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Chapter 9: Problem 9

Viruses and bacteria have which of the following in common? (A) Ribosomes (B) Nucleic acids (C) Flagella (D) Metabolism

Short Answer

Expert verified
Both viruses and bacteria have genetic material in the form of nucleic acids (either DNA or RNA), making this the characteristic they have in common. Therefore, the correct answer is (B) Nucleic acids.

Step by step solution

01

Review the basic structures and functions of viruses and bacteria

Viruses are tiny, infectious particles that cannot reproduce on their own. They need to invade a host cell to reproduce, and they contain either DNA or RNA as genetic material. Bacteria are single-celled microorganisms that can reproduce on their own, and they contain DNA as their genetic material.
02

Analyze option A (Ribosomes)

Ribosomes are cellular structures responsible for protein synthesis. Bacteria contain ribosomes in their cytoplasm to carry out the process of protein synthesis. However, viruses are not considered cells and do not have ribosomes. They rely on the host cell's ribosomes for protein production. Therefore, option A is not a shared characteristic between viruses and bacteria.
03

Analyze option B (Nucleic acids)

As mentioned earlier, both viruses and bacteria contain genetic material. In bacteria, the genetic material is always DNA, whereas in viruses, it can be either DNA or RNA. Nucleic acids are the building blocks of genetic material, so both viruses and bacteria possess nucleic acids. Therefore, option B seems to be the correct choice.
04

Analyze option C (Flagella)

Flagella are long, whip-like structures used for movement (motility) in some cellular organisms. Some bacteria have flagella, which allow them to move towards or away from specific environmental stimuli (such as nutrients or toxins). However, viruses do not have flagella because they lack cellular structures and primarily move by diffusion or the motion of the fluids in their environment. Therefore, option C is not a shared characteristic between viruses and bacteria.
05

Analyze option D (Metabolism)

Metabolism encompasses all of the chemical processes that occur within an organism to maintain life. Bacteria are capable of carrying out metabolic processes independently because they have all the necessary cellular machinery. However, viruses are not independently metabolically active, as they do not possess the cellular machinery required for metabolism. They rely on the host cell's metabolism to carry out their functions. Therefore, option D is not a shared characteristic between viruses and bacteria.
06

Conclusion

Based on the analysis of each option, the correct answer is (B) Nucleic acids. Both viruses and bacteria have genetic material in the form of nucleic acids, making this the characteristic they have in common.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Griffith was a researcher who coined the term transformation when he noticed that incubating nonpathogenic bacteria with heat-killed pathogenic bacteria produced bacteria that ultimately became pathogenic, or deadly, in mice. What caused the transformation in his experiment? (A) DNA from the nonpathogenic bacteria revitalized the heat-killed pathogenic bacteria. (B) Protein from the pathogenic bacteria was taken up by the nonpathogenic bacteria. (C) DNA from the pathogenic bacteria was taken up by the nonpathogenic bacteria. (D) DNA in the nonpathogenic bacteria turned into pathogenic genes in the absence of pathogenic bacteria.

DNA replication occurs through a complex series of steps involving several enzymes. Which of the following represents the correct order beginning with the earliest activity of enzymes involved in DNA replication? (A) Helicase, ligase, RNA primase, DNA polymerase (B) DNA polymerase, RNA primase, helicase, ligase \(\quad\) (C) RNA primase, DNA polymerase, ligase, helicase \(\quad\) (D) Helicase, RNA primase, DNA polymerase, ligase

A researcher uses molecular biology techniques to insert a human lysosomal membrane protein into bacterial cells to produce large quantities of this protein for later study. However, only small quantities of this protein result in these cells. What is a possible explanation for this result? (A) The membrane protein requires processing in the ER and Golgi, which are missing in the bacterial cells. (B) Bacteria do not make membrane proteins. (C) Bacteria do not use different transcription factors than humans, so the gene was not expressed. (D) Bacteria do not have enough tRNAs to make this protein sequence.

A biologist systematically removes each of the proteins involved in DNA replication to determine the effect each has on the process. In one experiment, after separating the strands of DNA, she sees many short DNA/RNA fragments as well as some long DNA pieces. Which of the following is most likely missing? (A) Helicase (B) DNA polymerase (C) DNA ligase (D) RNA primase

If a messenger RNA codon is UAC, which of the following would be the complementary anticodon triplet in the transfer RNA? (A) ATG (B) \(\mathrm{AUC}\) (C) \(\mathrm{AUG}\) (D) ATT
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