1) Viral genomes vary greatly in size and may include from four genes
to several hundred genes. Which of the following viral features is
most apt to correlate with the size of the genome?
A) size of
the viral capsomeres
B) RNA versus DNA genome
C) double-
versus single-strand genomes
D) size and shape of the capsid
E) glycoproteins of the envelope
Answer: D
2) Viral envelopes can best be analyzed with which of the following
techniques?
A) transmission electron microscopy
B)
antibodies against specific proteins not found in the host membranes
C) staining and visualization with the light microscope
D)
use of plaque assays for quantitative measurement of viral titer
E) immunofluorescent tagging of capsid proteins
Answer: B
3) The host range of a virus is determined by
A) the enzymes
carried by the virus.
B) whether its nucleic acid is DNA or RNA.
C) the proteins in the host's cytoplasm.
D) the enzymes
produced by the virus before it infects the cell.
E) the
proteins on its surface and that of the host.
Answer: E
4) Most human-infecting viruses are maintained in the human
population only. However, a zoonosis is a disease that is transmitted
from other vertebrates to humans, at least sporadically, without
requiring viral mutation. Which of the following is the best example
of a zoonosis?
A) rabies
B) herpesvirus
C) smallpox
D) HIV
E) hepatitis virus
Answer: A
5) Which of the following accounts for someone who has had a
herpesvirus-mediated cold sore or genital sore getting flare-ups for
the rest of his or her life?
A) re-infection by a closely
related herpesvirus of a different strain
B) re-infection by the
same herpesvirus strain
C) co-infection with an unrelated virus
that causes the same symptoms
D) copies of the herpesvirus
genome permanently maintained in host nuclei
E) copies of the
herpesvirus genome permanently maintained in host cell cytoplasm
Answer: D
6) In many ways, the regulation of the genes of a particular group of
viruses will be similar to the regulation of the host genes.
Therefore, which of the following would you expect of the genes of the
bacteriophage?
A) regulation via acetylation of histones
B) positive control mechanisms rather than negative
C)
control of more than one gene in an operon
D) reliance on
transcription activators
E) utilization of eukaryotic polymerases
Answer: C
7) Which of the following is characteristic of the lytic cycle?
A) Many bacterial cells containing viral DNA are produced.
B) Viral DNA is incorporated into the host genome.
C) The
viral genome replicates without destroying the host.
D) A large
number of phages are released at a time.
E) The virus-host
relationship usually lasts for generations.
Answer: D
8) Which of the following statements describes the lysogenic cycle of
lambda (λ) phage?
A) After infection, the viral genes
immediately turn the host cell into a lambda-producing factory, and
the host cell then lyses.
B) Most of the prophage genes are
activated by the product of a particular prophage gene.
C) The
phage genome replicates along with the host genome.
D) Certain
environmental triggers can cause the phage to exit the host genome,
switching from the lytic to the lysogenic.
E) The phage DNA is
incorporated by crossing over into any nonspecific site on the host
cell's DNA.
Answer: C
9) Why do RNA viruses appear to have higher rates of
mutation?
A) RNA nucleotides are more unstable than DNA
nucleotides.
B) Replication of their genomes does not involve
proofreading.
C) RNA viruses replicate faster.
D) RNA
viruses can incorporate a variety of nonstandard bases.
E) RNA
viruses are more sensitive to mutagens.
Answer: B
10) Most molecular biologists think that viruses originated from
fragments of cellular nucleic acid. Which of the following
observations supports this theory?
A) Viruses contain either DNA
or RNA.
B) Viruses are enclosed in protein capsids rather than
plasma membranes.
C) Viruses can reproduce only inside host
cells.
D) Viruses can infect both prokaryotic and eukaryotic
cells.
E) Viral genomes are usually similar to the genome of the
host cell.
Answer: E
11) A researcher lyses a cell that contains nucleic acid molecules
and capsomeres of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). The cell contents are
left in a covered test tube overnight. The next day this mixture is
sprayed on tobacco plants. Which of the following would be expected to
occur?
A) The plants would develop some but not all of the
symptoms of the TMV infection.
B) The plants would develop
symptoms typically produced by viroids.
C) The plants would
develop the typical symptoms of TMV infection.
D) The plants
would not show any disease symptoms.
E) The plants would become
infected, but the sap from these plants would be unable to infect
other plants.
Answer: C
12) Which viruses have single-stranded RNA that acts as a template
for DNA synthesis?
A) lytic phages
B) proviruses
C)
viroids
D) bacteriophages
E) retroviruses
Answer: E
13) What is the function of reverse transcriptase in retroviruses?
A) It hydrolyzes the host cell's DNA.
B) It uses viral RNA
as a template for DNA synthesis.
C) It converts host cell RNA
into viral DNA.
D) It translates viral RNA into proteins.
E) It uses viral RNA as a template for making complementary RNA strands.
Answer: B
14) Which of the following can be effective in preventing the onset
of viral infection in humans?
A) taking vitamins
B)
getting vaccinated
C) taking antibiotics
D) applying
antiseptics
E) taking nucleoside analogs that inhibit transcription
Answer: B
15) Which of the following describes plant virus infections?
A)
They can be controlled by the use of antibiotics.
B) They are
spread via the plasmodesmata.
C) They have little effect on
plant growth.
D) They are seldom spread by insects.
E)
They can never be passed vertically.
Answer: B
16) Which of the following represents a difference between viruses
and viroids?
A) Viruses infect many types of cells, whereas
viroids infect only prokaryotic cells.
B) Viruses have capsids
composed of protein, whereas viroids have no capsids.
C) Viruses
contain introns, whereas viroids have only exons.
D) Viruses
always have genomes composed of DNA, whereas viroids always have
genomes composed of RNA.
E) Viruses cannot pass through
plasmodesmata, whereas viroids can.
Answer: B
17) The difference between vertical and horizontal transmission of
plant viruses is that
A) vertical transmission is transmission
of a virus from a parent plant to its progeny, and horizontal
transmission is one plant spreading the virus to another plant.
B) vertical transmission is the spread of viruses from upper
leaves to lower leaves of the plant, and horizontal transmission is
the spread of a virus among leaves at the same general level.
C)
vertical transmission is the spread of viruses from trees and tall
plants to bushes and other smaller plants, and horizontal transmission
is the spread of viruses among plants of similar size.
D)
vertical transmission is the transfer of DNA from one type of plant
virus to another, and horizontal transmission is the exchange of DNA
between two plant viruses of the same type.
E) vertical
transmission is the transfer of DNA from a plant of one species to a
plant of a different species, and horizontal transmission is the
spread of viruses among plants of the same species.
Answer: A
18) What are prions?
A) mobile segments of DNA
B) tiny
molecules of RNA that infect plants
C) viral DNA that has had to
attach itself to the host genome
D) misfolded versions of normal
brain protein
E) viruses that invade bacteria
Answer: D
19) Which of the following is the best predictor of how much damage a
virus causes?
A) ability of the infected cell to undergo normal
cell division
B) ability of the infected cell to carry on
translation
C) whether the infected cell produces viral protein
D) whether the viral mRNA can be transcribed
E) how much
toxin the virus produces
Answer: A
20) Antiviral drugs that have become useful are usually associated
with which of the following properties?
A) ability to remove all
viruses from the infected host
B) interference with viral
replication
C) prevention of the host from becoming infected
D) removal of viral proteins
E) removal of viral mRNAs
Answer: B
21) Which of the following series best reflects what we know about
how the flu virus moves between species?
A) An avian flu virus
undergoes several mutations and rearrangements such that it is able to
be transmitted to other birds and then to humans.
B) The flu
virus in a pig is mutated and replicated in alternate arrangements so
that humans who eat the pig products can be infected.
C) A flu
virus from a human epidemic or pandemic infects birds; the birds
replicate the virus differently and then pass it back to humans.
D) An influenza virus gains new sequences of DNA from another
virus, such as a herpesvirus; this enables it to be transmitted to a
human host.
E) An animal such as a pig is infected with more
than one virus, genetic recombination occurs, the new virus mutates
and is passed to a new species such as a bird, the virus mutates and
can be transmitted to humans.
Answer: E
22) Which of the following is the most probable fate of a newly
emerging virus that causes high mortality in its host?
A) It is
able to spread to a large number of new hosts quickly because the new
hosts have no immunological memory of them.
B) The new virus
replicates quickly and undergoes rapid adaptation to a series of
divergent hosts.
C) A change in environmental conditions such as
weather patterns quickly forces the new virus to invade new areas.
D) Sporadic outbreaks will be followed almost immediately by a
widespread pandemic.
E) The newly emerging virus will die out
rather quickly or will mutate to be far less lethal.
Answer: E
23) Which of the three types of viruses shown above would you expect
to include glycoproteins?
A) I only
B) II only
C)
III only
D) I and II only
E) all three
Answer: D
24) Which of the three types of viruses shown above would you expect
to include a capsid(s)?
A) I only
B) II only
C) III
only
D) I and II only
E) all three
Answer: E
25) In the figure, at the arrow marked II, what enzyme(s) are being
utilized?
A) reverse transcriptase
B) viral DNA polymerase
C) host cell DNA polymerase
D) host cell RNA polymerase
E) host cell DNA and RNA polymerases
Answer: C
26) In the figure, when new viruses are being assembled (IV), what
mediates the assembly?
A) host cell chaperones
B) assembly
proteins coded for by the host nucleus
C) assembly proteins
coded for by the viral genes
D) viral RNA intermediates
E)
nothing; they self-assemble
Answer: E
27) A linear piece of viral DNA of 8 kb can be cut with either of two
restriction enzymes (X or Y). These are subjected to electrophoresis
and produce the following bands:
(SEE IMAGE PART ONE)
Cutting the same 8 kb piece with both enzymes together
results in bands at 4.0, 2.5, 1.0, and 0.5. Of the possible
arrangements of the sites given below, which one is most likely?
A. SEE IMAGE
B. SEE IMAGE
C. SEE IMAGE
D. SEE IMAGE
E. SEE IMAGE
Answer: B
Some viruses can be crystallized and their structures analyzed. One
such virus is Desmodium, or yellow mottle virus, which infects beans.
This is a member of the tymovirus group and has a single-stranded RNA
genome of ~6,300 nucleotides. Its virion is 25—30 nm in diameter, and
is made up of 180 copies of a single capsid protein that
self-associate to form each capsomere, which has icosahedral symmetry
with 20 facets.
28) If this virus has capsomeres with 20
facets, how many proteins form each one?
A) 1
B) 5
C) ~6
D) ~20
E) ~180
Answer: C
Some viruses can be crystallized and their structures analyzed. One
such virus is Desmodium, or yellow mottle virus, which infects beans.
This is a member of the tymovirus group and has a single-stranded RNA
genome of ~6,300 nucleotides. Its virion is 25—30 nm in diameter, and
is made up of 180 copies of a single capsid protein that
self-associate to form each capsomere, which has icosahedral symmetry
with 20 facets.
29) How many nucleotides of the genome
would you expect to find in one capsid?
A) 1
B) ~6
C) ~20
D) ~180
E) ~6,300
Answer: E
Some viruses can be crystallized and their structures analyzed. One
such virus is Desmodium, or yellow mottle virus, which infects beans.
This is a member of the tymovirus group and has a single-stranded RNA
genome of ~6,300 nucleotides. Its virion is 25—30 nm in diameter, and
is made up of 180 copies of a single capsid protein that
self-associate to form each capsomere, which has icosahedral symmetry
with 20 facets.
30) If this virus has a positive RNA
strand as its genome, it begins the infection by using this strand as
mRNA. Therefore, which of the following do you expect to be able to
measure?
A) replication rate
B) transcription rate
C) translation rate
D) accumulation of new ribosomes
E) formation of new transcription factors
Answer: C
Some viruses can be crystallized and their structures analyzed. One
such virus is Desmodium, or yellow mottle virus, which infects beans.
This is a member of the tymovirus group and has a single-stranded RNA
genome of ~6,300 nucleotides. Its virion is 25—30 nm in diameter, and
is made up of 180 copies of a single capsid protein that
self-associate to form each capsomere, which has icosahedral symmetry
with 20 facets.
31) In a cell-free system, what other
components would you have to provide for this virus to express its
genes?
A) ribosomes, tRNAs and amino acids
B) ribosomes,
tRNAs, amino acids, and GTP
C) RNA nucleotides and GTP
D)
RNA nucleotides, RNA polymerase, and GTP
E) bean cell enzymes
Answer: B
Poliovirus is a positive-sense RNA virus of the picornavirus group.
At its 5' end, the RNA genome has a viral protein (VPg) instead of a
5' cap. This is followed by a nontranslated leader sequence, and then
a single long protein coding region (~7,000 nucleotides), followed by
a poly-A tail. Observations were made that used radioactive amino acid
analogues. Short period use of the radioactive amino acids result in
labeling of only very long proteins, while longer periods of labeling
result in several different short polypeptides.
32) What
part of the poliovirus would first interact with host cell ribosomes
to mediate translation?
A) the poly-A tail
B) the leader
sequence
C) the VPg protein
D) the AUG in the leader
sequence
E) the AUG at the start of the coding sequence
Answer: C
Poliovirus is a positive-sense RNA virus of the picornavirus group.
At its 5' end, the RNA genome has a viral protein (VPg) instead of a
5' cap. This is followed by a nontranslated leader sequence, and then
a single long protein coding region (~7,000 nucleotides), followed by
a poly-A tail. Observations were made that used radioactive amino acid
analogues. Short period use of the radioactive amino acids result in
labeling of only very long proteins, while longer periods of labeling
result in several different short polypeptides.
33) What
conclusion is most consistent with the results of the radioactive
labeling experiment?
A) The host cell cannot translate viral
protein with the amino acid analogues.
B) Host cell ribosomes
only translate the viral code into short polypeptides.
C) The
RNA is only translated into a single long polypeptide, which is then
cleaved into shorter ones.
D) The RNA is translated into short
polypeptides, which are subsequently assembled into large ones.
E) The large radioactive polypeptides are coded by the host,
whereas the short ones are coded for by the virus.
Answer: C
In 1971, David Baltimore described a scheme for classifying viruses
based on how the virus produces mRNA.
The table below
shows the results of testing five viruses for nuclease specificity,
the ability of the virus to act as an mRNA, and presence (+) or
absence (-) of its own viral polymerase (SEE IMAGE)
34)
Given Baltimore's scheme, a positive sense single-stranded RNA virus
such as the polio virus would be most closely related to which of the
following?
A) T-series bacteriophages
B) retroviruses
that require a DNA intermediate
C) single-stranded DNA viruses
such as herpes viruses
D) nonenveloped double-stranded RNA
viruses
E) linear double-stranded DNA viruses such as adenoviruses
Answer: B
In 1971, David Baltimore described a scheme for classifying viruses
based on how the virus produces mRNA.
The table below
shows the results of testing five viruses for nuclease specificity,
the ability of the virus to act as an mRNA, and presence (+) or
absence (-) of its own viral polymerase (SEE IMAGE)
35)
Based on the above table, which virus meets the Baltimore
requirements for a retrovirus?
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
E) E
Answer: D
In 1971, David Baltimore described a scheme for classifying viruses
based on how the virus produces mRNA.
The table below
shows the results of testing five viruses for nuclease specificity,
the ability of the virus to act as an mRNA, and presence (+) or
absence (-) of its own viral polymerase (SEE IMAGE)
36)
Based on the above table, which virus meets the requirements for a
bacteriophage?
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
E) E
Answer: A
You isolate an infectious substance that is capable of causing
disease in plants, but you do not know whether the infectious agent is
a bacterium, virus, viroid, or prion. You have four methods at your
disposal that you can use to analyze the substance in order to
determine the nature of the infectious agent.
I.
treating the substance with nucleases that destroy all nucleic acids
and then determining whether it is still infectious
II.
filtering the substance to remove all elements smaller than what can
be easily seen under a light microscope
III. culturing the
substance by itself on nutritive medium, away from any plant cells
IV. treating the sample with proteases that digest all proteins
and then determining whether it is still infectious
37)
Which treatment could definitively determine whether or not the
component is a viroid?
A) I
B) II
C) III
D)
IV
E) first II and then III
Answer: A
You isolate an infectious substance that is capable of causing
disease in plants, but you do not know whether the infectious agent is
a bacterium, virus, viroid, or prion. You have four methods at your
disposal that you can use to analyze the substance in order to
determine the nature of the infectious agent.
I.
treating the substance with nucleases that destroy all nucleic acids
and then determining whether it is still infectious
II.
filtering the substance to remove all elements smaller than what can
be easily seen under a light microscope
III. culturing the
substance by itself on nutritive medium, away from any plant cells
IV. treating the sample with proteases that digest all proteins
and then determining whether it is still infectious
38)
If you already knew that the infectious agent was either bacterial or
viral, which treatment would allow you to distinguish between these
two possibilities?
A) I
B) II
C) III
D) IV
E) either II or IV
Answer: C
You isolate an infectious substance that is capable of causing
disease in plants, but you do not know whether the infectious agent is
a bacterium, virus, viroid, or prion. You have four methods at your
disposal that you can use to analyze the substance in order to
determine the nature of the infectious agent.
I.
treating the substance with nucleases that destroy all nucleic acids
and then determining whether it is still infectious
II.
filtering the substance to remove all elements smaller than what can
be easily seen under a light microscope
III. culturing the
substance by itself on nutritive medium, away from any plant cells
IV. treating the sample with proteases that digest all proteins
and then determining whether it is still infectious
39)
Which treatment would you use to determine if the agent is a prion?
A) I only
B) II only
C) III only
D) IV only
E) either I or IV
Answer: D
The herpes viruses are very important enveloped DNA viruses that
cause disease in all vertebrate species and in some invertebrates such
as oysters. Some of the human ones are herpes simplex (HSV) I and II,
causing facial and genital lesions, and the varicella-zoster (VSV),
causing chicken pox and shingles. Each of these three actively infect
nervous tissue. Primary infections are fairly mild, but the virus is
not then cleared from the host; rather, viral genomes are maintained
in cells in a latent phase. The virus can then reactivate, replicate
again, and be infectious to others.
40) If scientists
are trying to use what they know about HSV to devise a means of
protecting other people from being infected, which of the following
would have the best chance of lowering the number of new cases of
infection?
A) vaccination of all persons with preexisting cases
B) interference with new viral replication in preexisting cases
C) treatment of the HSV lesions to shorten the breakout
D) medication that destroys surface HSV before it gets to
neurons
E) education about avoiding sources of infection
Answer: B
The herpes viruses are very important enveloped DNA viruses that
cause disease in all vertebrate species and in some invertebrates such
as oysters. Some of the human ones are herpes simplex (HSV) I and II,
causing facial and genital lesions, and the varicella-zoster (VSV),
causing chicken pox and shingles. Each of these three actively infect
nervous tissue. Primary infections are fairly mild, but the virus is
not then cleared from the host; rather, viral genomes are maintained
in cells in a latent phase. The virus can then reactivate, replicate
again, and be infectious to others.
41) In electron
micrographs of HSV infection, it can be seen that the intact virus
initially reacts with cell surface proteoglycans, then with specific
receptors. This is later followed by viral capsids docking with
nuclear pores. Afterward, the capsids go from being full to being
"empty." Which of the following best fits these
observations?
A) Viral capsids are needed for the cell to
become infected; only the capsids enter the nucleus.
B) The
viral envelope is not required for infectivity, since the envelope
does not enter the nucleus.
C) Only the genetic material of the
virus is involved in the cell's infectivity, and is injected like the
genome of a phage.
D) The viral envelope mediates entry into
the cell, the capsid entry into the nuclear membrane, and the genome
is all that enters the nucleus.
E) The viral capsid mediates
entry into the cell, and only the genomic DNA enters the nucleus,
where it may or may not replicate.
Answer: D
The herpes viruses are very important enveloped DNA viruses that
cause disease in all vertebrate species and in some invertebrates such
as oysters. Some of the human ones are herpes simplex (HSV) I and II,
causing facial and genital lesions, and the varicella-zoster (VSV),
causing chicken pox and shingles. Each of these three actively infect
nervous tissue. Primary infections are fairly mild, but the virus is
not then cleared from the host; rather, viral genomes are maintained
in cells in a latent phase. The virus can then reactivate, replicate
again, and be infectious to others.
42) In order to be
able to remain latent in an infected live cell, HSV must be able to
shut down what process?
A) DNA replication
B)
transcription of viral genes
C) apoptosis of a virally infected
cell
D) all immune responses
E) interaction with histones
Answer: C
43) Which of the following characteristics, structures, or processes
is common to both bacteria and viruses?
A) metabolism
B)
ribosomes
C) genetic material composed of nucleic acid
D)
cell division
E) independent existence
Answer: C
44) Emerging viruses arise by
A) mutation of existing viruses.
B) the spread of existing viruses to new host species.
C)
the spread of existing viruses more widely within their host species.
D) mutation of existing viruses, the spread of existing viruses
to new host species, and the spread of existing viruses more widely
within their host species.
E) none of these.
Answer: D
45) To cause a human pandemic, the H5N1 avian flu virus would have to
A) spread to primates such as chimpanzees.
B) develop into
a virus with a different host range.
C) become capable of
human-to-human transmission.
D) arise independently in chickens
in North and South America.
E) become much more pathogenic.
Answer: C
46) A bacterium is infected with an experimentally constructed
bacteriophage composed of the T2 phage protein coat and T4 phage DNA.
The new phages produced would have
A) T2 protein and T4 DNA.
B) T2 protein and T2 DNA.
C) a mixture of the DNA and
proteins of both phages.
D) T4 protein and T4 DNA.
E) T4
protein and T2 DNA.
Answer: D
47) RNA viruses require their own supply of certain enzymes because
A) host cells rapidly destroy the viruses.
B) host cells
lack enzymes that can replicate the viral genome.
C) these
enzymes translate viral mRNA into proteins.
D) these enzymes
penetrate host cell membranes.
E) these enzymes cannot be made
in host cells.
Answer: B