Bio 112 Lecture 1


Q1. What are the key features that define “what is a cell?” and self-replicating organisms?

  • Suggested answer (not provided in PDF): A cell has a plasma membrane, cytoplasm, genetic material, metabolism, and the ability to carry out life processes. Self-replicating organisms can reproduce and pass genetic information to offspring.

Q2. What are the differences between bacterial cells and eukaryotic cells?

  • Suggested answer (not provided in PDF): Bacterial cells lack a membrane-bound nucleus and membrane-bound organelles. Eukaryotic cells have a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Q4. What is TRUE about the size and shape of cells?

  • B. Different cells can have both different sizes and different shapes.

Q5. The scientific theory known as “The Cell Theory” states that:

  • D. All cells arise from pre-existing cells and all organisms are made of cells.

Q6. Choose the best answer: Which of the following statements correctly describes the relationship between cells and organisms?

  • B. An organism can be made up of one cell or multiple cells.

Q7. Choose all incorrect statements from the list below:

  • Bacteria evolved from a eukaryotic ancestral cell.

  • The domain Eukarya consists exclusively of multicellular organisms.

  • The domain Prokaryota consists of both Bacteria and Archaea. [Prokaryota is not a domain.]

Q8. In eukaryotic cells, other than the nucleus, the cytoplasm is the entire contents of the cell while the cytosol is….

  • C. The aqueous contents inside the cell but outside the organelles.

Q9. A researcher discovers a strange type of cell in a sample of pond water. What feature of the cell can she use to determine if the cell is bacterial or eukaryotic?

  • D. The presence of internal membranes.

Q10. Which of the following statements about cell evolution is true?

  • A. Prokaryotes evolved more than 4 billion years ago, but eukaryotes only evolved 2 billion years ago.

Q11. Why can the results from studies of cellular processes in the bacterium E. coli be applied to cellular processes that occur in humans?

  • B. It shares a common ancestor with eukaryotes so many processes are conserved.

Q12. Which of the following cellular structures or compartments are found in all cells?

  • B, C, D — Ribosomes, Cytosol, Plasma membrane.

Q13. Prokaryotes and eukaryotes have evolved different cellular strategies as cells. What are some differences between these types of cells? What characteristics could you use to distinguish between them?

  • Prokaryotic cells have no membrane-bound compartments. Eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus surrounded by a nuclear envelope and many membrane-bound compartments, such as mitochondria and chloroplasts in plants. You can also compare chromosome structure (linear or circular).

Q14a. A human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) consists of a shell of proteins surrounding a single strand of RNA, all surrounded by a lipid bilayer. List the macromolecules found in the virus.

  • Proteins, lipids, RNA.

Q14b. Describe at least two reasons that a virus does not meet the criteria to be considered a cell.

  • No independent metabolism; cannot self-replicate without a host.

Q15. Streptomyces are often filamentous cells (branching) that produce important antibiotics. What two features could you use to determine if they are prokaryotic or eukaryotic?

  • Any two: Presence of a nucleus, linear or circular chromosomes, presence of internal membranes.

Q1. A bacterial growth experiment begins (time=0) when a researcher does which of the following steps?

  • B. Inoculates a fresh batch of growth medium with a small amount of an old culture.

Q2. During a bacterial growth experiment showing lag, exponential, stationary, and death phases, when would the number of living cells in the culture tube be the greatest?

  • B. Between exponential and stationary.

Q3. One of the reasons that scientists grow bacteria in a cell culture is to clone genes. You have successfully cloned your gene into E. coli and you want to grow a big batch, so you can extract the most DNA possible. When should you harvest your cells to do the DNA extraction?

  • B. Between exponential and stationary.

Q1. Who first observed cells in cork?

  • Robert Hooke.

Q2. What material did Robert Hooke examine?

  • Thin slices of cork from oak bark.

Q3. What did Hooke call the small chambers in cork?

  • Cells.

Q4. What are the three principles of cell theory?

  • All organisms contain cells; cells are the fundamental unit of life; cells come from pre-existing cells.

Q5. What is the fundamental unit of life?

  • The cell.

Q6. Can an organism contain only one cell?

  • Yes, organisms can be unicellular.

Q7. What does unicellular mean?

  • Made of one cell.

Q8. What does multicellular mean?

  • Made of multiple cells.

Q9. Can bacteria be unicellular or multicellular?

  • Yes.

Q10. Can eukaryotes be unicellular or multicellular?

  • Yes.

Q11. What makes up most eukaryotic diversity?

  • Microbial eukaryotes.

Q12. What must a self-replicating cell possess?

  • Genetic instructions, materials, energy-transforming ability, and a cellular container.

Q13. What molecule commonly stores a cell's genetic instructions?

  • DNA.

Q14. Why must cells pass on genetic instructions?

  • So new cells inherit information.

Q15. Why do cells need nutrients?

  • To build cellular structures and obtain energy.

Q16. Give examples of elements needed for cell growth.

  • Carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and iron.

Q17. What energy-carrying molecule is mentioned in the lecture?

  • ATP.

Q18. Why does a cell need a container?

  • To keep its components together.

Q19. What is the defining feature of a eukaryotic cell?

  • A membrane-bound nucleus.

Q20. Where is bacterial DNA generally located?

  • In the nucleoid region.

Q21. Where is most eukaryotic DNA located?

  • In the nucleus.

Q22. Which eukaryotic organelles also contain genomes?

  • Mitochondria and chloroplasts.

Q23. What structures distinguish eukaryotic from bacterial cells?

  • A nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Q24. What is the basic function of the nucleus?

  • Houses the nuclear genome.

Q25. What does the endosymbiotic theory explain?

  • The bacterial origins of mitochondria and chloroplasts.

Q26. Which bacterial group is associated with mitochondrial origins?

  • Alphaproteobacteria.

Q27. Which bacterial group is associated with chloroplast origins?

  • Cyanobacteria.

Q28. What is a genome?

  • The complete genetic information of an organism or organelle.

Q29. What is a chromosome?

  • An organized DNA molecule containing genetic information.

Q30. What is a gene?

  • A DNA sequence containing information for a functional product.

Q31. Which microscope uses visible light?

  • Light microscope.

Q32. Approximately how much can a light microscope magnify cells according to the slide?

  • 1,000×.

Q33. What large cellular structures can a light microscope resolve?

  • Nuclei, mitochondria, and chloroplasts.

Q34. What small structures are generally not resolved by ordinary light microscopy?

  • Membranes and large protein complexes.

Q35. What does SEM stand for?

  • Scanning electron microscope.

Q36. What is SEM used to examine?

  • Surface features of samples.

Q37. What does TEM stand for?

  • Transmission electron microscope.

Q38. What is TEM used to examine?

  • Internal cell structures.

Q39. Why are thin sections prepared for TEM?

  • To view internal structures using transmitted electrons.

Q40. What structures can TEM reveal?

  • Membranes, protein complexes, and viruses.

Q41. What does a scale bar allow you to estimate?- The actual size of a structure.

Q47. What unusual structures are found in the mystery cell?

  • A membrane-enclosed nucleoid and bacterial-like endosymbionts.