Self-Assessment
Note: There may be more than one correct answer to a question.
1. How do epigenetic processes influence phenotype? C. In nucleosomes, the DNA is wrapped around
A. By changing the primary sequence of DNA eight histone molecules
B. By altering gene expression D. The linker histone H1 locks DNA in place on the
C. By displacing core histones from nucleosomes nucleosome
D. By causing gene duplication
5. Which of the following approaches can be used to
2. Where in mammalian genomes are DNA methyla- characterise and quantify post-translational marks
tion marks found? on histones?
A. On guanine residues (G) when these are followed A. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction
by a thymine residue (T), i.a GpT dinucleotide (MSP)
B. On thymine residues (T) when these are fol- B. Methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting
lowed by an adenine residue (A), i.a TpA (MS-HRM)
dinucleotide C. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChiP)
C. On adenine residues (A) when these are followed D. Quantification of 5-formylcytosine (5fC)
by a cytosine residue (C), i.an ApC dinucleotide
D. On cytosine residues (C) when these are followed
by a guanine residue (G), i.a CpG dinucleotide Short answer questions
3. Which of the following statements is correct? 1. Summarise the main epigenetic marks and molecules
A. MicroRNA inhibit gene expression by comple- found in mammals.
mentary base pairing to target messenger RNA 2. Outline the principles on which two approaches for
(mRNA) quantifying global DNA methylation are based.
B. Uniquely among RNA species, microRNA are 3. Why is bisulphite modification of DNA a useful
never polymorphic starting point for assessment of DNA methylation?
C. MicroRNA encode small regulatory proteins
D. MicroRNA are synthesised in the mitochondria
using the maternally derived mitochondrial DNA Essay titles
as the template
1. Discuss the role of the epigenome in determining
4. Which of the following statements is incorrect? phenotype.
A. Acetylation of histones is usually associated with 2. Discuss the relationship between patterns of cytosine
inhibition of gene expression modifications in DNA and gene expression.
B. Individual lysine residues within histone tails can
be covalently modified by addition of three methyl
groups
Answers to Multiple-Choice Questions: 1(B), 2(D), 3(A), 4(BD) and 5(C).
Nutrition Research Methodologies, First Edition. Edited by Julie A Lovegrove, Leanne Hodson, Sangita Sharma and Susan A Lanham-New.
2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Published 2015 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
www.wiley.com/go/nutritionsociety
NRM Ch 14 web questions.indd 1 1/10/2015 1:44:49 PM
