Class 12 Biology | Molecular Basis of Inheritance | MCQs

Class 12 Biology | Molecular Basis of Inheritance | MCQs

Question 1:

Which of the following criteria must a molecule fulfil to act as a genetic

material?
(i) It should not be able to generate its replica
(ii) It should chemically and structurally be stable
(iii) It should not allow slow mutation
(iv) It should be able to express itself in the form of Mendelian Characters
(a) (i) and (ii)
(b)(ii) and (iii)
(c) (iii) and (iv)
(d) (ii) and (iv)

Answer: (d) (ii) and (iv)

Question 2:

The promoter site and the terminator site for transcription are located at
(a) 3′ (downstream) end and 5′ (upstream) end, respectively of the
transcription unit
(b) 5′ (upstream) end and 3′ (downstream) end, respectively of the
transcription unit
(c) the 5′ (upstream) end of the transcription unit
(d) the 3′ (downstream) end of the transcription unit

Answer: (b) 5′ (upstream) end and 3′ (downstream) end, respectively of the

transcription unit

Question 3:

Which of the following is correct about mature RNA in eukaryotes?

(a) Exons and introns do not appear in the mature RNA.
(b) Exons appear, but introns do not appear in the mature RNA.
Class 12 Biology | Molecular Basis of Inheritance | MCQs

(c) Introns appear, but exons do not appear in the mature RNA.
(d) Both exons and introns appear in the mature RNA.

Answer: (b) Exons appear, but introns do not appear in the mature RNA.

Question 4:

In E.coli, the lac operon gets switched on when

(a) lactose is present and it binds to the repressor.
(b) repressor binds to operator.
(c) RNA polymerase binds to the operator.
(d) lactose is present and it binds to RNA polymerase.

Answer: (a) lactose is present and it binds to the repressor.

Question 5:

Oswald Avery, Colin MacLeod and Maclyn McCarty used enzymes to purify
biochemicals such as proteins, DNA and RNA from the heat-killed S cells to see
which ones could transform live R cells into S cells in Griffith's experiment.
They observed that
(a) Proteases and RNases affected transformation.
(b) DNase inhibited transformation.
(c) Proteases and Lipases affected transformation.
(d) RNases inhibited transformation.

Answer: (b) DNase inhibited transformation.

Class 12 Biology | Molecular Basis of Inheritance | MCQs

Question 6:

AUG on the mRNA will result in the activation of which of the following RNA
having correct combination of amino acids:

Answer: (b) Methionine, UAC

Question 7:

Short stretches of DNA used to identify complementary sequence in a sample

are called
(a) probes
(b) markers
(c) VNTRs
(d) primers

Answer: (a) probes

Question 8:

Total number of nucleotide sequences of DNA that codes for a hormone is

1530. The proportion of different bases in the sequence is found to be Adenine
= 34%, Guanine = 19%, Cytosine = 23%, Thymine = 19%. Applying Chargaff’s
rule, what conclusion can be drawn?
Class 12 Biology | Molecular Basis of Inheritance | MCQs

(a) It is a double stranded circular DNA.

(b) It is a single stranded DNA.
(c) It is a double stranded linear DNA.
(d) It is a single stranded DNA coiled on Histones.

Answer: (b) It is a single stranded DNA.

Question 9:

A stretch of an euchromatin has 200 nucleosomes. How many bp will there be

in the stretch and what would be the length of the typical euchromatin?
(a) 20,000 bp and 13,000 x10-9 m
(b) 10,000 bp and 10,000 x10-9 m
(c) 40,000 bp and 13,600 x10-9 m
(d) 40,000 bp and 13,900 x10-9 m

Answer: (c) 40,000 bp and 13,600 x10-9 m

Question 10:

Observe structures A and B given below. Which of the following statements

are correct?

(a) A is having 2'-OH group which makes it less reactive and structurally stable,
whereas B is having 2'-H group which makes it more reactive and unstable.
Class 12 Biology | Molecular Basis of Inheritance | MCQs

(b) A is having 2'-OH group which makes it more reactive and structurally
unstable, whereas B is having 2'-H group which makes it less reactive and
structurallystable.
(c) A and B both have -OH groups which make it more reactive and structurally
stable.
(d) A and B both are having -OH groups which make it less reactive and
structurally stable

Answer: (b) A is having 2'-OH group which makes it more reactive and
structurally unstable, whereas B is having 2'-H group which makes it less
reactive and structurallystable.

Question 11:

If Meselson and Stahl's experiment is continued for sixth generations in

bacteria, the ratio of Heavy strands 15N/15N :Hybrid15N/14N : light 14N/14N
containing DNA in the sixth generation would be
(a) 1:1:1
(b) 0:1:7
(c) 0:1:15
(d) 0:1:31

Answer: (d) 0:1:31

Question 12:

Two important RNA processing events lead to specialized end sequences in

most human mRNAs:
(i) at the 5’ end, and
(ii) at the 3’ end. At the 5’end the most distinctive specialized end nucleotide,
(iii) is added and a sequence of about 200
(iv) is added to the 3’ end.

(a) (i) Initiator codon (ii) Promotor (iii) Terminator codon (iv) Release factors
(b) (i). Promotor (ii) Elongation (iii) Regulation (iv) Termination.
Class 12 Biology | Molecular Basis of Inheritance | MCQs

(c) (i) Capping (ii) Polyadenylation (iii) mGppp (iv) Poly(A).

(d) (i) Repressor (ii) Co repressor (iii) Operon (iv) sRelease factors

Answer: (c) (i) Capping (ii) Polyadenylation (iii) mGppp (iv) Poly(A).

Question 13:

What are minisatellites?

(a) 10-40 bp sized small sequences within the genes
(b) Short coding repetitive region on the eukaryotic genome
(c) Short non-coding repetitive sequence forming large portion of eukaryotic
genome
(d) Regions of coding strands of the DNA

Answer: (c) Short non-coding repetitive sequence forming large portion of

eukaryotic genome

Question 14:

There was a mix-up at the hospital after a fire accident in the nursery division.
Which of these children belong to the parents?

(a) All of the children

Class 12 Biology | Molecular Basis of Inheritance | MCQs

(b) Children 2, 3 & 6

(c) Children 1 & 3
(d) Children 2 & 4

Answer: (c) Children 1 & 3

Question 15:

Which cellular process is shown below?

(a) DNA Replication

(b) Translation - Initiation
(c) Translation - Elongation
(d) Translation – Termination

Answer: (c) Translation - Elongation

Question 16:

Origin of replication of DNA in E. coli is shown below, Identify the labelled parts
(i),(ii), (iii) and (iv)

(a) (i)- discontinuous synthesis , (ii)- continuous synthesis (iii) 3’ end (iv) 5’end
Class 12 Biology | Molecular Basis of Inheritance | MCQs

(b) (i)- continuous synthesis , (ii)- discontinuous synthesis (iii) 5’ end (iv) 3’end
(c) (i)- discontinuous synthesis, (ii)- continuous synthesis (iii) 5’ end (iv) 3’end
(d) (i)- continuous synthesis , (ii)- discontinuous synthesis (iii) 3’ end (iv) 5’end

Answer: (d) (i)- continuous synthesis , (ii)- discontinuous synthesis (iii) 3’ end

(iv) 5’end

Question 17:

Transcription unit is represented in the diagram given below.

Identify site (i), factor (ii) and Enzyme (iii) responsible for carrying out the
process.
(a) (i) Promoter Site, (ii) Rho factor (iii) RNA polymerase
(b) (i) Terminator Site, (ii) Sigma factor (iii) RNA polymerase
(c) (i) Promoter Site, (ii) Sigma factor (iii) RNA polymerase
(d) (i) Promoter Site, (ii) Sigma factor (iii) DNA polymerase

Answer: (c) (i) Promoter Site, (ii) Sigma factor (iii) RNA polymerase

Question 18:

The main reason for the presence of both a leading and a lagging strand during
DNA replication is
(a) DNA polymerase can read and synthesize only in the direction of 3'-to-5'
(b) DNA polymerase can only synthesize one strand at a time
(c) Only one strand is available to be read at any given time
(d) There are not enough RNA primers to have both strands be synthesized
simultaneously
Class 12 Biology | Molecular Basis of Inheritance | MCQs

Answer: (a) DNA polymerase can read and synthesize only in the direction of

3'-to-5'

Question 19:

On the ribosome, mRNA binds ____________ and two sites in the ________
for subsequent amino acids to bind to be close enough to each other for the
formation of a peptide bond.
(a) between the subunits; on the large subunit.
(b) to the large subunit; on the small subunit.
(c) to the small subunit; on the large subunit.
(d) to the small subunit; between the subunits

Answer:(c) to the small subunit; on the large subunit.

Question 20:

Which of the following is removed from initially transcribed RNA before it is

transported to the cytoplasm for translation in eukaryotes?

(a) Introns
(b) Exons
(c) 5’ cap
(d) Ribosome binding site

Answer:(a) Introns

Introns are the non coding sequences in newly formed mRNA which must be

removed for making mRNA functional for translation.

Class 12 Biology | Molecular Basis of Inheritance | MCQs

Assertion Reason based questions:

Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Answer these questions selecting the appropriate
option given below:
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true and R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is False but R is true

Question 21:

A: Synthesis of daughter or new strand occurs continuously along the parent 3’

 5’ strand.
R: DNA polymerase can polymerise nucleotides in 3’  5’ direction on 5’  3’
strand.

Answer: (c) A is true but R is false

DNA polymerase can polymerise nucleotides only in 5’  3’ direction on 3’ 

5’ strand because it adds nucleotides at the 3’ end.

Question 22:

A: Repetitive sequences make up very large portion of human genome.

R: Repetitive sequences do not have direct coding function in the genome.

Answer: (b) Both A and R are true and R is not the correct explanation of A

Repetitive sequences make up a large portion of human genome. These

sequences are nucleotide sequences that are repeated many times. They have
no direct coding function but provide information about chromosome
structure, dynamics and evolution.
Class 12 Biology | Molecular Basis of Inheritance | MCQs

Question 23:

A: If the sequence of bases of one DNA strand is known the sequence of other
strand can be predicted.
R: Both the strands of DNA are complementary to each other.

Answer: (b) Both A and R are true and R is not the correct explanation of A

If polynucleotide chains like DNA base pairings are said to be complementary

to each other. If the base sequence of one strand is known then the sequence
of other strand can be predicted.

Case-Study Based Questions

Question 24:

Transfer RNA serves as the nuclei acid decoding device that reads the triplet
genetic code of messenger RNA and causes the insertion of codon-specific
amino acids in a growing protein chain during the process of translation in the
ribosome. A particular triplet codon is an mRNA is read by a tRNA through one
of its loop, which has triplet of anti-codon residues that base pair with the
codon. Each TRNA is charged with particular amino acid at its 3’-end.

(i) The presence of adaptor molecule that would on one hand read the code
and on the other hand would bind to specific amino acids was postulated by
(a) Francis Crick
(b) James Watson
(c) Rosalind Franklin
(d) Griffith

(ii) tRNA binds to mRNA through

Class 12 Biology | Molecular Basis of Inheritance | MCQs

(a) anticodon loop

(b) mRNA
(c) D-loop
(d) amino acids

(iii) Choose the incorrect option.

(a) tRNA has amino acid acceptor end to which it binds to amino acids.
(b) There are no tRNAs for stop codons.
(c) mRNAs are specific for each amino acid.
(d) None of these

(iv) The difference between mRNA and tRNA is that

(a) mRNA has more elaborated 3-D structure due to extensive base pairing.
(b) mRNA bears anticodon but tRNA has codons.
(c) tRNA has more elaborated 3D structure due to extensive base pairing.
(d) mRNA is usually smaller than tRNA.

(v)

Following statements are related to the above figure of tRNA.

I. It has an anticodon loop that has bases complementary to the code.
II. It has an amino acid acceptor end to which it binds o amino acids.
III. It looks like a clover leaf.
IV. It is not specific for each amino acid.

Choose the correct option.

(a) I and IV
(b) II and IV
Class 12 Biology | Molecular Basis of Inheritance | MCQs

(c) I, II and III

(d) III and IV

Answer:

(i) (a) Francis Crick

Francis Crick discovered the adaptor molecule or tRNA. But its 3D structure
was given by Klug in 1974.

(ii) (a) anticodon loop

tRNA binds to mRNA through anticodon loop as it bears bases complementary

to those on mRNA being translated.

(iii) (c) mRNAs are specific for each amino acid.

tRNAs are specific for each amino acid.

(iv) (c) tRNA has more elaborated 3D structure due to extensive base pairing.
tRNA has more elaborated 3D structure than mRNA due to extensive base
pairing.

(v) (c) I, II and III

Question 25:

Erwin Chargaff was one of those men, making two discoveries that led James
Watson and Francis Crick to the double helix structure of DNA. At first Chargaff
noticed that DNA whether taken from a plant or animal-contained equal
amount of adenine and thymine and equal amounts of cytosine and guanine.
These equalities provide clues into the chemical pairing that make up the
double helix. In addition Chargaff also found that amounts of G, C, A and T vary
Class 12 Biology | Molecular Basis of Inheritance | MCQs

by species are indication that DNA, not protein might be the genetic material
for life.

(i) Thymine is also called

(a) 2 methyl uracil
(b) 3 methyl uracil
(c) 4 methyl uracil
(d) 5 methyl uracil

(ii) In DNA 20% bases are adenine. What %age of bases are pyrimidines?
(a) 30%
(b) 60%
(c) 50%
(d) 20%

(iii) The length of DNA in a human cell is about

(a) 2.3 m
(b) 2.4 m
(c) 2.2 m
(d) 2 m

(iv) A DNA molecule in which both strands have radioactive thymidine is

permitted to replicate in an environment that contains non-radioactive
thymidine. What is the right number of DNA molecules which possess some
radioactive thymidine post three duplications?

(a) one such molecule

(b) two such molecules

(c) four such molecules

(d) eight such molecules

(v) If the DNA strand has nitrogenous base sequence ATTGCC, the mRNA will
have?
Class 12 Biology | Molecular Basis of Inheritance | MCQs

(a) ATTGCA

(b) UGGACC

(c) UAACGG

(d) ATCGCC

Answer:

(i) (d) 5 methyl uracil

Thymine and uracil have both similar structure. Thymine is also called as 5-
methyl uracil.

(ii) (b) 60%

A – 20%, T – 20%

A + T = 20 + 20 = 40%

100 – 40 = 60%

(iii) (c) 2.2 m

The length of DNA in a human cell is 2.2 m.

(iv) (b) two such molecules

(v) (c) UAACGG

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