Contributed by Sri. A.

Sudheendra Hebbar, Mysore 1

REASONING TYPE QUESTIONS – BOTANY

MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
1. Two strands of DNA cannot be identical.
Purines of one strand pair with the pyrimidines of the other strand and therefore, the two strands are
complementary to each other.
2. Base ratio in DNA is always constant.
DNA is double stranded and there is complementary base pairing between the two strands with purines
of one strand pairing with the pyrimidines of the other strand.
3. Base ratio in RNA is highly variable.
RNA is mostly single stranded and therefore, lacks complementary base pairing.
4. Replication of DNA is referred to as semi-conservative replication.
After replication, in each daughter DNA molecule, one of the parental strands is retained and the other
strand will be new.
5. DNA replication would be incomplete in bacteria if DNA ligase is absent.
The lagging strand would not be produced since the okazaki fragments would not join in the absence of
DNA ligase.
6. Eukaryotic mRNA is monocistronic.
It carries sequence or triplet codons for the synthesis of only one protein.
7. Prokaryotic mRNA is polycistronic.
It carries sequences or triplet codons coding for several proteins.
8. Eukaryotic genes are considered as split genes.
Eukaryotic genes have non-coding regions called introns which are present in between coding regions
called exons.
9. Cistron is considered as a unit of function.
Cistron is the transcriptional unit consisting of the code that directs the synthesis of protein by
producing mRNA.
10. mRNA synthesized by a gene in the nucleus of eukaryotes has to undergo processing before it
participates in translation.
Eukaryotic genes have coding regions called exons and non-coding regions called introns and
therefore, the mRNA that is produced will also have non coding sequences which need to be removed
before translation.
11. Genetic code is considered as redundant.
Genetic code is redundant because, a single amino acid is coded or recognized by more than one
triplet codon.
12. Genetic code is considered as universal.
A particular triplet codon recognises or codes for the same amino acid in all living organisms.
13. The cistrons (structural genes) do not produce mRNA in E.coli when the medium in which they grow
lacks lactose.
The repressor protein remains attached to the operator in the absence of lactose and blocks the space
on promoter for interaction with RNA polymerase. Thus, structural genes are ‘switched off’.
14. The Lac - operon is ‘switched on’ or derepressed in the presence of an inducer like lactose.
The repressor protein binds to lactose to produce inducer – repressor complex and makes the promoter
free for the attachment of RNA polymerase and synthesis of polycistronic mRNA.
BIOTECHNOLOGY
1. Plasmids are considered as very important tools in rDNA technology.
Plasmids are used as a carriers or vehicles of desired DNA(gene) to produce
recombinant DNA and rDNA can be used for gene cloning.
2. Plasmids are called vectors.
Plasmids are used as a carriers or vehicles of desired DNA (gene) to produce
recombinant DNA and rDNA can be used for gene cloning or synthesis of biologically
important molecules.
Contributed by Sri. A. Sudheendra Hebbar, Mysore 2
3. Restriction endonucleases are called ‘molecular knives / scissors’.
RENs can cut DNA at specific regions called palindromic sequences.
4. In treatment of Diabetes, humulin is considered more advantageous than the conventional method.
Humulin is a product of human gene whereas insulin from other sources like cattle and pig may
produce allergic symptoms when administered to diabetic patients.
5. DNA fingerprinting cannot be employed for distinguishing identical twins.
Identical twins are produced from a single zygote. Each daughter cell produced during the first cleavage
develops into an embryo. Therefore, the genetic material in both will be the same.
6. Meristems used in tissue culture are considered to be totipotent.
They have undifferentiated or embryonic cells which have the capacity to divide, differentiate and grow
into whole plants.
7. Plantlets raised through tissue culture can be considered as clones.
Plantlets are produced by mitotic divisions of the cells of explants in tissue culture. There are no
recombinations and therefore, all the plantlets are clones.
8. Golden rice is a transgenic plant.
Golden rice has three foreign genes, two from daffodil and one from Erwinia, in its genome.
9. Golden rice is yellowish in colour.
It is very in β – carotene which gives yellow colour to rice.
10. Golden rice is rich in  carotene unlike any other variety of rice.
It is a transgenic plant with three foreign genes, two from daffodil and one from Erwinia, which are
involved in the synthesis of  carotene.
11. Prostaglandin is injected into the recipient cows or surrogate cows during MOET procedure.
It is to bring all the surrogate cows to the same estrous or reproductive stage simultaneously so that
embryos could be transferred to them.
PLANT HISTOLOGY AND ANATOMY
1. Parenchyma is considered as the least specialized permanent tissue.
Unlike highly specialized cells, it can perform different kinds of life activities like photosynthesis,
respiration, maintenance of turgidity of cell, storage, etc.
2. Collenchyma is considered as a living mechanical tissue.
It has living protoplasm to carry out all life activities. It also has additional cell wall material called pectin
which give support.
3. Companion cells are considered as sister cells of sieve tube elements.
Companion cells and sieve tube elements are produced by the same mother cell.
4. Tracheae are more efficient in water conduction than tracheids.
Tracheae are joined end to end and their end walls are dissolved or perforated while it is not so in
tracheids.
5. Cork cambium is considered as secondary meristem.
Cork cambium is formed by the dedifferentiation of cells of the permanent tissue (hypodermis).
6. Secondary growth does not occur in maize stem.
Maize is a monocot without any cambium.
7. Heart wood is more durable than sap wood.
The xylem elements of heart wood are filled with ergastic substances like tannin, resin, etc.,
8. Heart wood does not conduct sap.
The lumens of tracheary elements of the heart wood are filled with ergastic substances like tannin,
resin, gum, etc. which make it hard and durable.
PLANT WATER RELATIONS
1. Plants generally wilt when watered with concentrated solution of salts.
Water moves out of the root cells into the soil solution as soil solution has lesser
water potential making the plant cells flaccid.
2. A cell increases in volume when it is surrounded by hypotonic solution.
Endosmosis occurs due to higher water potential in the surrounding medium.
Contributed by Sri. A. Sudheendra Hebbar, Mysore 3
3. A plant cell placed in pure water swells but does not burst.
A plant cell is surrounded by a tough, rigid and inelastic cell wall and the cell wall also applies wall
pressure against turgor pressure.
4. When salt is added to chopped pieces of cucumber, plenty of water is released.
The medium outside becomes hypertonic and therefore, water from cucumber pieces move out by
exosmosis to a region of lower water potential.
5. Dry grapes (raisins) kept in water swell.
The hydrophilic colloids on the cell walls adsorb water by imbibitions followed by endosmosis.
6. Absorption of water occurs in the maturation zone of roots.
Maturation zone of roots possess numerous root hairs which increase the area for absorption.
7. Although a girdled tree (upto bast) may survive for sometime, it will eventually die.
The girdled region has only xylem and no phloem. Translocation of food to roots does not occur and
therefore, roots die affecting the absorption of water.
8. In a girdled tree, the root dies first.
The girdled region has only xylem and no phloem. Translocation of food to roots does not occur.
9. As the wind blows, rate of ascent of sap increases.
Wind carries the moisture away from the leaf surface and increases transpiration. This creates suction
force or transpiration pull that increases the rate of ascent of sap.
10. An increase in temperature increases the rate of absorption of water.
Rate of transpiration increases increase in temperature which creates greater suction force or
transpiration pull. Therefore, rate of absorption increases.
11. A gentle breeze favours transpiration.
The immediate surrounding of the leaf surface becomes dry as a gentle breeze carries away water vapours,
thus favouring transpiration.
12. As the humidity increases, ascent of sap decreases.
A humid environment means higher percentage of water which decreases the rate of transpiration and
therefore, reduces transpiration pull or suction force that is required for ascent of sap.
13. Turgidity or flaccidity of guard cells affects the rate of transpiration.
Turgidity of guard cells results in the opening of stomata and flaccidity of guard cells closes the
stomata.
14. Rate of ascent of sap increases with decrease in humidity.
Decreased humidity means a dry environment around the leaf which increases the rate of transpiration.
This, in turn, creates suction force or transpiration pull and the rate of ascent of sap increases.
BIOENERGETICS – PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND RESPIRATION
1. ATP is called the ‘energy currency’ of the cell in living organisms.
It is because whenever the cells require energy, the pyrophosphate bond of the ATP is broken and
energy is released to carry out other reactions.
2. NADPH2 and ATP molecules produced during light reaction of photosynthesis are called
assimilatory powers.
NADPH2 and ATP are used for the fixation of carbon dioxide into glucose during dark reaction.
3. Photosynthesis is drastically affected at very high intensities of light.
Chlorophyll molecules undergo destruction by photooxidation at very high intensities of light
(solarisation).
4. Chlorophyll ‘b’, xanthophylls, carotene, etc., are called light harvesting molecules.
These pigments absorb light energy which is not absorbed by chlorophyll ‘a’ and transfer it to the actual
reaction centre (chl ‘a’) by inductive resonance.
5. Some bacteria exhibit photosynthesis but they do not produce oxygen.
They do not have PS II and water is not the hydrogen donor during
photosynthesis.
6. Very high temperature decreases the rate of photosynthesis / cellular
respiration.
Very high temperature denatures the enzymes involved in photosynthesis /
cellular respiration.
Contributed by Sri. A. Sudheendra Hebbar, Mysore 4
7. Maize is considered as a C4 plant.
The first stable compound formed during initial carbon dioxid fixation is a 4 – carbon compound called
oxaloacetic acid.
8. CAM plants are scotoactive.
CAM plants are xerophytic and therefore, to prevent transpiration, they close their stomata during day
time.
9. Fruits and vegetables are stored at low temperature by cold storage or refrigeration.
The rate cellular respiration decreases considerably due to the inactivation of enzymes. This increases
the longevity of fruits and vegetable.
10. Aerobic respiration is more efficient then anaerobic respiration.
In aerobic respiration, complete oxidation of one glucose molecule yields 38 ATP molecules while one
molecule of glucose is partially oxidized to produced only 2 ATP molecules in anaerobic respiration.
11. Carbon dioxide is not produced when bacteria perform fermentation on milk.
These bacteria partially oxidize glucose obtained from lactose into lactic acid by lactic acid
fermentation.
12. When germination occurs in germinating castor seeds, RQ value is less than 1
Stored fats are oxidized because of which the volume of oxygen utilized for oxidation would be more
than volume of carbon dioxide released.
13. RQ of fats and proteins is less than 1.
It is because the volume of carbon dioxide released is less than the volume of oxygen utilized during
their oxidation.
14. When respiration occurs in fresh lemon fruits, RQ value would be more than 1.
Fresh lemon has citric acid which is an organic acid. During its oxidation (respiration), volume of CO2
released is more than the volume of oxygen utilized.
GROWTH
1. Removal of the terminal bud of the stem makes the plant grow short and bushy.
Apical parts of plant (terminal bud) contain auxins which is responsible for apical dominance
(suppression of lateral buds). Removal of terminal buds promote the growth of lateral branches.
2. The liquid in tender coconut (coconut milk) is often used in tissue culture experiments.
Coconut milk contains cytokinin which is a growth promoter that promotes cell division (callogenesis)
and morphoshenesis.
3. Potatoes are sprayed with NAA during storage.
NAA which is a synthetic auxin prevents the sprouting of axillary buds (‘eyes’) and thus retains the
stored starch during storage.
4. Stem tips of most plants exhibit a curvature towards the source of light.
Light inhibits the activity of auxins on the illuminated side whereas absence of light promotes the growth
on the shaded side. Therefore, shoot bends towards light.
5. All parthenocarps are seedless fruits.
Parthenocarps are produced as a result of development of an ovary into fruit without pollination and
fertilisationand therefore, ovules do not develop into seeds.
6. ABA is also called stress hormone.
ABA helps in overcoming stressful situations like high salinity, scarcity of water, high temperature, etc.
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