BIOC0007: ESSENTIAL MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Construction of answers:

You have a period of 24 hours to complete this exam. However, it is expected that it should take approximately 2-3 hours to complete.

The word limit for each question is 700 words. Any words over this limit will not be marked.  Please include a word count at the end of each answer.

You may refer to lecture material and the literature whilst writing your answers but you should not include references or a bibliography.

You will need to write concisely and compose a well-structured answer using a stepwise style to introduce and explain concepts and ideas.

You are encouraged to use annotated diagrams to explain your answers when          necessary. Words included in a diagram itself, such as labels, will not count towards the word count. Figure legends are not required; if included, words in a legend will be counted towards the word count.

Do NOT paste figures or images from other sources. You should neatly hand draw figures, and then insert an image file.

If a table is included in your answer, words within the table itself and the table legend will be included in the word count.

Marking:

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Candidates  must  answer  any  THREE  questions.  All  questions  carry  equal marks.

1.  Candidates can choose 1.1 or 1.2.  You cannot choose to answer both.

1.1 Describe the prokaryotic replisome and explain how it functions and its significance. Compare and contrast with the eukaryotic replisome.

1.2 Describe the structure and function of the bacterial RNA polymerase, as well as the mechanism by which it recognises and binds to the promoter sequence for initiation of transcription.

Describe the key promoter recognition sequences, their variations and the role they play in the cell.