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Cell Biology

Description: GATE LS Zoology Cell Biology
Number of Questions: 20
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Tags: GATE LS Zoology Cell Biology Cell Biology
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Membrane lipids are a group of compounds (structurally similar to fats and oils) which form the double-layered surface of all cells. Most abundant lipid in plasma membrane is ______.

  1. glycolipid

  2. cholesterol

  3. phospholipid

  4. both 1 and 3


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Phospholipids are most abundant lipids in plasma membrane. They are amphipathic molecules having a hydrophilic head group and hydrophobic fatty acid tails. Two types of phospholipids occur in bilayer: glycerophospholipids, in which the hydrophobic regions are composed of two fatty acids joined to glycerol and sphingophospholipids, in which a single fatty acid is joined to sphingosine.

Radioactive adenosine is added to a medium where living mammalian tissue is cultured and the radioactive A gets incorporated into newly synthesised DNA. Which of the following types of chromatin is expected to be radioactive if cells are exposed to radioactive adenosine as soon as this enter the S phase? (Subtopic: Chromosome and Chromatin Structure)

  1. Both heterochromatin and euchromatin

  2. Only heterochromatin

  3. Neither euchromatin or heterochromatin but the nucleolus

  4. Only euchromatin


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

As replication of DNA occurs in S-phase of cell cycle, DNA of both euchromatin and heterochromatin will undergo replication process and they take radioactive adenosine from the medium for the formation of complementary base pairs and hence, both chromatin will show Radioactive Adenosine. Heterochromatin is densely packed and deeply stained chromatin present in the periphery of nucleus responsible for regulation of gene expression due to position effect variegation. Euchromatin is loosely packed and lightly stained chromatin present in nucleus which contains almost 92% of human genome and undergoes transcription.

Membranes of which of the following two organelles are contiguous?

  1. Golgi complex and lysosome

  2. Mitochondria and Golgi complex

  3. Endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex

  4. Nucleus and endoplasmic reticulum


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the largest intracellular compartment with an extensive array of interconnecting membrane tubules and cisternae that extend throughout the cell including the nuclear envelope. The outer membrane of nuclear envelope is continuous with that of the ER.

The length of DNA molecule greatly exceeds the dimensions of the nucleus in eukaryotic cell. How is this DNA accommodated within the little sphere of nucleus? (Eukaryotic gene organisation)

  1. Deletion of genes

  2. Through elimination of repetitive DNA

  3. Supercoiling of nucleosomes

  4. DNAase digestion


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

These are the actual processes of chromosomal packing of DNA within the nucleus. DNA double helix coils around Histone octamers to form nucleosomes and then, the nucleosomes undergo supercoiling to produce more thicker chromatids which are accommodated within the nucleus.

What is the marker enzyme of Golgi apparatus?

  1. Hexokinase

  2. Galactosyl transferase

  3. Pyruvate kinase

  4. Cytochrome oxidase


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Galactosyl transferase (GT) belongs to the glycosyl transferases. In several tissues and cell lines, the enzyme is localised by immunocytochemistry to the two to three trans cisternae of the Golgi complex and thus, may be considered as a specific membrane component of this type of endomembrane. As a consequence, it is the most common Golgi "marker" enzyme in cell fractionation studies.

In case of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR), which of the following forms of G-protein is considered to be in active state?

  1. G-protein - ADP

  2. G-protein - ATP

  3. G-protein - GDP

  4. G-protein - GTP


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR) are responsible for signal transduction. GPCRs are linked to trimeric G proteins. G-proteins are GTPase switch proteins. These proteins are turned on or remained active when bound to GTP and turned off or inactivated when bound to GDP.

Which of the following statements about histones is incorrect?

  1. Histones are highly conserved proteins.

  2. Nucleosomes have one copy of each core histone.

  3. H1 is the linker histone.

  4. Histones are rich in lysine and arginine.


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Core histone of nucleosome is a histone octamer consisting of 2 copies each of H2A, H2B, H3 and H4. All the core histones are rich in lysine and arginine (amino acids with basic side chains) and their positive charges can effectively neutralise the negatively charged DNA backbone.

Colchicine treated cells remain arrested in _____.

  1. Prophase

  2. G2 phase

  3. Metaphase

  4. S phase


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Colchicine is an alkaloid prepared from the dried corns and seeds of Colchicum autumnale (autumn crocus). It inhibits microtubule polymerisation by binding to tubulin. During mitosis, use of colchicine inhibits spindle formation and the cell division remains arrested in its metaphase stage.

Different antibiotics affect translation in various ways. Some of them prevent ribosomal association with mRNA or block amino acid binding site on the ribosome to cause damage in the process of translation. What is/are the name(s) of the aminoglycoside(s) which is/are responsible for prevention of ribosomal association at the end of initiation step? (Eukaryotic gene expression)

  1. Erythromycin

  2. Chloramphenicol and Tetracycline

  3. Streptomycin

  4. Tobramycin and Kanamycin


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

They prevent ribosomal association at the end of initiation step and cause misreading of the genetic code.

In biological membrane, integral proteins and lipids interact mainly by

  1. Covalent bond

  2. Hydrophobic interaction

  3. Hydrogen bond

  4. Van der Waals force


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Integral membrane proteins have one or more segments that are embedded in the phospholipid bilayer. Most integral proteins contain residues with hydrophobic side chains that interact with fatty acyl groups of the membrane phospholipids by hydrophobic interactions and thus, anchoring the protein to the membrane.

Receptor mediated endocytosis from plasma membrane involves which one of the following coat proteins?

  1. Clathrin

  2. SNARE

  3. Arrestin

  4. Glycophorin


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Most of the cases receptor mediated endocytosis from plasma membrane involves clathrin-coated vesicles. Macromolecules bind to cell-surface receptors, accumulate in clathrin-coated pits and enter the cell as a receptor and ligand complexes in clathrin-coated vesicles. Clathrin consists of three copies each of heavy chain and light chain, forming a three-legged structure called a triskelion.

Which of the following is not correct?

  1. Cytoskeleton is present in eukaryotic cells and absent in prokaryotic cells.

  2. Endocytosis and exocytosis occur only in eukaryotic cells.

  3. Circular DNA in cytosol only occurs in prokaryotic cells.

  4. First eukaryotic cell on earth were born more than 3 billion years ago.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The fossil record shows that earliest eukaryotic cells evolved about 1.5 billion years ago. Details of the evolutionary path from prokaryotes to eukaryotes cannot be deduced from the fossil record alone, but morphological and biochemical comparison of modern organisms has suggested a reasonable sequence of events consistent with the fossil evidence.

G1 phase of cell cycle is usually absent in __________.

  1. Intestinal epithelial cells

  2. HeLa cells in culture

  3. Early cleavage stage cells

  4. Senescent fibroblast cells


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

The rate of cell division in early cleavage cells is very high. So in these cells, cell cycle consists of only S and M phases. During S phase, cells synthesise the necessary materials for division and then, they proceeds towards the mitotic division that is the M phase. It is actually a time saving procedure for producing huge numbers of cells in shorter time span during early cleavage.

The membrane potential in a nerve cell during resting stage denotes ______.

  1. both sides negative

  2. negative inside the cell with respect to outside

  3. positive inside the cell with respect to outside

  4. both sides positive


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Membrane potentials across cell membranes are a function of the electrolyte concentrations in the intracellular and extracellular solutions and of the selective permeabilities of the ions. Membrane potential in a nerve cell during resting stage is -60 mV, which means interior of the cell is negative with respect to the exterior. During depolarisation of nerve cells, the inside becomes positive due to the influx of Na+ ions.

In eukaryotes, two types of cell divisions partition the genetic material into offspring or daughter cells. Mitosis is the process that partitions newly replicated chromosomes equally into two daughter cells. Meiosis is a specialised form of cell division in which number of chromosomes is reduced to half.

An organism has 56 chromosomes in its diploid stage. How many chromosomes are present in somatic cells?

  1. 112

  2. 56

  3. 28

  4. 45


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Somatic cells are diploid and undergo mitotic division. So, the number of chromosomes remains same in the daughter cells.

Mitochondria are energy-converting organelles, which are present in virtually all eukaryotic cells. These are also called semi-autonomous organelles because of the presence of mitochondrial DNA genome, special mitochondrial ribosomes, tRNAs and various enzymes required for the expression of the mitochondrial genes.

Which of the following characteristics is/are true for mitochondria?

  1. Double membrane bound organelle

  2. Inner membrane contains specialised structures called cristae.

  3. Outer membrane contains no transport proteins.

  4. Only 1 and 2


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Mitochondria are double membrane bound organelles. It has an outer membrane, an inner membrane and an inter-membrane space. The inner membrane is highly convoluted, forming folds called cristae.

Match the following cell organelles present in column I with their functions in column II.

 
Column I Column II
A. Mitochondria a. Synthesis of membrane lipid
B. SER b. Autophagy
C. RER c. Post translational modification of proteins
D. Lysosome d. ATP synthesis
  1. A - b; B - c; C - a; D - d

  2. A - d; B - a; C - c; D - b

  3. A - b; B - d; C - a; D - b

  4. A - a; B - b; C - c; D - d


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Cell organelles are correctly matched with their functions. Mitochondria synthesise ATP by means of electron transport chain. SER is responsible for the synthesis of fatty acids whereas post translational modification of proteins occur in the lumens of RER. Lysosomes are responsible for autophagy, a process of self-digestion.

A cell, which is very active in the synthesis and secretion of proteins, would be expected to have

  1. equal amount of smooth and rough ER

  2. more smooth than rough ER

  3. more rough than smooth ER

  4. more Golgi complex


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Proteins are synthesised by ribosomes associated with the cytoplasmic side of the membrane of rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER). Synthesised proteins enter into the membrane and lumen of RER by the process of co-translational translocation. Modification of proteins is also occurred in the lumen. Proteins destined to be secreted then follow the secretory pathway. On the other hand, SER is responsible for lipid biosynthesis, detoxification, etc.

In eukaryotes, two types of cell divisions partition the genetic material into offspring or daughter cells. Mitosis is the process that partitions newly replicated chromosomes equally into two daughter cells. Meiosis is a specialised form of cell division in which number of chromosomes is reduced to half.

How many chromosomes are present in the gametes of the above mentioned organisms?

  1. 56

  2. 14

  3. 28

  4. 112


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Gamete cells undergo meiotic division and they have haploid number of chromosomes, i.e. half of the chromosomes present in the somatic cells. In diploid cells, number of chromosomes is 56. So, number of chromosomes in gamete cells is 56/2 = 28.

Mitochondria are energy-converting organelles, which are present in virtually all eukaryotic cells. These are also called semi-autonomous organelles because of the presence of mitochondrial DNA genome, special mitochondrial ribosomes, tRNAs and various enzymes required for the expression of the mitochondrial genes.

Which of the following is incorrect about mammalian mitochondrial DNA?

  1. It is double stranded.

  2. Each mitochondrion contains about 100 DNA molecules.

  3. It is circular in nature.

  4. It is inherited paternally.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Mitochondrial DNA is not inherited paternally. It is inherited maternally. Mitochondria and their DNA molecules (mtDNA), are the genetic units of this method of inheritance. Mitochondrial genes, in the contrast to genes in the nucleus, have an exclusively maternal mode of inheritance in mammals.

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