Biol 309 Question Bank Cell Communication
Biol 309 Question Bank Cell Communication
Biol 309 Question Bank Cell Communication
Multiple Choice
1. Lipophilic hormones:
A. include peptide hormones such as EGF.
B. are hormonally active in their original secreted form.
C. must bind to membrane receptors to exert effects.
D. pass through cell membranes into the cytoplasm.
2. Water-soluble hormones:
A. are often steroidal in structure
B. usually are chemically modified after secretion.
C. pass through membranes into the cytoplasm.
D. may bind to G-protein-linked receptors.
4. One function of signal transduction pathways is to amplify relatively weak external signals.
The largest amplification occurs during which one of the following processes?
A. production of secondary messenger molecules
B. binding of the hormone to a membrane receptor
C. upon the activation of Ras or a G-protein
D. a change in gene expression occurs
6. Which one of the following statements correctly describes signal transduction mediated by
enzyme-linked receptors?
A. Upon activation of the receptor, tyrosine amino acids on G-proteins are
phosphorylated.
B. These receptors often signal through a Ras protein.
C. Upon activation, the receptor is cleaved into two identical peptides.
D. The receptors bind to and activate phospholipase-C.
11. Which one of the following statements DOES NOT correctly describes G-proteins?
A. Energy for their activity comes from GTP molecules.
B. They become activated by interaction with ‘7-pass’ receptors.
C. G-proteins are membrane associated proteins.
D. G-protein activation can be coupled to release of IP3 or cAMP into the cytoplasm.
12. After interacting with a cell-surface receptor that signals activation to a trimeric G-protein,
the first event that happens is:
A. GTP is hydrolyzed to produce GDP.
B. Tyrosines on the G-protein become phosphorylated.
C. the G-protein dissociates into a b- and ag-subunits.
D. GTP replaces GDP in the a-subunit
13. Activation of the rod-type photoreceptor cells in the retina will cause all of the following
changes, EXCEPT:
A. opening of Na+ channels in the photoreceptor cells.
B. a decrease in the level of cGMP in the cell.
C. activation of a G-protein called transducin.
D. a conformational change in the photoreceptor, rhodopsin.
E. release of neurotransmitters from the cell.
14. The cholera toxin enters cells of the intestinal lining where it binds to the a-subunit of a G-
protein blocking its ability to hydrolyze GTP. The effect of the toxin on the G-protein will be:
A. irreversible binding of the G-protein to the receptor.
B. an inability to bind to GDP and become activated.
C. an inability to bind to adenylate cyclase.
D. the G-protein will remain permanently activated.
True/False
2. Receptors for steroidal hormones are found within cells, often in the nucleus.
5. Tyrosine kinase receptors are typically activated when coupled in a dimeric form.
7. The enzymes phospholipase-C and adenylyl cyclase both produce secondary messenger
molecules.
9. After binding to an enzyme-linked receptor, a signaling molecule must then be transported into
the cytoplasm for its effects to be exerted.
10. The same cell-surface receptor found on different cells can trigger different responses to the
same signaling molecule.
11. Inositol-triphosphate can act as both a signaling molecule and a membrane docking site for
peripheral proteins.
13. Secondary messengers released during signaling pathways often lead to the activation of
proteins such as protein kinase-A and protein kinase-C.
Matching
1. Enzyme Property
___ tyrosine kinase A. the product of its reaction is a secondary signaling molecule
___ GTPase B. typical activity of an enzyme-linked receptor
___ andenylyl cyclase C. produces inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate
___ phosopholipase-C D. removes covalently linked phosphates
___ protein phosophatase E. activity of G-protein a-subunit
In liver cells, insulin triggers glucose uptake, and glucagon leads to glucose secretion. In a
particular experiment, two types of antibodies were produced: one that recognized the insulin
receptor, an enzyme-linked tyrosine kinase, and one that binds the glucagon receptor, which is G-
protein-linked. Cultured liver cells were then treated with intact antibodies, with (Fab) subunits,
or both, and the results are presented in the following table. In each experiment the total number
of antigen binding sites was the same.
B. Why does treatment with anti-glucagon-receptor Fab lead to glucose release at about the same
level as whole antibody, whereas anti-insulin Fab has no effect compared to the whole antibody?
C. Why does the combination of anti-glucagon whole antibody + Fab have an effect similar to
that of either alone, whereas the combination of anti-insulin whole antibody + Fab is less
effective than whole antibody alone?
11. Identify three similarities and three differences between G-proteins and Ras.
A. A mutation to the phospholipase-C that strengthens its interaction with the G-protein a-
subunit.
B. Increasing the cholesterol content of the membrane.
C. A mutation to the receptor that weakens its binding to the signal molecule.
D. Adding a non-hydrolyzable analog of GTP.
E. A mutation to the G-protein a-subunit that weakens its affinity for GDP.