Microbial Genetics MCQs

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1. In bacterial conjugation, what is the function of the F plasmid?
(A) To integrate into the bacterial chromosome
(B) To facilitate the transfer of genetic material between bacteria
(C) To protect the bacteria from phage infection
(D) To repair damaged DNA

2. In bacterial genetics, what is transformation?
(A) The uptake of free DNA from the environment by a bacterial cell
(B) The exchange of genetic material between two bacterial cells through direct contact
(C) The replication of DNA within a bacterial cell
(D) The insertion of a new gene into a bacterial genome by a virus

3. In microbial genetics, transposition refers to:
(A) The replication of DNA
(B) The uptake of foreign DNA by a bacterial cell
(C) The transfer of genes from one location to another within the same genome
(D) The synthesis of RNA from DNA

4. In the context of microbial genetics, what is a mutation?
(A) The alteration of the DNA sequence in an organism's genome
(B) The process of transferring genetic material between organisms
(C) The replication of genetic material within a cell
(D) The exchange of plasmids between bacterial cells

5. The lac operon in E. coli is an example of gene regulation in response to:
(A) Temperature
(B) Light
(C) Nutrient availability
(D) Oxygen levels

6. What is the role of DNA polymerase in DNA replication?
(A) To unwind the DNA double helix
(B) To synthesize RNA from a DNA template
(C) To synthesize new DNA strands by adding nucleotides to the growing DNA chain
(D) To repair mutations in the DNA

7. Which enzyme is responsible for joining Okazaki fragments during DNA replication?
(A) DNA polymerase
(B) Helicase
(C) Ligase
(D) Primase

8. Which genetic element is known as an “episome” and can integrate into the bacterial chromosome?
(A) Bacteriophage
(B) Transposon
(C) Plasmid
(D) Chromosome

9. Which of the following processes describes the transfer of genetic material between bacterial cells via a bacteriophage?
(A) Transformation
(B) Transduction
(C) Conjugation
(D) Transposition

10. Which type of mutation results in the introduction of a premature stop codon into a gene sequence?
(A) Nonsense mutation
(B) Missense mutation
(C) Silent mutation
(D) Frameshift mutation