What do we know about Homo floresiensis? How old is it, where did it live, what did it look like? And, why is this a considered, by many, to be a controversial find?

What is meant by race? If you had a friend who told you that there were three clearly defined races, and another friend insisted that there were really five races, would you agree or disagree with each of them and why? Why can’t everyone agree on the number of races existing in the world today (what problems arise when people attempt to define someone by race)?

What is a polytypic species and what does it mean when one states that humans are members of the same polytypic species?

Upon surveying the material properties of all animals in a coral reef, you find that many materials that organisms use to build their structures are relatively strong, but not necessarily stiff. (a) Describe how a material can be strong, but not stiff. (b) What advantages might an animal gain by having structures whose proper functioning depends on their being adequately strong more than adequately stiff?

“Multicellular organisms can only exist due to cell signalling pathways”. Critically discuss this statement supporting your arguments with specific and relevant examples.

Why do scientists do experiments using PCR? More specifically, what are the temperatures used for PCR and what are the objectives for each temperature?

You are studying a transcriptional activator protein called CYK1, which activates cytokine genes in immune cells and has both a nuclear localization and a nuclear export signal and is normally found both in the nucleus and in the cytosol at comparable concentrations. CYK1 has a high-affinity binding partner in the nucleus (the binding partner is restricted to the nucleus). Upon activation of a certain signaling pathway, the binding protein partner is tagged for degradation. Explain the outcome of activation of the signaling pathway on cytokine gene expression and the localization of the transcriptional activator.

The physiological function of brown adipose tissue is to produce heat using a mitochondrial protein, thermogenin, also called uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1). It was previously thought that in humans, uncoupling proteins (UCPs) were present only in newborn babies since adult humans lack brown fat; however, two other members of the uncoupling protein family, UCP2 and UCP3, were identified in adults. This was realized after investigators produced UCP1-knockout mice that were missing the gene for the UCP1 protein; even after knockout, they noticed that there was still finite proton leakage across the inner membrane that could not be explained by simple proton diffusion. Subsequent studies in transgenic mice showed that over expression of UCP3 results in reduced body weight gain and adiposity (even after they consumed more food). Because of studies such as these, UCPs are being studied as targets for treating obesity. In adults, UCP2 and UCP3 are expressed in white adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. Discuss how and why induction of UCP2 or UCP3 might be helpful in treating obesity and maintaining a constant amount of adipose tissue.

1.Chlorpyrifos insecticide exposure in the general population is often measured directly. The methodology for measuring exposure specifically to chlorpyrifos involves…

a.Collecting blood and measuring the parent compound

b.Collecting saliva and measuring the parent compound

c.Collecting blood and measuring trichloropyridinol

d.Collecting urine and measuring dialkyl phosphate residues

e.Collecting urine and measuring trichlorpyridinol

2.Consumers spraying their lawns for control of white grubs with the formulation Dursban prior to its removal from hardware stores like Home Depot and Ace were estimated to have a high end exposure of about 0.015 mg/kg/day. Considering that this product would only be applied once or twice a growing season, the margin of exposure (MOE) relative to the acute no observable adverse effect level (NOEL or NOAEL) of 0.5 mg/kg/day is __________. This exposure is _________ (above or love) EPAs levels of concern (LOC).

3.. When EPA assesses risk to endangered species, the agency uses an effective safety factor of [___________].

4.In the pesticide registration eligibility decision making process, what two types of data does EPA routinely use to estimate risk to aquatic invertebrates?

a.48 hour LC50 of Culex spp.

b.48 hour LC50 of Daphnia spp.

c.96 hour LC50 of Onchorynchus spp.

d. 96 hour LC50 of Bombus spp.

e.Results from PRZM and EXAMS

f.Results from the USGS NAWQA Database

g.Results from chemical company residue monitoring studies

19. What is the function and structure of DNA?

Can someone explain the difference in homospores and heterospores? And which plants use which? And what each grow into?

Which statement is FALSE of the genetic code?

a) it contains a list of codons and the amino acids they code for which combine together to form proteins

b) a total of 20 amino acids are coded for by more than 20 codons

c) a codon 'word' consists of three nucleotides, and each codon codes for one amino acid

d) different codons can code for the same amino acid, if they share the same first two nucleotides in the codon

e) the third nucleotide in the codon needs to be precise for the correct amino acid according to the wobble hypothesis

What is natural hybridization between species?

a) the process of producing DNA clones by inserting the genes from one species into another

b) the process of individuals from dissimilar groups mating and forming viable offspring

c) the process of individuals that are genetically identical mating and creating genetically variable offspring

d) the process of amplifying small regions of DNA into millions of copies within a short period of time

e) none of these are true

After the process of meiosis is completed to form sperm and egg cells, they come together to created fertilized human cell which is..

a) diploid

b) haploid

c) a zygote

d) triploid

e) both A & C

What is NOT a physical characteristic of DNA?

a) double helix

b) antiparallel

c) complimentary base pairing

d) single stranded

e) has thymine bases

What is the direction of the flow of information within cells?

a) proteins, RNA, DNA

b) DNA, proteins, RNA

c) DNA, RNA, proteins

d) RNA, DNA, proteins

What is the difference between restriction enzymes (REs) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)?

a) REs are used to create millions of copies of DNA, PCR is involved in inserting DNA from one place to another

b) REs are used in cell regeneration, PCR is used in inserting fragments into bacterial plasmids

c) REs help cut DNA into smaller fragments, PCR is used to transfer foreign DNA from viruses

d) RE's cut DNA at specific sequences of nucleotides, PCR is used to amplify a certain section of DNA into millions of copies

e) RE's use the Cas-9 enzyme, PCR uses the CRISPR enzyme

In fruit flies, eye color is a sex-linked gene, where red color is dominant to the mutation causing white eyes. If a red-eyed male mated with a white-eyed female, what will the phenotypes of the offspring be?

a) all of the females will have red eyes, all the males will have white

b) all of the females will have white eyes, all of the males with have red

c) all of the offspring will have red eyes

d) all of the offspring will have white eyes

Which is TRUE of a DNA mutation?

a) is a change in the nucleotide sequence

b) always results in a change in the protein

c) may change the protein IF the change in nucleotide sequence occurs inside of a gene AND changes the amino acid of a codon

d) all of the above

e) A & C only

True or False: DNA methylation is a type of epigenetic change which can alter gene expression, even though there is no mutation in the genetic sequence itself.

A scientist is studying the inheritance of two traits, red hair color and freckles. The genotypes of both parents are TtGg. However, the reuslts of the cross deviate strongly from the characteristic 9:3:3:1 ratio. What can you conclude from this information?

Discuss a) Genomic and complementary DNA (cDNA) libraries and b) The testing of pharmaceutical drugs.

How does the nucleus coordinate gene expression

What is the relationship between the number of chromosomes in an organism's genome and its biological complexity?

a) more complex organisms have a higher number of chromosomes due to a higher number of genes

b) organisms have the same number of chromosomes, even though they vary in complexity

c) there is no relationship, many less complex organisms have a large number of chromosomes

d) less complex organisms have fewer chromosomes because it takes less time and energy to replicate their cells

e) less complex organisms tend to have more chromosomes and more proteins encoded by them

Which molecule is required to carry the information stored in the nucleus to the ribosome for protein synthesis?

a) transfer RNA (tRNA)

b) DNA ligase

c) messenger RNA (mRNA)

d) the genetic code

e) termination enzymes

Which of the following is NOT a stage of mitosis?

a) prophase

b) telophase

c) retrophase

d) anaphase

e) metaphase

Choose the correct order of heredity from smallest to largest.

a) gene, chromosome, allele, genome

b) gene, allele, chromosome, genome

c) chromosome, genome, allele, gene

d) allele, gene, chromosome, genome

e) genome, chromosome, allele, gene

The gene for earlobes is dominant, where EE= attached lobes. Sally is heterozygous for this gene. Which statement is true about Sally?

a) she has the phenotype for attached earlobes, and a genotype with one allele

b) she has a genotype for attached earlobes, and a phenotype with one allele

c) she has the phenotype for attached earlobes, and a genotype with two alleles

d) she has the genotype for unattached earlobes, and a phenotype with two alleles

e) she has the phenotype for unattached earlobes, and a genotype with two alleles

What is the group of three adjacent nucleotides which initiates polypeptide formation called?

a) termination sequence

b) genetic code

c) promoter

d) start codon

e) small subunit