BIOL 302 Past Exam Question and Practice Question With
Complete Solutions
What is the acetylation status of histones in heterochromatin?
A. Hyperacetylated
B. Hypoacetylated
C. Methylated
D. Phosphorylated
B. Hypoacetylated
How does histone acetylation affect chromatin structure?
A. Condenses chromatin and silences genes
B. Loosens chromatin and promotes gene expression
C. Causes DNA replication errors
D. Prevents RNA polymerase binding
B. Loosens chromatin and promotes gene expression
Euchromatin is generally __________ in structure and contains
__________ acetylated histones.
loosely packed; hyper
Heterochromatin is __________ packed and contains
__________ acetylated histones.
densely; hypo
Histone acetylation neutralizes the __________ charge on lysine
residues, leading to chromatin __________.
,positive, relaxation
Which protein complex is responsible for recognizing the TATA
box during transcription initiation?
A. TFIIH
B. TFIIF
C. TFIID
D. Mediator
C. TFIID
What are the two main components of the TFIID complex?
A. TBP and TFIIH
B. TAFs and TBP
C. RNA polymerase II and TFIIF
D. TAFs and Mediator
B. TAFs and TBP
What is the role of TBP within the TFIID complex?
A. Phosphorylates RNA polymerase II
B. Unwinds DNA at the promoter
C. Binds the TATA box and bends DNA
D. Recruits histone acetyltransferases
C. Binds the TATA box and bends DNA
Which general transcription factor has helicase and kinase
activity essential for promoter clearance?
,A. TFIID
B. TFIIA
C. TFIIH
D. TAFs
C. TFIIH
What is the function of the Mediator complex in transcription
initiation?
A. Binds the TATA box
B. Acts as a coactivator bridging transcription factors and RNA
polymerase II
C. Degrades mRNA after transcription
D. Splices introns from hnRNA
B. Acts as a coactivator bridging transcription factors and RNA
polymerase II
Which of the following proteins is directly involved in
phosphorylating the C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA
polymerase II?
A. TBP
B. TAFs
C. TFIIH
D. TFIIE
C. TFIIH
The two components of the TFIID complex are __________ and
__________.
, TBP and TAFs
TBP stands for __________ and binds to the __________ box in
the promoter region.
TATA-binding protein; TATA
The transcription factor responsible for unwinding DNA and
phosphorylating RNA polymerase II is __________.
TFIIH
The __________ complex acts as a bridge between transcription
factors and RNA polymerase II, integrating regulatory signals.
Mediator
Which of the following is a key property of the transcription
initiation complex that enables transcription to begin?
A. DNA methylation
B. RNA splicing
C. Promoter recognition and stabilization of RNA polymerase II
D. Ribosome assembly
C. Promoter recognition and stabilization of RNA polymerase II
What structural feature of the initiation complex allows RNA
polymerase II to transition from initiation to elongation?
A. DNA looping
B. Phosphorylation of the CTD
C. Histone methylation
D. RNA capping
Complete Solutions
What is the acetylation status of histones in heterochromatin?
A. Hyperacetylated
B. Hypoacetylated
C. Methylated
D. Phosphorylated
B. Hypoacetylated
How does histone acetylation affect chromatin structure?
A. Condenses chromatin and silences genes
B. Loosens chromatin and promotes gene expression
C. Causes DNA replication errors
D. Prevents RNA polymerase binding
B. Loosens chromatin and promotes gene expression
Euchromatin is generally __________ in structure and contains
__________ acetylated histones.
loosely packed; hyper
Heterochromatin is __________ packed and contains
__________ acetylated histones.
densely; hypo
Histone acetylation neutralizes the __________ charge on lysine
residues, leading to chromatin __________.
,positive, relaxation
Which protein complex is responsible for recognizing the TATA
box during transcription initiation?
A. TFIIH
B. TFIIF
C. TFIID
D. Mediator
C. TFIID
What are the two main components of the TFIID complex?
A. TBP and TFIIH
B. TAFs and TBP
C. RNA polymerase II and TFIIF
D. TAFs and Mediator
B. TAFs and TBP
What is the role of TBP within the TFIID complex?
A. Phosphorylates RNA polymerase II
B. Unwinds DNA at the promoter
C. Binds the TATA box and bends DNA
D. Recruits histone acetyltransferases
C. Binds the TATA box and bends DNA
Which general transcription factor has helicase and kinase
activity essential for promoter clearance?
,A. TFIID
B. TFIIA
C. TFIIH
D. TAFs
C. TFIIH
What is the function of the Mediator complex in transcription
initiation?
A. Binds the TATA box
B. Acts as a coactivator bridging transcription factors and RNA
polymerase II
C. Degrades mRNA after transcription
D. Splices introns from hnRNA
B. Acts as a coactivator bridging transcription factors and RNA
polymerase II
Which of the following proteins is directly involved in
phosphorylating the C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA
polymerase II?
A. TBP
B. TAFs
C. TFIIH
D. TFIIE
C. TFIIH
The two components of the TFIID complex are __________ and
__________.
, TBP and TAFs
TBP stands for __________ and binds to the __________ box in
the promoter region.
TATA-binding protein; TATA
The transcription factor responsible for unwinding DNA and
phosphorylating RNA polymerase II is __________.
TFIIH
The __________ complex acts as a bridge between transcription
factors and RNA polymerase II, integrating regulatory signals.
Mediator
Which of the following is a key property of the transcription
initiation complex that enables transcription to begin?
A. DNA methylation
B. RNA splicing
C. Promoter recognition and stabilization of RNA polymerase II
D. Ribosome assembly
C. Promoter recognition and stabilization of RNA polymerase II
What structural feature of the initiation complex allows RNA
polymerase II to transition from initiation to elongation?
A. DNA looping
B. Phosphorylation of the CTD
C. Histone methylation
D. RNA capping
