Biology 12

Chapter 8 Protein Synthesis • MHR 283

COMMUNICATING

30.“Proteins, not DNA, are the key to cell
specialization.” In a report, explain what is
meant by this statement.

31.Write a short essay that compares and contrasts
the roles of DNA polymerase and RNA
polymerase.

32.Create a table that could be used by others to
distinguish between the various types of RNA
and their roles in transcription and translation.

33.Assume for a moment that you want to author
a paper on transfer RNA. With pen and paper,
illustrate the basic structure of a tRNA
molecule and label it accordingly. Write a
caption to go with it that explains its functions.

34.With an opponent, debate ways in which the
mechanisms involved in the control of the lac

operon can be compared to traffic signals, and

ways in which this analogy is not helpful.

35.When Crick first described the “central

dogma”, he had little experimental evidence to

support his theory. In groups of three or four,

brainstorm ways in which more recent

evidence both supports and challenges the

central dogma.

36.Form a debate team to discuss whether

prokaryotes or eukaryotes, based on their

methods of gene expression, have the

evolutionary advantage.

37.Gene regulation is an important part of the

growth and development of living organisms.

Explain this statement in a short essay.

MAKING CONNECTIONS

38.Researchers have the ability to add a number of
A nucleotides to the end of a strand of mRNA.
What could be some practical applications of
this procedure?

39.A molecular biologist creates a form of RNA
polymerase that has the same proofreading
ability as DNA polymerase. Explain what some
of the advantages and disadvantages of this
form of RNA polymerase could be:
(a)for researchers in a laboratory setting
(b)for living organisms

40.In small groups, interview people in your
community who work in science, medicine,
technology, or the environment to discover
their thoughts on dogma (either current or
historical) in their field. Do they believe this
dogma has been largely helpful or misleading?
Based on their answers, evaluate what role
dogma should play in scientific discovery.

41.How could you use the information from

this chapter to find ways to fight bacterial

infections in humans? Write a short report (up

to one page) identifying some processes that

might be significant in the development of

treatments. Could the same processes be

applied to fight infections by eukaryotic cells

such as yeast? Why or why not?

42.The study of the structure of genomes,

including projects such as the sequencing of

the human genome, is often referred to as

“genomics.” Many researchers claim that

genomics is not nearly as significant as

“proteonomics,” the study of protein structure

and function. Based on the information in this

chapter, which field would you argue holds the

greatest promise for advances in medicine and

in understanding human development?

(a)Would you expect this operon to be

repressible or inducible? Explain.

(b)Draw a diagram that illustrates how the

presence of caffeine in the medium in

which the cell is kept regulates the

expression of the cafgenes.

29.A particular yeast cell reacts to an increase in

glucose in its medium by producing more of

enzyme X.

(a)Design an experiment to determine whether

the main control point for the synthesis of

enzyme X is found during transcription or

translation.

(b)Would the same experiment work if you

were studying a bacterial cell? Explain.