The herbaceous plant Achillea lanulosa is widespread in the Northern Hemisphere. Phenotypic variation in the species has been extensively studied along an altitudinal gradient from sea level to over 3,000 meters. In California there is conspicuous variation in  height; alpine plants are only several centimeters tall  while  those in  the San Joaquin Valley may reach a height of 1.8 meters. Adaptation to different local environments also results in variation in physiological processes such as photosynthetic rate, resistance to cold, and the timing of dormancy.

Which of the following methods would be best to determine whether the phenotypic variation in Achillea lanulosa is due to genotypic variation?

#Question id: 4086

#Unit 3. Fundamental Processes

RNA interference

a. utilizes antisense RNA.  

b. utilizes double-stranded RNA.

c. is used to silence expression of genes. 

d. utilizes short interfering RNAs.

#Question id: 4087

#Unit 3. Fundamental Processes

Polyadenylation can promote translation

a. of the fragile-X gene. 

b. of stored oocyte mRNAs.

c. by allowing for greater interaction at the 5´ end.

d. by allowing for greater interaction with translation initiation factors.

#Question id: 4088

#Unit 3. Fundamental Processes

The 28S, 18S, and 5.8S rRNAs are

a. transcribed by RNA polymerase II.

b. encoded by a single transcription unit.

c. arranged in tandem arrays. 

d. processed in the cytoplasm.

#Question id: 4089

#Unit 3. Fundamental Processes

An investigator incubates an unprocessed RNA molecule containing an intron in an extract absent of any protein. Correct splicing of the RNA is observed, but only when guanosine is present. What can the investigator conclude about the RNA molecule?

a. It contains a ribozyme. 

b. Self-splicing has occurred.

c. It contains a group II intron.

d. It contains a group I intron.

#Question id: 4090

#Unit 3. Fundamental Processes

Tryptophan synthesis can be controlled by a process called attenuation in which the levels of tryptophan in the cell control translation by

#Question id: 4091

#Unit 3. Fundamental Processes

To avoid being degraded by nuclear exonucleases, nascent transcripts, pre-mRNA-processing intermediates, and mature mRNAs in the nucleus must have their ends protected. Which of the following mechanism are present in the cell to protect mRNA from degradation?

I. The 5′ cap is protected because it is bound by a heterodimeric nuclear cap-binding complex (CBC), which protects it from 5′ exonucleases and also functions in export of the mRNA to the cytoplasm.

II. 5’-5’ phosphodiester bond in the cap of mRNA plays crucial role in protection

III. The 3′ end of a nascent transcript lies within the RNA polymerase and is thus inaccessible to exonucleases