1. What is electrophoresis?
a. A medical diagnosis method
b. A laboratory technique for separating biomolecules
c. An electrical engineering concept
d. A type of genetic mutation
Answer: b.
Electrophoresis & It’s Types
2. What is the principle of gel electrophoresis?
a. Separation based on color
b. Separation based on size and charge
c. Separation based on temperature
d. Separation based on smell
Answer: b.
3. What are electrophoretic gels used to __?
a. Cook food
b. Separate biomolecules
c. Generate electricity
d. Create music
Answer: b.
4. In the case of electrophoresis of single stranded DNA or RNA, which type of gels are used?
a. Renaturing
b. Denaturing
c. The routine agarose gel
d. The routine polyacrylamide gel
Answer: b.
5. If further electrophoresis is used for recovery of DNA from gels, the method is termed as __
a. secondary electrophoresis
b. recovery electrophoresis
c. denaturing electrophoresis
d. electro-elution
Answer: d.
6. What type of gel is used in electrophoresis?
a. Cheese gel
b. Jello gel
c. Agarose gel
d. Hair gel
Answer: c.
7. Gel electrophoresis separates nucleic acid molecules based on____________
a. charge on molecules
b. size of the molecules
c. nature of the molecules i.e. whether DNA or RNA
d. chemical properties of the nucleic acids
Answer: b.
8. Why agarose gel is used in electrophoresis?
a. To add flavor to the samples
b. Because it is cheaper than other gels
c. It is transparent and allows visualization under UV light
d. It is a good conductor of electricity
Answer: c.
9. Why gel is used to separate DNA?
a. To create a colorful display
b. To enhance the fragrance of DNA
c. To prevent DNA from escaping
d. To facilitate the movement of DNA based on size
Answer: d.
10. Gel electrophoresis is used for________.
a. Isolation of DNA molecule
b. Separating and analyzing DNA, RNA, or proteins
c. Cutting of DNA into fragments
d. Construction of recombinant DNA by joining with cloning Vector
Answer: b.
11. What is the function of the gel used in gel electrophoresis?
a. To add texture to the experiment
b. To create a solid platform for molecules to move through
c. To release a pleasant scent
d. To change the color of the samples
Answer: b.
12. Where is DNA loaded in gel electrophoresis?
a. At the top of the gel
b. In the middle of the gel
c. At the bottom of the gel
d. Anywhere on the gel surface
Answer: a.
13. Why is TAE buffer used in gel electrophoresis?
a. To add flavor to the samples
b. To provide a stable pH environment
c. To enhance the fragrance of the gel
d. To increase the speed of DNA migration
Answer: b.
14. Why ethidium bromide is used in gel electrophoresis?
a. To make the gel taste better
b. To enhance the color of the gel
c. To stain DNA and make it visible under UV light
d. To increase the viscosity of the gel
Answer: c.
15. Why is bromophenol blue used in gel electrophoresis?
a. To add a blue color for aesthetic purposes
b. To improve the taste of the gel
c. It is used as a tracking dye
d. To increase the conductivity of the gel
Answer: c.
16. DNA ladder in gel electrophoresis:
a. A physical ladder used for climbing
b. A reference marker with known DNA fragment sizes
c. A tool for stirring gel solutions
d. A special gel for ladder-shaped DNA molecules
Answer: b.
17. Loading dye in gel electrophoresis:
a. A dye used to color the gel
b. A substance to weigh down the samples
c. A dye to visualize DNA migration
d. A spice added for flavor
Answer: c.
18. Which of the following is the purpose of gel electrophoresis?
a. Construction of recombinant DNA by joining with cloning vectors
b. Separation of DNA fragments according to their size
c. Cutting of DNA into fragments
d. Isolation of DNA molecule
Answer: b.
19. Gel matrices are generally of two types Agarose and Polyacrylamide. Which of the statements is correct with respect to agarose gels?
a. Agarose is a polysaccharide which is obtained from red algae
b. Agarose is a polysaccharide obtained from fungus
c. It is composed of glucose residues
d. It is obtained via dissolving in its water by boiling water and then cooling it
Answer: a.
20. Which of the following is true for agarose gel during electrophoresis
a. The larger the fragment size, the farther it moves
b. The smaller the fragment size, the farther it moves
c. Positively charged fragments move to farther end
d. Negatively charged fragments move to farther end
Answer: b.
21. Polyacrylamide gels are the other types of gels that are commonly used. Which of the following statements is not correct with respect to these types of gels?
a. They are obtained via polymerization between acrylamide and bis-acrylamide
b. The components added for initiating polymerization are ammonium persulphate and TEMED
c.It is casted in horizontal and flat trays
d. TEMED catalyses the formation of free radicals from persulphate ions which leads to initiation of cross-linking
Answer: c.
22. What is the criterion for the movement of DNA fragments on agarose gel during gel electrophoresis?
a. The larger the fragment size, the farther it moves
b. The smaller the fragment size, the farther it moves
c. Positively charged fragments move to farther end
d. Negatively charged fragments do not move
Answer: b.
23. Electrophoresis is the process of separation of charged solutes based on _____________
a. Electrophoretic mobility
b. Molecular weight
c. Charge
d. Density
Answer: a
24. The _________ process of separation gives a really excellent separation of solute.
a. filtration
b. sedimentation
c. electrophoresis
d. chromatography
Answer: c
25. Electrophoresis is carried out by adding the mixture of solute to be separated using a medium which conducts __________.
a. charges
b. electricity
c. molecules
d. solvent
Answer: b
26. The positively charged solute migrates towards _________ in the process of electrophoresis.
a. negative electrode
b. positive electrode
c. neutral
d. doesn’t migrate at all
Answer: a
27. The neutral solutes shows no movement because of ___________.
a. applied pressure
b. applied electric field
c. current
d. molecular weight
Answer: b
28. The process of elctrophoresis separation is classified on the basis of type of medium as __________.
a. gel electrophoresis
b. liquid phase electrophoresis
c. gel and liquid phase electrophoresis
d. electrophoresis
Answer: c
29. The material agarose, starch are used for the separation process in the liquid phase electrophoresis.
a. True
b. False
Answer: b
30. In the process of gel electrophoresis, the molecules are separated into __________
a. bands
b. gels
c. phases
d. solution
Answer: a
31. The most common gel electrophoresis method is __________.
a. GE
b. PEG
c. PAGE
d. AGE
Answer: c
32. The native gel electrophoresis separation is should be negatively charged.
a. True
b. False
Answer: a
33. Which technique separates charged particles using electric field?
a. Hydrolysis
b. Electrophoresis
c. Protein synthesis
d. Protein denaturing
Answer: b
34. Electrophoresis was developed by:
a. Tswett
b. Tsvedberg
c. Tiselius
d. Sanger
Answer: c
35. The speed of migration of ions in electric field depends upon:
a. Shape and size of molecule
b. Magnitude of charge and shape of molecule
c. Magnitude of charge shape and mass of molecule
d. Magnitude of charge and mass of molecule
Answer: b
36. Which of the following statements is true about migration of biomolecules?
a. The rate of migration is directly proportional to the resistance of medium
b. Rate of migration is directly proportional to current
c. Low voltage is used for separation of high mass molecules
d. Rate of migration is inversely proportional to current
Answer: b
37. What does the electrophoresis apparatus consist of?
a. Gel, buffer chamber and fire pack
b. Buffer chamber and electrophoresis unit
c. Electrophoresis unit and gel separator
d. Power pack and electrophoresis unit
Answer: d
38. If proteins are separated according to their electrophoretic mobility then the type of electrophoresis is:
a. SDS PAGE
b. Affinity Electrophoresis
c. Electro focusing
d. Free flow electrophoresis
Answer: a
39. The electrophoretic mobility denoted as µ is mathematically expressed as:
a. VE
b. E/V
c. 1/EV
d. V/E
Answer: d
40. Which of the following factors does not influence electrophoretic mobility?
a. Molecular weight
b. Shape of molecule
c. Size of molecule
d. Stereochemistry of molecule
Answer: d
41. When is electrophoresis not used?
a. Separation of proteins
b. Separation of amino acids
c. Separation of Lipids
d. Separation of nucleic acids
Answer: c
42. What cannot be a reason for using electrophoresis?
a. Comparing two sets of DNA
b. Organizing DNA by shape of backbone
c. Organizing DNA fragments from largest to smallest
d. Organizing DNA in order we can see
Answer: b
43. Which of the following biomolecules can be analyzed using electrophoresis?
a. Lipids
b. Nucleic acids
c. Carbohydrates
d. None of the above
Answer: b
44. Which factor does NOT affect the rate of migration in electrophoresis?
a. Electric field strength
b. Temperature
c. Sample’s net charge
d. Color of the sample
Answer: d
45. Who developed moving boundary electrophoresis?
a. Kohn
b. Tiselius
c. Agar
d. Smith
Answer: b
46. What type of electrophoresis involves separation on an inert matrix?
a. Moving boundary electrophoresis
b. Zone electrophoresis
c. Capillary electrophoresis
d. None of the above
Answer: B
47. Which electrophoresis type is used to separate large DNA molecules by applying a periodically changing electric field?
a. SDS-PAGE
b. Pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE)
c. 2D gel electrophoresis
d. Capillary electrophoresis
Answer: B
48. What is the medium used in agarose gel electrophoresis?
a. Polyacrylamide gel
b. Cellulose acetate
c. Agarose gel
d. Paper
Answer: C
49. What is the principle behind SDS-PAGE electrophoresis?
a. Separation based on size and shape
b. Separation based on the uniform negative charge of proteins
c. Separation based on color
d. Separation based on pH levels
Answer: B
50. Which type of gel electrophoresis is commonly used for separating nucleic acids?
a. Vertical gel apparatus
b. Horizontal gel apparatus
c. Capillary electrophoresis
d. Moving boundary electrophoresis
Answer: B
51. What is the purpose of Coomassie brilliant blue R-250 in SDS-PAGE?
a. To create pores in the gel
b. To apply voltage
c. As a stain for visualizing proteins
d. As a buffer solution
Answer: C
52. Which scientist introduced cellulose acetate as a medium for electrophoresis?
a. Tiselius
b. Kohn
c. Smith
d. Agar
Answer: B
53. What type of electrophoresis is described as ‘the new generation technique’?
a. Moving boundary electrophoresis
b. Zone electrophoresis
c. Capillary electrophoresis
d. Gel electrophoresis
Answer: C
54. What is a primary advantage of capillary electrophoresis over conventional techniques?
a. Requires no electric field
b. Slower analysis times
c. Effective heat dissipation allowing high voltage use
d. Uses only paper as a medium
Answer: C
55. Which electrophoresis technique involves a horizontal gel apparatus?
a. SDS-PAGE
b. Pulse field gel electrophoresis
c. Gel electrophoresis for DNA/RNA
d. Cellulose acetate electrophoresis
Answer: C
56. What buffer is typically used in agarose gel electrophoresis?
a. Amine buffer
b. Tris-acetate-EDTA (TAE)
c. Sodium buffer
d. Glycine buffer
Answer: B
57. What type of electrophoresis was developed by Tiselius?
a. Zone electrophoresis
b. Capillary electrophoresis
c. Moving boundary electrophoresis
d. SDS-PAGE
Answer: C
58. Which apparatus is mostly used for protein separation in acrylamide gels?
a. Horizontal electrophoretic unit
b. Vertical electrophoretic unit
c. Capillary tube
d. Paper electrophoresis cell
Answer: B
59. Which of the following uses a filter paper as a stabilizing medium?
a. Capillary electrophoresis
b. Gel electrophoresis
c. Paper electrophoresis
d. SDS-PAGE
Answer: C
60. What type of electrophoresis is used to analyze proteins in two dimensions?
a. Pulse field gel electrophoresis
b. SDS-PAGE
c. 2D gel electrophoresis
d. Paper electrophoresis
Answer: C
61. Which feature makes capillary electrophoresis faster than traditional methods?
a. Use of cellulose acetate
b. Ability to use low voltages
c. Online detection and rapid separation
d. Manual operation required
Answer: C
62. Who first demonstrated that charged particles could be separated using an electrical field?
a. Linus Pauling
b. James Watson
c. Arne Tiselius
d. Rosalind Franklin
Answer: c. Arne Tiselius
63. What is electrophoresis primarily used to separate?
a. Gases based on density
b. Electrically charged molecules
c. Uncharged molecules
d. Magnetic materials
Answer: b. Electrically charged molecules
64. Which of the following is NOT a component of an electrophoresis apparatus?
a. Buffer
b. Wicks
c. Densitometer
d. Centrifuge
Answer: d. Centrifuge
65. What role does the buffer play in electrophoresis?
a. Reduces the speed of migration
b. Maintains pH and carries the current
c. Stains the samples
d. Absorbs light for densitometry
Answer: b. Maintains pH and carries the current
66. Which type of support medium requires long run-time and results in poor resolution?
a. Agarose gel
b. Whatman filter paper
c. Cellulose acetate
d. Polyacrylamide gel
Answer: b. Whatman filter paper
67. Why is cellulose acetate preferred over paper electrophoresis?
a. It requires more run-time.
b. It provides superior resolution.
c. It is less expensive.
d. It uses a liquid medium.
Answer: b. It provides superior resolution.
68. What is the main disadvantage of agarose gel in electrophoresis?
a. Low resolution
b. High sulfate content causing electroendosmosis
c. Requires long preparation time
d. Poor heat dissipation
Answer: b. High sulfate content causing electroendosmosis
69. Which component of polyacrylamide gel ensures the gel formation?
a. Ethidium bromide
b. N,N,N’,N’-tetramethylethylenediamine (TEMEd.
c. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)
d. Riboflavin
Answer: b. N,N,N’,N’-tetramethylethylenediamine (TEMEd.
70. What happens to proteins when boiled with SDS and mercaptoethanol?
a. Proteins retain their native charge.
b. Proteins acquire a uniform negative charge.
c. Proteins gain positive charges.
d. Proteins increase in size.
Answer: b. Proteins acquire a uniform negative charge.
71. In isoelectric focusing, molecules stop moving when they reach what?
a. Their net positive charge
b. The anode
c. Their isoelectric pH
d. Maximum temperature
Answer: c. Their isoelectric pH
72. What is used in immunoelectrophoresis after initial protein separation?
a. Buffers of varying pH
b. Specific antibodies
c. Radioactive markers
d. Denaturing agents
Answer: b. Specific antibodies
73. High-voltage electrophoresis typically uses voltage levels between:
a. 100 to 200 volts
b. 400 to 2000 volts
c. 2500 to 5000 volts
d. 50 to 150 volts
Answer: b. 400 to 2000 volts
74. Which electrophoresis variant uses a capillary tube filled with buffer or gel?
a. Pulsed-field electrophoresis
b. High-voltage electrophoresis
c. Capillary electrophoresis
d. Immunoelectrophoresis
Answer: c. Capillary electrophoresis
75. Two-dimensional electrophoresis separates analytes based on:
a. Only their molecular weight
b. Only their isoelectric pH
c. Isoelectric pH and molecular weight
d. Electrical charge only
Answer: c. Isoelectric pH and molecular weight
76. What type of biological specimens are commonly used in diagnostic electrophoresis?
a. Gastric fluid
b. Bone samples
c. Serum, plasma, whole blood, hemolysate
d. Hair samples
Answer: c. Serum, plasma, whole blood, hemolysate
77. What is the main interfering factor that increases with electrophoresis run time?
a. Buffer concentration
b. Electroendosmosis
c. Heat
d. Voltage
Answer: c. Heat
78. Which chemical is carcinogenic and used in nucleic acid staining?
a. Acrylamide
b. TEMED
c. Ethidium bromide
d. Riboflavin
Answer: c. Ethidium bromide
79. Why is teamwork essential in clinical electrophoresis?
a. To reduce the cost of the procedure
b. To ensure comprehensive assessment and diagnostic accuracy
c. To increase the speed of analysis
d. To avoid the use of hazardous materials
Answer: b. To ensure comprehensive assessment and diagnostic accuracy
80. What can the presence of abnormal bands in serum protein electrophoresis indicate?
a. Overhydration
b. A specific underlying disorder
c. Vitamin deficiency
d. Protein supplementation
Answer: b. A specific underlying disorder
81. What safety precaution is essential during electrophoresis gel preparation?
a. Directly handling gels without gloves
b. Mouth-pipetting solutions
c. Avoiding contact with carcinogenic monomers
d. Ignoring eye protection
Answer: c. Avoiding contact with carcinogenic monomers
82. What is the primary principle behind electrophoresis?
a. Separation of molecules based on color
b. Separation of molecules based on their charge and size
c. Mixing of various molecules
d. Separation of molecules based on their taste
Answer: b. Separation of molecules based on their charge and size
83. What does the term “electrophoresis” mean in Greek?
a. Electron and light
b. Electric field and movement
c. Electricity and to carry
d. Charge and size
Answer: c. Electricity and to carry
84. Isoelectric focusing (IEF) separates proteins based on:
a. Their size
b. Their molecular weight
c. Their isoelectric point
d. Their color
Answer: c. Their isoelectric point
85. Which type of electrophoresis is crucial for bacterial strain typing?
a. SDS-PAGE
b. Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE)
c. Capillary electrophoresis
d. RNA electrophoresis
Answer: b. Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE)
86. Which electrophoresis technique is used for detecting specific DNA sequences?
a. Northern blotting
b. Southern blotting
c. RNA electrophoresis
d. PAGE
Answer: b. Southern blotting
87. Which type of gel is commonly used for DNA electrophoresis?
a. Cellulose acetate
b. Polyacrylamide
c. Agarose
d. Whatman paper
Answer: c. Agarose
88. What variant of PAGE denatures proteins for size-based separation?
a. Capillary electrophoresis
b. Isoelectric focusing
c. SDS-PAGE
d. PFGE
Answer: c. SDS-PAGE
89. In RNA electrophoresis, which RNA types are typically analyzed?
a. tRNA only
b. Ribosomal RNA (rRNa. and Messenger RNA (mRNa.
c. Only DNA
d. Transfer RNA (tRNa. and DNA
Answer: b. Ribosomal RNA (rRNa. and Messenger RNA (mRNa.
90. What is a major application of electrophoresis in environmental science?
a. Sizing of food products
b. Detection of specific organisms in environmental samples
c. Coloring of environmental substances
d. Cooling chemical reactions
Answer: b. Detection of specific organisms in environmental samples
91. Which electrophoresis technique allows for high-resolution separation of proteins?
a. Agarose gel electrophoresis
b. Capillary electrophoresis
c. Southern blotting
d. PAGE
Answer: d. PAGE
92. Which of the following is NOT a use of electrophoresis in clinical diagnostics?
a. Studying hemoglobinopathies
b. Bacterial strain typing
c. Conducting genetic painting
d. Detecting multiple myeloma
Answer: c. Conducting genetic painting
93. What is the main role of SDS in SDS-PAGE?
a. To color proteins
b. To maintain pH balance
c. To denature proteins and provide a uniform negative charge
d. To speed up protein movement
Answer: c. To denature proteins and provide a uniform negative charge
94. What property of DNA allows it to be separated by electrophoresis?
a. Its neutral charge
b. Its negative charge
c. Its color
d. Its magnetic property
Answer: b. Its negative charge
95. Which technique combines electrophoresis with hybridization?
a. RNA electrophoresis
b. Southern and Northern blotting
c. PAGE
d. PFGE
Answer: b. Southern and Northern blotting
96. Why is PAGE often used for studying protein post-translational modifications?
a. It separates proteins based on charge
b. It offers low-resolution separation
c. It separates proteins based on size with high resolution
d. It does not denature proteins
Answer: c. It separates proteins based on size with high resolution
97. Capillary electrophoresis is essential for:
a. Low-resolution imaging
b. Quick separation with high voltage
c. Gel preparation
d. Protein painting
Answer: b. Quick separation with high voltage
98. In forensic science, DNA electrophoresis can be used for:
a. Painting genetic material
b. Analyzing DNA fingerprints
c. Creating synthetic DNA
d. Coloring hair
Answer: b. Analyzing DNA fingerprints
99. Which electrophoresis type is used in paternity testing?
a. RNA electrophoresis
b. SDS-PAGE
c. DNA electrophoresis
d. Capillary electrophoresis
Answer: c. DNA electrophoresis
100. Which type of electrophoresis is critical for quality control in biopharmaceuticals?
a. PAGE
b. Southern blotting
c. RNA electrophoresis
d. PFGE
Answer: a. PAGE
101. What is a key feature of electrophoresis that has revolutionized molecular biology?
a. Its use of bright colors
b. Its ability to separate macromolecules based on taste
c. Its capability to separate macromolecules based on charge and size
d. Its ability to integrate with mobile phones
Answer: c. Its capability to separate macromolecules based on charge and size
102. What is the appearance of a DNA solution at high concentrations?
a. Blue in color
b. Greenish and viscous
c. Colorless but viscous
d. Yellow and thin
Answer: c. Colorless but viscous
103. What technique is used to detect and analyze DNA?
a. Chromatography
b. Agarose gel electrophoresis
c. Centrifugation
d. Spectrophotometry
Answer: b. Agarose gel electrophoresis
104. In agarose gel electrophoresis, what causes the DNA to move through the gel?
a. Gravity
b. Heat
c. Electrical current
d. Magnetic force
Answer: c. Electrical current
105. Toward which electrode does DNA migrate during gel electrophoresis?
a. Negative
b. Neutral
c. Positive
d. Both electrodes equally
Answer: c. Positive
106. What property of DNA allows it to be separated by gel electrophoresis?
a. Its charge
b. Its color
c. Its solubility in water
d. Its size (length)
Answer: d. Its size (length)
107. Why do smaller DNA fragments move faster through the gel during electrophoresis?
a. They are more charged.
b. They have more surface area.
c. They can pass more easily through the pores in the gel.
d. They are less dense.
Answer: c. They can pass more easily through the pores in the gel.
108. Which fluorescent dye is commonly used to stain DNA in gel electrophoresis for visualization?
a. Methylene blue
b. Crystal violet
c. Ethidium bromide
d. Safranin
Answer: c. Ethidium bromide
109. How can the length of an uncharacterized DNA fragment be estimated in gel electrophoresis?
a. By measuring its color intensity
b. By comparing it to size markers in adjacent lanes
c. By observing how fast it migrates in water
d. By counting the number of fragments
Answer: b. By comparing it to size markers in adjacent lanes
110. What is done to DNA bands for further analysis after electrophoresis?
a. The gel is discarded.
b. The bands are stained with a different dye.
c. The gel segments containing the bands are cut out, and the DNA is extracted.
d. The bands are heated for better visualization.
Answer: c. The gel segments containing the bands are cut out, and the DNA is extracted.
111. Under which type of light is the fluorescent-stained DNA usually visualized?
a. Visible light
b. Infrared light
c. Ultraviolet (UV) light
d. X-rays
Answer: c. Ultraviolet (UV) light
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