Epigenetic: The Basics

Multiple Choice

What are the behavioral differences between highly licked pups and lowly licked pups?

• Highly licked pups are calm and respond to stress well

• Lowly licked pups are easier to handle

• Highly licked pups are anxious

• Lowly licked pups respond to stress well

Multiple Choice

What is the difference in Glucocorticoid Receptor (GR) Gene Expression levels between Highly Licked and Lowly Licked groups?

• Highly Licked has lower expression

• Highly Licked has higher expression

• No difference in expression

• Lowly Licked has higher expression

Multiple Choice

A scientist studying phenotypic variation in a species of butterfly observed that genetically identical caterpillars grown in similar cages but exposed to different colored lights developed into butterflies with differences in wing color and body size, as shown in Table 1.

Which of the following best explains the cause of the phenotypic variation observed in the butterflies?

• Different mutations occurred in the caterpillars that were exposed to different colors of light.

• The energy used to grow a larger body results in butterflies with lighter colored wings.

• Individual caterpillars evolved adaptations to survive in each of the light conditions they were exposed to.

• There was differential gene expression of wing color and body size in response to the colors of light the caterpillars were exposed to.

Multiple Choice

What are the different levels at which gene expression can be regulated?

• Transcriptional regulation

• Post-transcriptional regulation

• Translational regulation

• All of the above

Multiple Choice

What is the approximate length of DNA in a human body if lined up?

• From Earth to the Moon

• From Earth to the Sun

• From Earth to Mars

• From Earth to Venus

Multiple Choice

What is the consequence of histone acetylation on chromatin structure?

• It condenses chromatin, making it less accessible

• It relaxes chromatin, making it more accessible

• It deletes histone proteins

• It causes DNA methylation

Multiple Select

In DNA packaging, a nucleosome core is made up of the following histone proteins

• H1

• H2a

• H2b

• H3

• H4

Multiple Choice

What are some factors that can influence epigenetics?

• Stress

• Diet

• Exposure to Toxins

• All of the above

Open Ended

Explain the difference between transcriptionally active and inactive chromatin based on the image.

Multiple Choice

What is the role of DNA methylation in gene expression?

• It enhances gene expression

• It has no effect on gene expression

• It silences gene expression

• It promotes transcription factor binding

Multiple Choice

What is the effect of HDACs on chromatin structure?

• They relax chromatin structure

• They cause chromatin to become more tightly packed

• They have no effect on chromatin

• They increase gene expression

Multiple Choice

What are the roles of histone methyltransferases (HMTs) in epigenetic control?

• They add acetyl groups to histones

• They add methyl groups to histone tails

• They remove methyl groups from DNA

• They phosphorylate histones

Multiple Choice

What is the role of acetylation in gene activation as shown in the image?

• It inhibits gene expression

• It promotes gene expression

• It has no effect on gene expression

• It only affects histone tails

Multiple Choice

What is the role of DNMT in transcriptional repression as indicated in the image?

• It promotes transcription

• It inhibits transcription

• It has no effect on transcription

• It enhances chromatin accessibility

Multiple Choice

What is the role of methyl groups (MT) in the activation of genes as shown in the diagram?

• They inhibit gene expression

• They activate gene expression

• They have no effect on gene expression

• They are involved in DNA replication

Multiple Choice

In the context of epigenetics, what is the significance of histone modification?

• It changes the DNA sequence

• It affects the accessibility of DNA to transcription machinery

• It stabilizes mRNA

• It enhances DNA replication

Multiple Choice

What does the graph indicate about the expression levels of the Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene in highly licked versus lowly licked subjects?

• Highly Licked shows higher expression

• Lowly Licked shows higher expression

• Both have equal expression

• Expression levels are not related to licking

Multiple Choice

What is the purpose of the new tools mentioned in the slide?

• To create polls

• To address questions

• To gather feedback

• To teach lessons

Open Ended

Why do scientists study identical twins to learn about how the environment affects gene expression?

Open Ended

If we had Rats how could we test this result?

Multiple Choice

What are the psychological effects experienced by second-generation Holocaust survivors?

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Anxiety disorders

• Depression

• Substance abuse

Poll

How confident do you feel about this topic now?

• Very confident
• Somewhat confident
• Not confident