Diversity of genomes MCQs With Answer

Diversity of genomes MCQs With Answer

This collection of MCQs is designed for M.Pharm students studying Bioinformatics and Computational Biotechnology. It focuses on the diversity of genomes — differences in genome size, structure, organization, mobile elements, gene duplications, and population-level variation that influence drug response, pathogen resistance, and target discovery. Questions cover comparative genomics, pan-genomes, structural variants, horizontal gene transfer, organellar genomes, and implications of genomic variability on pharmacology and therapeutics. The set emphasizes conceptual understanding and applied aspects relevant to pharmacy research, pharmacogenomics, and antimicrobial resistance, preparing students for examinations and practical problem-solving in genome-driven drug development and clinical applications.

Q1. Which phenomenon explains the lack of correlation between organismal complexity and genome size?

• C-value paradox
• Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
• Central dogma
• Red Queen hypothesis

Correct Answer: C-value paradox

Q2. Which type of genomic variation is most likely responsible for gene copy number differences influencing drug-metabolizing enzymes?

• Copy number variation (CNV)
• Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)
• Chromosome translocation
• Point mutation in introns

Correct Answer: Copy number variation (CNV)

Q3. What term describes the full complement of genes present across all strains of a species, important for vaccine and drug target identification?

• Pan-genome
• Core transcriptome
• Metagenome
• Proteome atlas

Correct Answer: Pan-genome

Q4. Horizontal gene transfer in bacteria commonly spreads which genomic elements associated with antibiotic resistance?

• Plasmids and transposons
• Telomeres
• Centromeric repeats
• Mitochondrial introns

Correct Answer: Plasmids and transposons

Q5. Which genomic feature is most enriched in eukaryotic genomes and often contributes to genome size variation and regulatory evolution?

• Transposable elements
• Ribosomal RNA genes
• Protein-coding exons
• Poly-A tails

Correct Answer: Transposable elements

Q6. The duplication of an entire genome resulting in extra chromosome sets in plants is called:

• Polyploidy
• Inversion
• Point duplication
• Chromothripsis

Correct Answer: Polyploidy

Q7. In comparative genomics, conserved blocks of gene order between species are referred to as:

• Synteny blocks
• Operons
• Isochores
• Microarrays

Correct Answer: Synteny blocks

Q8. Which organellar genome is typically circular and maternally inherited in most animals, influencing population genetics and phylogeography?

• Mitochondrial genome
• Chloroplast genome
• Plasmid genome
• Prophage genome

Correct Answer: Mitochondrial genome

Q9. Structural variants that flip a DNA segment within the chromosome are called:

• Inversions
• Deletions
• Duplications
• Translocations

Correct Answer: Inversions

Q10. Which concept describes genes in different species that originated from a common ancestral gene by speciation and often retain similar functions?

• Orthologs
• Paralogs
• Analogs
• Pseudogenes

Correct Answer: Orthologs

Q11. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in drug-metabolizing enzyme genes primarily influence which pharmacological property?

• Interindividual variability in drug response
• Medication storage stability
• Drug color and formulation
• Manufacturing throughput

Correct Answer: Interindividual variability in drug response

Q12. Which sequencing-based approach is best suited for profiling the genomic composition of microbial communities without culturing?

• Metagenomics
• RNA-Seq of isolated strains
• Sanger sequencing of cultured colonies
• Chromatin immunoprecipitation

Correct Answer: Metagenomics

Q13. Which phenomenon often generates new gene functions and gene families through duplication followed by divergence?

• Gene duplication and neofunctionalization
• Gene silencing by methylation
• Alternative splicing
• Trans-splicing

Correct Answer: Gene duplication and neofunctionalization

Q14. In bacterial genomes, pathogenicity islands are important because they:

• Carry virulence and resistance genes acquired by horizontal transfer
• Enhance photosynthetic efficiency
• Are sites for mitochondrial integration
• Encode ribosomal proteins only

Correct Answer: Carry virulence and resistance genes acquired by horizontal transfer

Q15. Which measure compares genome similarity at the nucleotide level and is commonly used in microbial species delineation?

• Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI)
• GC skew index
• Codon adaptation index
• BLAST E-value

Correct Answer: Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI)

Q16. Repetitive DNA sequences concentrated near centromeres and telomeres that contribute to chromosomal structure are collectively called:

• Heterochromatin
• Euchromatin
• Exons
• Enhancers

Correct Answer: Heterochromatin

Q17. Which type of viral genome shows the greatest diversity in structure and replication strategies relevant to antiviral drug design?

• RNA genomes
• Uniform dsDNA genomes only
• Non-replicating genomes
• Double-stranded circular plasmids

Correct Answer: RNA genomes

Q18. In population genomics, a haplotype block refers to:

• A set of alleles at multiple loci that tend to be inherited together
• A single SNP causing disease
• A nonfunctional pseudogene cluster
• A region free of linkage disequilibrium

Correct Answer: A set of alleles at multiple loci that tend to be inherited together

Q19. Which genomic analysis is most directly used to identify conserved drug targets across related pathogen strains while avoiding variable accessory genes?

• Core genome comparison within pan-genome analysis
• Single isolate plasmid mapping
• Transcriptomic profiling under one condition
• Microscopy-based karyotyping

Correct Answer: Core genome comparison within pan-genome analysis

Q20. Mobile genetic elements such as insertion sequences and integrons are critical in clinical microbiology because they:

• Mobilize and assemble antibiotic resistance genes across genomes
• Enhance eukaryotic intron splicing
• Stabilize mitochondrial DNA only
• Prevent all mutations from occurring

Correct Answer: Mobilize and assemble antibiotic resistance genes across genomes

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