Molecular Biology Quiz

Gene Cloning Experiments

• The primary purpose of gene cloning experiments is to construct recombinant DNA molecules.
• Gene cloning involves DNA manipulation techniques, such as cutting and joining DNA.

DNA Manipulation Enzymes

• Nucleases are enzymes that degrade DNA molecules by breaking phosphodiester bonds.
• Ligase enzymes are involved in joining nucleic acid molecules together.
• DNA polymerase is an enzyme used in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
• Alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme that removes phosphate groups from the 5′ terminus of a DNA molecule.
• Exonucleases are enzymes that remove nucleotides one at a time from the end of a DNA molecule.
• Endonucleases are enzymes that cleave DNA at specific internal sites.

Specific Enzymes

• Taq DNA polymerase is a thermostable enzyme commonly used in PCR.
• Reverse transcriptase is an enzyme that synthesizes a DNA strand complementary to an RNA template.
• Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase is an enzyme that adds deoxyribonucleotides onto the 3′ terminus of a DNA molecule.
• S1 endonuclease is an enzyme purified from the fungus Aspergillus oryzae.
• Deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I) is an enzyme that targets any internal phosphodiester bond in a DNA molecule.

DNA Restriction and Ligation

• Over 1000 different restriction endonucleases have been isolated.
• Type II restriction endonucleases are the most important in gene cloning.
• Sticky ends are ends of DNA that can form base pairs with complementary sequences.
• Linkers are short pieces of double-stranded DNA with a known sequence, used in DNA manipulation.
• A problem that can arise when using linkers is that they can form dimers.

This quiz tests your understanding of gene cloning, DNA manipulation, and enzymes involved in DNA processes.