Question 1

Which type of infectious agent is responsible for causing both chronic wasting disease in deer and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans?

Accepted Answer

Prions

Question 2

What is the primary structural characteristic of a prion that allows it to cause disease?

Accepted Answer

It is a misfolded protein that can induce misfolding in normal proteins

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of living organisms?

Accepted Answer

Ability to cause disease in a host

Question 4

Why are prions not considered living organisms?

Accepted Answer

They lack cells and hereditary genetic material (DNA or RNA)

Question 5

Which of the following best describes how prions propagate within a host organism?

Accepted Answer

By converting normal proteins into misfolded prion forms

Question 6

Which of the following is a function of a gene?

Accepted Answer

To encode information for the production of proteins that determine traits

Question 7

Which of the following statements about evolution is correct?

Accepted Answer

Evolution is the change in the relative abundance of heritable traits in a population over time

Question 8

A new allele in a population most commonly originates from which process?

Accepted Answer

Mutation (change in nitrogen base sequence in DNA)

Question 9

Which of the following is an example of heterotrophy?

Accepted Answer

A hawk eating a mouse for energy

Question 10

Which process converts the energy stored in carbohydrates into a usable form (ATP) in cells?

Accepted Answer

Cellular respiration

Question 11

Which of the following best explains why genetic diversity (alleles) is essential for a population to evolve?

Accepted Answer

It provides the raw material for natural selection to act upon

Question 12

Which of the following is a key difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

Accepted Answer

Eukaryotic cells have membrane-bound organelles, prokaryotic cells do not

Question 13

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates evolution by natural selection?

Accepted Answer

A population of bacteria exposed to antibiotics develops resistance due to a mutation, and the resistant bacteria survive and reproduce

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a way that organisms acquire energy?

Accepted Answer

Direct absorption of ATP from the environment

Question 15

Which of the following is a characteristic that prions share with living organisms?

Accepted Answer

They have the capacity to reproduce (by converting normal proteins)

Question 16

A patient is infected with a prion disease. Which of the following best describes how the disease progresses at the molecular level?

Accepted Answer

The prion protein induces misfolding of normal host proteins, leading to accumulation of abnormal proteins

Question 17

Which of the following is required for evolution to occur in a population?

Accepted Answer

There must be heritable genetic variation

Question 18

Which of the following best describes the function of ATP in living cells?

Accepted Answer

ATP is the main energy currency used to power cellular processes

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of asexual reproduction?

Accepted Answer

A bacterium dividing by binary fission

Question 20

Which of the following best explains why prions are able to cause disease but are not classified as living organisms?

Accepted Answer

They are misfolded proteins that can induce misfolding in other proteins, but lack cells and genetic material

Characteristics of Life and Prion Diseases: Chronic Wasting Disease & Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

Study Guide - Practice Questions