.Describe the basic microarray readout base on intensity? - Correct
Answer: red: strongly increased activity in treated cells
green: strongly decreased activity in treated cells
light blue: gene equally active in treated and untreated
black: gene inactive in both groups
19.What is the normal karyotype of a male? - Correct Answer: 46, XY
20.What is the normal karyotype of a female? - Correct Answer: 46, XX
