MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL, SIXTH EDITION

CHAPTER 15: CELL SIGNALING

© Garland Science 2015

1. A cell expresses a transmembrane protein that is cleaved at the plasma membrane to

release an extracellular fragment. The fragment binds to receptor proteins on nearby cells and
activates signaling pathways resulting in altered gene expression patterns in the cells. What form
of intercellular signaling does this represent?
A. Contact-dependent signaling
B. Paracrine signaling
C. Synaptic signaling
D. Endocrine signaling
E. Autocrine signaling

2. Which of the following is NOT a common second messenger in cell signaling?

A. Ca2+
B. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate
C. Diacylglycerol
D. Tyrosine
E. Inositol trisphosphate

3. Which of the following events normally activates a GTP-binding protein?

A. GTP hydrolysis by the protein
B. Activation of an upstream GTPase-activating protein
C. Activation of an upstream guanine nucleotide exchange factor
D. Phosphorylation of a bound GDP molecule by an upstream phosphorylase
E. Pi release after GTP hydrolysis

4. In which of the following schematic drawings of signaling pathways does the activation
of the receptor lead to gene expression? Activating and inhibitory steps are indicated with (+)
and (–), respectively.

(+) (–) (–) (+) (+)

Gene Expression
Activated Signaling proteins Transcription
A. receptor activator
 (–) (–) (–) (+) (+)
Gene Expression
B.

(–) (+)
(+) (+) (+)
Gene Expression

C. (+) (–)

(–) (+)
(–) (–) (+)
Gene Expression

D. (–) (+)

(+) (–)
(–) (–) (+)
Gene Expression

E. (+) (–)

Reference: Examples of Cellular Response Curves Questions 5-8

In the following graphs, the cellular response, as measured in real time by the concentration of a
certain active effector protein, is plotted over time for five cell types (A to E) that are treated
with three different concentrations of a signal molecule. During the time period indicated by the
horizontal gray bar, the signal molecule is present in the culture media at a concentration of 1 nM
(dotted curve), 5 nM (gray curve), or 25 nM (solid curve). Answer the following question(s)
based on these graphs.
 100 - 100 -
A B

0 - 0 -
0 7 0 7
(% activation of effector protein)

100 - 100 -
Cellular response

C D

0 - 0 -
0 7 0 7

100 -
E

0 -
0 7
Time (hour)

5. Which of the cell types A to E shows the lowest sensitivity to the signal?

6. Which of the cell types A to E shows a response with the highest persistence?

7. Which of the cell types A to E shows the fastest signal adaptation?

8. Which of the cell types A to E shows the widest dynamic range of signal concentration?
9. Consider a signaling protein that can be phosphorylated by a dual-specificity protein
kinase at two independent sites (one tyrosine and one serine residue), such that each site is
phosphorylated in about 1% of the protein molecules under normal conditions. Phosphorylation
at the first site has a short half-life, since a fast tyrosine phosphatase removes the phosphate soon
after the residue is phosphorylated, whereas dephosphorylation at the second site—carried out by
a serine/threonine phosphatase—is relatively slow. Upon activation of a signaling pathway, the
concentration of the dual-specificity kinase increases several-fold rapidly. The phosphorylation
state of the tyrosine and serine residues following stimulation is compared in the following
graph. Which curve (1 or 2) do you think corresponds to the serine residue? Write down 1 or 2 as
your answer.
100
Percentage of molecules

1
phosphorylated

0
0 Time after stimulation (min) 20

10. The Src kinase can be regulated by at least two mechanisms. Kinases of the CSK family
inactivate Src by phosphorylating a C-terminal tyrosine residue. On the other hand, binding of
activating ligands (including some activated receptor tyrosine kinases, or RTKs) results in
autophosphorylation at a tyrosine residue near the active site, stimulating Src activity. Full
activation of Src therefore requires both dephosphorylation at the inhibitory tyrosine and binding
to an RTK. Which of the following logic gates (A to E) correctly models the activation of Src
kinase (output) as a function of the activity of the upstream regulators (inputs)?

Inputs Output of logic gates

CSK RTK
A B C D E
activity activity
OFF OFF → ON ON OFF OFF OFF
OFF ON → OFF OFF ON OFF OFF
 ON OFF → OFF OFF OFF ON OFF
ON ON → OFF ON OFF OFF ON

11. Consider the signaling pathway depicted below, which involves two different receptors.
Assume that a protein is active only when it is activated but not inhibited by its upstream
signaling molecules. Activation and inhibition are indicated by normal and blunt arrows,
respectively. Under which of the following conditions is target-gene expression induced?

Signal 1 Signal 2

GPCR
RTK

G protein
Kinase

Enzyme Kinase
Adaptor

Second messenger
Binding protein

Kinase
Transcription regulator

Gene expression and

cellular response

A. Only in the presence of both signals (1 and 2)

B. In the presence of either or both signals (1 or 2)
C. In the presence of either signal but not both of them
D. Only in the absence of both signals
E. Only in the presence of signal 2 but not signal 1

12. Some signaling pathways in the cell are chiefly based on inhibition rather than activation.
For example, proteins that initiate programmed cell death by apoptosis are inhibited by anti-
apoptotic proteins, which can in turn be inhibited by a group of pro-apoptotic proteins, and so on.
Consider the following networks of inhibitory interactions, in which each protein is inactive if at
least one of its inhibitors is active. In which pathway is the activation of either upstream protein
(1 or 2) sufficient to inhibit apoptosis?

A. 1 2 Apoptosis

1
B. Apoptosis
2

C. 1
Apoptosis
2

1
D. Apoptosis
2

13. In the following simplified diagram, the activation of a hypothetical allosteric protein is
plotted as a function of effector molecule concentration. Which curve (A to E) do you think
corresponds to a condition in which activation requires the highest number of effector molecules
bound to each protein?
 A

of target allosteric protein

% of maximum activation
B C D
E

Relative concentration of
effector molecules

14. Which of the following molecular mechanisms is NOT used in the cell in order to
produce abrupt responses to a signal?
A. Activation of a protein only when bound to multiple molecules of an activating ligand
B. Activation of a protein only when it is phosphorylated at multiple sites
C. Activation of a protein by simultaneously activating its activator(s) and inactivating
its inhibitors
D. A positive feedback loop in which an activated protein positively regulates its
activator
E. A negative feedback loop in which an activated protein inhibits its activator without
delay

15. A certain effector protein can be activated by phosphorylation at a key tyrosine residue.
An upstream kinase rapidly phosphorylates this tyrosine in the presence of a signal. However,
the kinase also phosphorylates and activates a slow-acting phosphatase that can dephosphorylate
the phosphotyrosine. Which curve in the following graph would you expect to represent the
activity of the effector molecule over time? The input signal is present during the period
indicated in gray. The dashed line represents the response in the absence of the phosphatase.
 100

Relative response (log scale)

A
B
C
1 D
E

0.01
Time

16. You grow a tumor-derived cell line in a suspension culture, in which the cells are seen
either as single cells or in cell clusters. The cells have been engineered to express green
fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP
kinase) pathway. To your culture media, you add different concentrations of fibroblast growth
factor (FGF)—which is known to activate the MAP kinase pathway in these cells—and briefly
incubate the cells before harvesting them. You also collect, under a microscope, hundreds of
individual cell clusters from each suspension. You then disaggregate the cells in all of your
samples and use a FACS (fluorescence-activated cell sorting) machine to measure the GFP
signal intensity in individual cells. Finally, you plot the results as histograms, as shown below.

No FGF added
FGF added at intermediate concentration
FGF added at high concentration
Percentage of clusters

Percentage of cells

Average GFP intensity per cluster GFP signal intensity per cell
According to these results, which of the following schematic drawings better represents the
expression of GFP (a proxy for MAP kinase activation) in the culture after intermediate FGF
stimulation? In these drawings, higher GFP expression is represented by a darker shade.

A B C

D E

17. Cells can adapt to extracellular signal molecules in a variety of ways. Interestingly,
exposure to a signal molecule can sometimes not only desensitize the cell to this molecule, but
also to one or more other signal molecules that are recognized by different receptors, even if
those receptors can still bind to their ligand at the cell surface and initiate signaling. Which
subset of the following adaptation mechanisms (for the original signal) can in principle account
for this type of desensitization? Choose all that apply. Your answer would be a string composed
of letters A to E only, in alphabetical order; e.g. BDE.
(A) Receptor sequestration
(B) Receptor down-regulation
(C) Receptor inactivation
(D) Inactivity of signaling protein
(E) Production of inhibitory protein

18. For the α subunit of a trimeric G protein, …

A. a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) acts as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor
(GEF), whereas a regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) can act as a GTPase-
activating protein (GAP).
 B. a GPCR acts as a GAP, whereas an RGS can act as a GEF.
C. both a GPCR and an RGS can act as a GEF.
D. both a GPCR and an RGS can act as a GAP.

19. Indicate true (T) and false (F) statements below regarding G-protein-coupled receptors
(GPCRs). Your answer would be a five-letter string composed of letters T and F only, e.g.
TTFFF.
( ) All GPCRs share a similar structure composed of seven transmembrane helices.
( ) All GPCR ligands (signal molecules) have a similar structure.
( ) GPCRs have only been found in multicellular organisms, consistent with their role in
intercellular signaling.
( ) The hormone insulin is recognized by a GPCR on the surface of its target cells.
( ) Once activated, a GPCR molecule can activate multiple molecules of G protein to
amplify the incoming signal.

20. Whereas the cholera toxin ADP-ribosylates the α subunit of stimulatory G protein (Gs),
thereby blocking GTP hydrolysis, pertussis toxin ADP-ribosylates the α subunit of inhibitory G
protein (Gi) and prevents interaction with the receptor. What is the effect of these toxins on the
concentration of intracellular cAMP?
A. Cholera toxin tends to increase cAMP concentration, whereas pertussis toxin tends to
decrease cAMP concentration.
B. Cholera toxin tends to decrease cAMP concentration, whereas pertussis toxin tends to
increase cAMP concentration.
C. They both tend to increase cAMP concentration.
D. They both tend to decrease cAMP concentration.

21. Sort the following events to reflect the normal order in which they occur in G-protein-
coupled receptor signaling leading to transcription of genes with cAMP response elements. Your
answer would be a four-letter string composed of letters A to E only, e.g. ACBD.
(A) Binding of CREB to PKA
(B) Binding of cAMP to PKA
(C) Dissociation of PKA into catalytic and regulatory subunits
(D) Activation of adenylyl cyclase

22. Which of the following is a major consequence of activation of phospholipase C-β

(PLCβ) by the Gq trimeric GTPase?
 A. Elevation of intracellular cAMP levels, leading to the activation of protein kinase A
B. Elevation of PIP3 levels in the plasma membrane, leading to the activation of protein
kinase B
C. Elevation of intracellular Ca2+ levels, leading to the activation of protein kinase C
D. Elevation of IP3 in the plasma membrane, leading to the activation of protein kinase
D
E. Elevation of intracellular cGMP levels, leading to the activation of protein kinase G

23. Intracellular Ca2+ oscillations, initiated by the activation of IP3 receptors and orchestrated
via intricate positive and negative feedback loops, can be subject to frequency modulation, an
example of which is the increase in oscillation frequency with increasing stimulus strength.
Caffeine is known to bind to and sensitize the ryanodine receptors, resulting in their opening in
response to lower calcium ion concentrations. Do you think caffeine would tend to increase (I) or
decrease (D) the frequency of calcium ion oscillations in stimulated cells? Write down I or D as
your answer.

24. Fill in the blank in the following paragraph.

“Cytosolic Ca2+ can be sensed by ..., a small, conserved, dumbbell-

shaped protein with four Ca2+-binding sites. Upon Ca2+ binding, it
binds and activates dozens of proteins by changing its
conformation in different ways.”

25. Indicate whether each of the following descriptions applies to visual signal transduction
(V), olfactory signal transduction (O), or both (B). Your answer would be a four-letter string
composed of letters V, O, and B only, e.g. VOVV.
( ) It involves cGMP as a second messenger .
( ) A rise in cyclic mononucleotide concentration follows the arrival of the signal.
( ) The signal is received by a G-protein-coupled receptor.
( ) An incoming signal leads to membrane hyperpolarization.

26. Sort the following events into the order that they take place in phototransduction in
response to a flash of light. Your answer would be a four-letter string composed of letters A to E,
e.g. BCDEA.
(A) The cGMP level drops.
(B) The cGMP level rises.
 (C) The Ca2+ level drops.
(D) Retinal isomerizes to an all-trans configuration.
(E) Gt exchanges its bound nucleotide.

27. Which of the following is NOT part of a negative feedback mechanism in adaptation to
light in retinal rod cells?
A. Phosphorylation of G-protein-coupled receptor
B. Binding of arrestin to G protein
C. Stimulation of guanylyl cyclase by decreased Ca2+ levels
D. Binding of regulator of G protein signaling to transducin

28. Indicate true (T) and false (F) statements below regarding cellular signaling mediated by
nitric oxide (NO). Your answer would be a four-letter string composed of letters T and F only,
e.g. TTTF.
( ) Once produced, NO can diffuse to neighboring cells.
( ) NO has known roles in cGMP-independent as well as cGMP-dependent signaling.
( ) NO normally decreases cGMP concentration by activating cGMP phosphodiesterase.
( ) The drug Viagra® counteracts the effects of NO on penile blood vessels.

29. Consider visual transduction in rod photoreceptors in the vertebrate retina. Which of the
following steps does NOT normally amplify the signal in this pathway?
A. Activation of transducin by active rhodopsin
B. Blockage of Na+ influx by cation-channel closure
C. Cation-channel closure due to cGMP depletion
D. Depletion of cGMP by active cGMP phosphodiesterase
E. All of the above DO involve amplification

30. A genetic form of “night blindness” (i.e. poor vision in dim light) is caused by mutations
in genes encoding rhodopsin kinase (RK) and arrestin. The mutations reduce the dynamic range
of light perception, and the affected individuals have a prolonged light response and adapt very
slowly to low light (when entering a dark theater room, for example). Which of the following
mutations do you expect to be the cause?
A. Loss-of-function RK mutations and loss-of-function arrestin mutations
B. Loss-of-function RK mutations and gain-of-function arrestin mutations
C. Gain-of-function RK mutations and loss-of-function arrestin mutations
D. Gain-of-function RK mutations and gain-of-function arrestin mutations
31. How is the activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) different from that of
insulin receptor (IR)?
A. EGFR is a dimer in its inactive and active forms, whereas IR dimerizes only when
active.
B. EGFR activation requires dimerization, whereas IR can become activated as a
monomer.
C. EGFR is activated by transautophosphorylation, whereas IR activation is
phosphorylation-independent and is a simple consequence of receptor dimerization.
D. Unlike IR activation, EGFR activation involves an asymmetric arrangement of the
intracellular kinase domains.
E. Both C and D above.

32. Indicate true (T) and false (F) statements below regarding the ubiquitin ligase c-Cbl.
Your answer would be a four-letter string composed of letters T and F only, e.g. TTTF.
( ) It contains an SH2 domain, and can therefore activate RTK signaling.
( ) It ubiquitylates activated RTKs.
( ) Its overactivation can lead to prolonged RTK signaling and promote the development
of cancer.
( ) It is part of a negative feedback loop to down-regulate RTKs.

33. Consider a signaling protein that is only made up of one SH2 domain and two SH3
domains. This protein is most likely ...
A. a monomeric G protein.
B. a guanine nucleotide exchange factor.
C. a kinase associated with receptor tyrosine kinase signaling.
D. an adaptor protein.
E. a negative regulator of receptor tyrosine kinase signaling.

34. What is the major way by which the monomeric G protein Ras is activated in receptor
tyrosine kinase signaling?
A. Activation of Ras-GAP
B. Activation of Ras-GEF
C. Inactivation of Ras-GAP
D. Inactivation of Ras-GEF
E. Inactivation of Ras-GDI
35. Indicate true (T) and false (F) statements below regarding the Ras–MAP-kinase signaling
pathway. Your answer would be a four-letter string composed of letters T and F only, e.g. TTTF.
( ) The immediate early genes turn on a few hours after activation of the RTK.
( ) Ras-GTP binds directly to, and activates, the upstream kinase in the MAP kinase
module.
( ) Signal transduction through the Ras–MAP-kinase pathway only leads to a transient
response.
( ) In the MAP kinase module, Raf can be phosphorylated by Erk to create a negative
feedback loop.

36. Genetic screens for enhancers and suppressors of temperature-sensitive loss-of-function

mutations in sevenless (sev) in Drosophila melanogaster led to the discovery of some other
genes involved in the Ras–MAP-kinase pathway. Would you expect loss-of-function mutations
in genes encoding each of the following proteins to be an enhancer (E) or suppressor (S) of sev?
An enhancer mutation exacerbates the effect of the original mutation, whereas a suppressor
mutation alleviates it. Note that loss-of-function mutations can be just partial defects and not
necessarily null mutations. Your answer would be a four-letter string composed of letters E and S
only, e.g. EEEE.
( ) Sos
( ) Ras
( ) Ras-GAP
( ) Raf

37. What is the effect of using scaffold proteins on precision and amplification capacity in
cell signaling?
A. Both precision and amplification are improved.
B. Precision is improved, but amplification is limited.
C. Precision is compromised, but amplification is improved.
D. Both precision and amplification are limited.

38. In the following schematic diagram showing the initial signaling steps in growth cone
collapse in motor neurons, indicate which protein (A to E) corresponds to the following. Your
answer would be a four-letter string composed of letters A to E only, e.g. CBAE.
 A
B

D C

E E

( ) Ephrin
( ) Ephexin
( ) RhoA GTPase
( ) Cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase

39. Which of the following phosphoinositides is the preferred binding target for a PH-
domain-containing protein?

A B C D E

40. PI 3-kinase ...

A. is a membrane-associated tyrosine kinase.
B. activates PDK1 by phosphorylating a serine residue on the protein.
C. is counteracted by PTEN phosphatase.
D. is only known to be activated by receptor tyrosine kinases.
E. inhibits Akt.
41. Which of the following proteins lacks a PH domain?
A. Sos (a Ras-GEF)
B. Grb2 (an RTK signaling adaptor)
C. Pleckstrin (a protein kinase C substrate)
D. Akt (protein kinase B)
E. PDK1 (phosphoinositide-dependent kinase)

42. Indicate true (T) and false (F) statements below regarding the mTOR complexes. Your
answer would be a four-letter string composed of letters T and F only, e.g. TTTF.
( ) mTOR in complex 1 contains the protein raptor, is sensitive to rapamycin, and
stimulates cell growth.
( ) Akt activation is stimulated by mTOR in complex 2, which contains the protein
rictor.
( ) Akt activates mTOR in complex 2 by activating a Rheb-GAP called Tsc2.
( ) mTOR in complex 1 is activated in the presence of growth factors.

43. In the following diagram showing five parallel signaling pathways downstream of a
receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), indicate which boxes
(A to E) correspond to the following proteins. Your answer would be a five-letter string
composed of letters A to E only, e.g. CDBAE.
 D
E
B
A

( ) Cyclic AMP
( ) Protein kinase C
( ) Sos
( ) PI(3,4,5)P3
( ) Ca2+

44. Proteins of the Src family (e.g. Src, Fyn, Lck, and Hck) have important roles in several
signaling pathways in mammals. A typical Src family protein ...
A. is a cytosolic tyrosine kinase.
B. contains SH2 and SH3 domains in addition to a kinase domain.
C. has covalently attached lipid chains.
D. is located on the cytoplasmic side of the plasma membrane.
E. All of the above.
45. The SH2 domain of STAT proteins plays a key role in cytokine receptor signaling. This
domain can bind to phosphotyrosine ...
A. on an activated receptor molecule, or (intramolecularly) on the same STAT molecule.
B. on a Janus kinase molecule, or (intramolecularly) on the same STAT molecule.
C. on an activated receptor molecule, or on another STAT molecule in a dimer.
D. on a Janus kinase molecule, or on another STAT molecule in a dimer.
E. on the same STAT molecule or on another STAT molecule in a dimer.

46. Which of the following mechanisms is NOT employed by I-Smads to negatively regulate
Smad signaling?
A. Competing with R-Smads for binding sites on the receptor, decreasing R-Smad
phosphorylation.
B. Recruiting the ubiquitin ligase Smurf, leading to receptor degradation.
C. Binding to caveolin, inhibiting the formation of caveolae.
D. Binding to the co-Smad, Smad4, inhibiting it.
E. Recruiting protein phosphatases, leading to receptor inactivation.

47. What two cell-surface receptors are represented in the two simplified diagrams below
(from left to right)?

Cytosolic
tyrosine Cytosolic
kinase serine/threonine
kinase domain

Phosphorylated transcription regulators

A. TGFβ receptor and TNF receptor.

 B. Cytokine receptor and TNF receptor.
C. TNF receptor and TGFβ receptor.
D. TGFβ receptor and cytokine receptor.
E. Cytokine receptor and TGFβ receptor.

48. How does the expression of Delta on the surface of a cell activate the expression of
certain genes in the nucleus of its neighboring cell?
A. Delta binding activates Notch, which activates a transcriptional activator through the
JAK–STAT pathway.
B. Delta binding leads to the stabilization of a cytoskeleton-associated transcriptional
activator.
C. Delta binding releases the intracellular tail of Notch, which enters the nucleus and
converts a transcriptional repressor into a transcriptional activator.
D. Delta binding leads to Notch-mediated recruitment of protein complexes to the
plasma membrane, resulting in the degradation of a transcriptional repressor.
E. Delta binding leads to the proteolytic cleavage of Notch and inhibition of its activity
as a transcriptional repressor, leading to the activation of target genes.

49. Which of the following represents the active form of β-catenin in cells stimulated with
Wnt?
A. Phosphorylated by GSK3 and CK1
B. Bound to APC
C. Bound to Groucho
D. Bound to LRP
E. None of the above

50. Cancer-related genes can be classified into two major groups. Proto-oncogenes encode
proteins that normally act in promoting cell growth and proliferation. Gain-of-function mutations
in proto-oncogenes can therefore transform the cells into a cancerous state. Tumor suppressor
genes, on the other hand, encode proteins that normally function to keep cell proliferation in
check. Thus, loss-of-function mutations in tumor suppressors can lead to cancer by eliminating
the inhibitory effect of these genes. Mutations in genes encoding the components of the
canonical Wnt signaling pathway are commonly found in colorectal tumors. Indicate whether the
gene for each of the following is a proto-oncogene (P) or tumor suppressor (T). Your answer
would be a four-letter string composed of letters P and T only, e.g. PPPP.
( ) Wnt
 ( ) APC
( ) Axin
( ) β-Catenin

51. Regulation of the Ci (Cubitus interruptus) protein in the Hedgehog signaling pathway is
reminiscent of that of β-catenin in the Wnt pathway. Which of the following features is shared
among these two proteins?
A. Both proteins are ubiquitylated when the signal (Hedgehog or Wnt) is present.
B. Both proteins are able to enter the nucleus only in the absence of the signal.
C. Both proteins can be phosphorylated by GSK3 and CK1 in the absence of the signal.
D. Both proteins are fully degraded by the proteasome in the absence of the signal.
E. None of the above.

52. Indicate whether each of the following occurs inside the cell in the presence (P) or
absence (A) of stimulation with a Hedgehog signal. Your answer would be a four-letter string
composed of letters P and A only, e.g. PPPP.
( ) Sequestration of Smoothened in intracellular vesicles
( ) Accumulation of unprocessed Ci in the nucleus
( ) Phosphorylation of Smoothened
( ) Recruitment of Fused and Costal2 to the plasma membrane

53. In the following simplified diagram of the NFκB-dependent signaling pathway, indicate
which boxes (A to C) correspond to the NF-κB, IκB, and IKK proteins, respectively. Your
answer would be a three-letter string composed of letters A to C only, e.g. BCA.

IL1 receptor
activation
A

Expression of
inflammatory
response genes
54. Activated STATs can induce the expression of SOCS proteins, which in turn inhibit the
JAK-dependent phosphorylation of the STATs. Under sustained serum stimulation of mouse
fibroblast cells, a number of oscillations can be observed as a consequence of this delayed
negative feedback loop, as shown in the following simplified graph. According to this graph,
approximately how long is the delay in the feedback response, and what process is mainly
responsible for it?

Phosphorylated STAT protein

SOCS nuclear mRNA
SOCS cytosolic mRNA
SOCS protein
100
Relative amount

0
0 4 8
Serum added
Time (h)

A. 1 hour; transcription
B. 2 hours; transcription
C. 1 hour; mRNA export
D. 1 hour; mRNA translation
E. 2 hours; mRNA translation

55. All nuclear receptors ...

A. are cytosolic proteins that enter the nucleus upon ligand binding.
B. have ligand-binding and DNA-binding domains, and can directly bind to DNA.
C. are transcriptional activators when bound to their ligand.
D. bind to steroid hormones.
E. are transcriptional repressors in the absence of their ligand.
56. The phosphorylation state of a human protein follows the oscillatory pattern shown in the
first graph below. The protein is phosphorylated by two kinases (1 and 2), both of which are
activated in an oscillatory pattern. Kinase 1 oscillates in congruence with the circadian rhythm,
while kinase 2 oscillates at a higher frequency and is independent of the circadian clock. The
second graph shows the phosphorylation state of the same protein in mutant cells lacking one of
the kinases mentioned above. Which kinase (1 or 2) do you think is missing in these mutant
cells? Write down 1 or 2 as your answer.
Wild type
Phosphorylated (%)

100

0
0 24 48 72 96
Time (hours)
Mutant
Phosphorylated (%)

100

0
0 24 48 72 96
Time (hours)

57. You have studied the circadian clock in a certain mouse strain by monitoring the physical
activity (e.g. wheel-running) of a few mice over an extended period of time. For the first week,
you kept the mice under normal 12 hr light /12 hr dark cycles; they were then transferred to
constant darkness. You have plotted the average activity of the mice in the following graph. The
light and dark conditions are represented with white and gray backgrounds, respectively. The
activity in each day is plotted in black in one row of the graph, and consecutive days are
arranged from the top to the bottom. The horizontal axis represents the time of the day. Based on
these results, what is the most accurate estimate for the free-running period of the circadian clock
in this mouse strain?
 Day 1

Day 7
Activity

Day 20
0 6 12 18 24
Time (hours)

A. About 25 hr
B. About 24.5 hr
C. About 24 hr
D. About 23.5 hr
E. About 23 hr

58. Indicate true (T) and false (F) statements below regarding signaling in plants. Your
answer would be a four-letter string composed of letters T and F only, e.g. TTTF.
( ) Since multicellularity evolved before the divergence of the plant and animal lineages,
plants have homologs of most animal signaling proteins, such as nuclear receptors,
Ras, JAK, and Notch.
( ) Receptor tyrosine kinases are the largest class of cell-surface receptors in plant cells.
( ) Both plants and animals use cyclic GMP, NO, and Ca2+ for cell signaling.
( ) Leucine-rich repeat (LLR) receptor kinases are the most abundant type of receptor
serine/threonine kinases in plants.
59. Fill in the blank in the following paragraph regarding plant hormones. DO NOT use
abbreviations.

“As simple a signaling molecule as it is, ... is also a key regulator

of plant physiology. It can promote processes such as fruit
ripening, flower opening, and leaf abscission; it can also be
produced in response to various types of stress including drought,
flooding, and bacterial and viral infections.”

60. Ethylene receptors in plant cells ...

A. are located primarily at the plasma membrane.
B. are single-pass transmembrane proteins.
C. interact with CTR1, which is closely related to the monomeric G protein Ras.
D. have a copper-containing ethylene-binding domain.
E. All of the above.

61. In the following schematic diagrams of ethylene signaling in plants, 1 denotes ethylene, 2
denotes ethylene receptor, 3 denotes CTR1, 4 denotes EIN3, and 5 represents the expression of
ethylene-responsive genes. Which diagram better depicts the signaling pathway? Activation and
inhibition are indicated as normal and blunt arrows, respectively.

A 1 2 3 4 5

B 1 2 3 4 5

C 1 2 3 4 5

D 1 2 3 4 5

E 1 2 3 4 5
62. Indicate whether each of the following descriptions better applies to phytochromes (P),
cryptochromes (C), or phototropins (T). Your answer would be a four-letter string composed of
letters P, C, and T only, e.g. TPCC.
( ) They respond to red light.
( ) They are found in animals as well as in plants.
( ) They are flavoproteins.
( ) They are dimeric, cytosolic serine/threonine protein kinases that are normally
activated by autophosphorylation.

63. Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings show positive phototropism: they bend and grow toward
the source of (blue) light. However, phototropism is not observed if the seedlings are treated with
an auxin efflux inhibitor called NPA. Knowing that auxin stimulates elongation of the cells in the
growing shoot, these observations are consistent with a model in which, in the presence of a
lateral light, ...
A. auxin efflux transporter proteins become localized to the side of the cell that is facing
the light source.
B. auxin efflux transporter proteins become localized to the side of the cell that is away
from the light source.
C. auxin influx transporter proteins become localized to the side of the cell that is facing
the light source.
D. auxin influx transporter proteins become localized to the side of the cell that is away
from the light source.
E. auxin efflux transporter proteins become uniformly distributed around the cell.
Answers
1. Answer: B
Difficulty: 1
Section: Principles of Cell Signaling
Feedback: Paracrine signaling acts on neighboring cells via local mediators.
2. Answer: D
Difficulty: 1
Section: Principles of Cell Signaling
Feedback: Second messengers are small chemicals generated in large amounts in
response to receptor activation in signaling pathways and diffuse away from their source
to spread the signal. Some are water-soluble [e.g. calcium ions and cyclic adenosine
monophosphate (cAMP)] and some are lipid-soluble [e.g. diacylglycerol (DAG) and
inositol trisphosphate (IP3)].
3. Answer: C
Difficulty: 1
Section: Principles of Cell Signaling
Feedback: Activation of an upstream guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) activates
a GTPase by facilitating its conversion into a GTP-bound form through guanine
nucleotide exchange.
4. Answer: A
Difficulty: 2
Section: Principles of Cell Signaling
Feedback: In principle, an even number of inhibitory steps in a sequence is equivalent to
activation.
5. Answer: E
Difficulty: 3
Section: Principles of Cell Signaling
Feedback: This cell type responds only to the highest signal concentration tested.
6. Answer: A
Difficulty: 3
Section: Principles of Cell Signaling
Feedback: This cell type seems to show a permanent response to the signal.
7. Answer: C
Difficulty: 3
Section: Principles of Cell Signaling
 Feedback: This cell type reduces its response significantly even in the presence of the
signal.
8. Answer: C
Difficulty: 3
Section: Principles of Cell Signaling
Feedback: The wide dynamic range allows this cell type to differentially respond to the
signal over a broad concentration range.
9. Answer: 2
Difficulty: 2
Section: Principles of Cell Signaling
Feedback: In this example, the slower dephosphorylation (longer half-life) results in a
slower change in serine phosphorylation, compared to tyrosine phosphorylation, upon
stimulation of the signaling pathway.
10. Answer: C
Difficulty: 3
Section: Principles of Cell Signaling
Feedback: The activation of Src can be described as “(RTK) AND NOT (CSK).”
11. Answer: C
Difficulty: 3
Section: Principles of Cell Signaling
Feedback: In this imaginary example, each of the two parallel pathways depicted can
stimulate gene expression through the same transcription regulator; however, when both
signals are present, each pathway inhibits the other one, leading to no response.
12. Answer: B
Difficulty: 3
Section: Principles of Cell Signaling
Feedback: Pathway A is equivalent to an OR gate; either protein (1 or 2) can trigger
apoptosis. Pathway B is equivalent to a NOR gate; either 1 or 2 can inhibit apoptosis.
Pathway C is equivalent to a gate that ignores its second input (protein 2). Pathway D is
equivalent to an AND gate; both proteins 1 and 2 in their active form are required to
trigger apoptosis.
13. Answer: C
Difficulty: 2
Section: Principles of Cell Signaling
 Feedback: The sharpness of the sigmoidal activation response increases with an increase
in the number of effector molecules that must be bound simultaneously for complete
activation of the target protein.
14. Answer: E
Difficulty: 3
Section: Principles of Cell Signaling
Feedback: Negative feedback generally dampens the response, while positive feedback
loops and cooperative activation sharpen it.
15. Answer: B
Difficulty: 3
Section: Principles of Cell Signaling
Feedback: The upstream kinase both activates its target (directly) and slowly inactivates
it (indirectly). This results in an attenuated response under sustained stimulation.
16. Answer: C
Difficulty: 3
Section: Principles of Cell Signaling
Feedback: The histograms from the FACS data show a gradual increase in the average
GFP signal per cluster (left plot) and an all-or-none activation of the pathway in
individual cells (right plot) with increasing concentrations of the signal, consistent with
the model shown in C.
17. Answer: DE
Difficulty: 2
Section: Principles of Cell Signaling
Feedback: If the signaling pathways for the signals converge (or overlap), adaptation to
one signal can also desensitize the cell to the others by affecting the common signaling
molecules. In this example, convergence occurs downstream of the receptors; therefore,
the first three mechanisms do not apply. Note that the first three adaptation mechanisms
act on the receptor for the original signal, not on other receptors.
18. Answer: A
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through G-Protein-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: The GPCR and the RGS act in opposite directions with regards to the
activation of trimeric G proteins, by acting as a GEF and a GAP, respectively.
19. Answer: TFFFT
Difficulty: 1
Section: Signaling through G-Protein-Coupled Receptors
 Feedback: All GPCRs (found in multicellular as well as unicellular organisms) belong to
a large family of proteins that share a similar structure with seven transmembrane helices.
Despite this similarity, they recognize a wide variety of ligands. The GPCR activates the
α subunit of a trimeric G protein, which is then released; this is usually followed by the
binding of another α subunit to repeat the cycle for as long as the receptor is activated.
Insulin is recognized by a receptor tyrosine kinase.
20. Answer: C
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through G-Protein-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: While cholera toxin causes constitutive Gs activation, pertussis toxin prevents
Gi activation. Both of these result in a net activation of adenylyl cyclase, leading to
higher cAMP levels. Note that adenylyl cyclase is not the only target of Gi.
21. Answer: DBCA
Difficulty: 1
Section: Signaling through G-Protein-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: Upon cAMP production by activated adenylyl cyclase, cAMP-dependent
protein kinase (PKA) is activated through the release of its catalytic subunits as a result
of cAMP binding to the regulatory subunits. The catalytic subunits then enter the nucleus
where they phosphorylate CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein), which
recruits other proteins to activate transcription of target genes.
22. Answer: C
Difficulty: 1
Section: Signaling through G-Protein-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: Stimulation of protein kinase C (PKC) activity near the plasma membrane
results from elevated cytosolic Ca2+ [induced by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)
production] and from binding to diacylglycerol and negatively charged phospholipids. IP3
and diacylglycerol are second messengers in the cytosol and plasma membrane,
respectively, and are produced from phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate by the action
of PLCβ.
23. Answer: I
Difficulty: 3
Section: Signaling through G-Protein-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: The effect of channel sensitization to Ca2+ is comparable to that of increased
Ca2+ concentration, i.e. higher-frequency oscillations. The frequency as well as the
amplitude of the Ca2+ spikes can also be modulated by other mechanisms.
24. Answer: calmodulin
 Difficulty: 1
Section: Signaling through G-Protein-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: Calmodulin is an important Ca2+-binding protein that helps mediate many
cellular responses to Ca2+ signals.
25. Answer: VOBV
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through G-Protein-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: Both smell and vision depend on G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) that
egulate ion channels. Stimulation of olfactory receptors results in the opening of cyclic-
AMP-gated cation channels (through the activation of Golf) and membrane depolarization
in the neuron. In vertebrate photoreceptors, in contrast, GPCR activation hyperpolarizes
the cell: it closes cyclic-GMP-sensitive cation channels through the activation cyclic
GMP phosphodiesterase by Gt.
26. Answer: DEACB
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through G-Protein-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: Light stimulation of rod photoreceptors isomerizes 11-cis retinal in rhodopsin
to an all-trans state. This changes the conformation of opsin and activates transducin (Gt)
by nucleotide exchange. Gt then activates cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase to lower cyclic
GMP levels and hence close cyclic-GMP-sensitive cation channels. Through a negative
feedback loop, the resulting decrease in intracellular Ca2+ concentration stimulates rapid
replenishment of cyclic GMP.
27. Answer: B
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through G-Protein-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: Following the phosphorylation of the receptor by rhodopsin kinase, arrestin
binds to it to prevent transducin activation. Other mechanisms, such as binding of RGS
(regulator of G protein signaling) to the G protein α subunit or activation of guanylyl
cyclase, are also involved in visual adaptation in rod cells.
28. Answer: TTFF
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through G-Protein-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: Dissolved NO passes readily across cell membranes and can diffuse from its
site of production to neighboring smooth muscle cells, where it increases cyclic GMP
concentration by activating guanylyl cyclase. The drug Viagra® and its relatives inhibit
 cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase in the penis, allowing the effects of NO to last longer. NO
can also signal cells independently of cyclic GMP.
29. Answer: C
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through G-Protein-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: A single quantum of light can result in the hydrolysis of more than 105 cyclic
GMP molecules in the visual transduction cascade. This closes only a few hundred
cyclic-GMP-sensitive channels.
30. Answer: A
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through G-Protein-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: Mice or humans with defects in RK, or its downstream regulator arrestin, have
a prolonged light response, incapable of adapting quickly to sudden drops in ambient
light intensity.
31. Answer: D
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: Dimerization of the insulin receptor brings the two kinase domains close to
each other such that they can phosphorylate each other in the active site. In the case of the
EGF receptor, the kinase is activated by the conformational change induced by
asymmetric interactions between the two kinase domains outside their active sites.
32. Answer: FTFT
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: c-Cbl is a ubiquitin ligase that is recruited to activated receptor tyrosine
kinases (RTKs) through its SH2 domain and inactivates the receptors in a negative
feedback loop. Mutations that inactivate this feedback mechanism cause prolonged RTK
signaling and can promote the development of cancer.
33. Answer: D
Difficulty: 1
Section: Signaling through Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: An example of such a protein is Grb2, an adaptor protein involved in signaling
by receptor tyrosine kinases.
34. Answer: B
Difficulty: 1
Section: Signaling through Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
 Feedback: Ras is activated by guanine nucleotide exchange (GDP release and GTP
binding), which is catalyzed by upstream Ras guanine nucleotide exchange factors (Ras-
GEFs). In contrast, Ras GTPase-activating proteins (Ras-GAPs) increase the rate of GTP
hydrolysis by Ras and therefore inactivate it. Guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitors
(GDIs) prevent the association of some GTPases with their GEFs, thereby keeping the
GTPases inactive.
35. Answer: FTFT
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) module in the mammalian
Ras-MAP-kinase signaling pathway is composed of Raf, Mek, and Erk. Stimulation of
receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) at the cell surface can activate Ras, which then triggers
the MAP kinase cascade. Once activated, Erk relays the signal downstream, leading to
transient or long-lasting responses. Erk can also regulate Raf activity through negative
feedback loops. The immediate early genes are typically activated minutes after RTK
stimulation.
36. Answer: EESE
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: Activation of Sevenless signaling leads to the activation of Sos, Ras, and Raf
proteins. Consistently, loss-of-function mutations in genes encoding these proteins would
exacerbate the effect of sev loss-of-function mutations. Defects in Ras-GAP, however,
would suppress the effect.
37. Answer: B
Difficulty: 1
Section: Signaling through Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: Scaffold proteins help prevent cross-talk and improve precision in signaling
pathways, but they also limit diffusion of pathway components and thereby reduce the
opportunities for amplification and spreading of the signal to different parts of the cell.
38. Answer: ACED
Difficulty: 1
Section: Signaling through Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: Please refer to Figure 15–51.
39. Answer: E
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
 Feedback: PH domain preferentially bind to PI(3,4,5)P3 (E) produced by PI 3-kinase.
40. Answer: C
Difficulty: 1
Section: Signaling through Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: The plasma-membrane-bound PI 3-kinase principally phosphorylates inositol
phospholipids rather than proteins. It can be activated downstream of receptor tyrosine
kinases or G-protein-coupled receptors, and generates docking sites for various signaling
proteins. PTEN phosphatase counteracts PI 3-kinase by dephosphorylating the 3 position
of the inositol ring.
41. Answer: B
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: Mainly functioning in protein-protein interaction, PH domains are found in
many signaling proteins, including pleckstrin, Akt, PDK1, and Sos.
42. Answer: TTFT
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: mTOR complex 1 is rapamycin-sensitive, and is activated in the presence of
growth factors, mainly via the PI-3-kinase-Akt pathway, to stimulate cell growth. Akt
phosphorylates and inhibits Tsc2, a Rheb-GAP. This activates Rheb, which then activates
mTOR in complex 1.
43. Answer: ACDEB
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: Please refer to Figure 15–55.
44. Answer: E
Difficulty: 1
Section: Signaling through Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: Src family proteins are cytosolic tyrosine kinases exemplified by Src. They
contain SH2 and SH3 domains and can associate with the cytoplasmic side of the plasma
membrane partly by covalently attached lipid chains.
45. Answer: C
Difficulty: 1
Section: Signaling through Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
 Feedback: Each STAT has an SH2 domain with two functions: it mediates STAT binding
to an activated cytokine receptor; after JAK phosphorylation of STAT, it mediates
binding between two STAT molecules in a dimer.
46. Answer: C
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: Activated TGFβ receptors can be endocytosed by two distinct routes: one is
dependent on clathrin-coated vesicles and leads to further activation, whereas the other
one depends on caveolae and leads to inactivation. Inhibiting the formation of caveolae
can therefore activate, rather than, inhibit TGFβ signaling.
47. Answer: E
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling through Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
Feedback: Both the cytokine receptor (left) and the TGFβ receptor (right) are enzyme-
coupled receptors and are noncovalently associated with cytosolic tyrosine kinases and
serine/threonine kinases, respectively. Activated STATs form dimers, whereas activated
R-Smads can form dimers or trimers with a co-Smad. Both of these phosphorylated
complexes enter the nucleus and regulate the expression of their target genes.
48. Answer: C
Difficulty: 1
Section: Alternative Signaling Routes in Gene Regulation
Feedback: Upon Notch binding to Delta, a plasma-membrane-bound protease cleaves off
a cytoplasmic segment of Notch, which enters the nucleus to activate the expression of
target genes. The fragment acts by binding to a DNA-binding protein and converting it
from a transcriptional repressor into a transcriptional activator.
49. Answer: E
Difficulty: 2
Section: Alternative Signaling Routes in Gene Regulation
Feedback: Wnt binding to Frizzled and LRP results in the disassembly of the β-catenin
degradation complex (containing APC, axin, CK1, and GSK3), which allows β-catenin to
accumulate and enter the nucleus, where it binds to LEF1/TCF, displacing the co-
repressor Groucho.
50. Answer: PTTP
Difficulty: 2
Section: Alternative Signaling Routes in Gene Regulation
 Feedback: Uncontrolled cell growth and proliferation can result if β-catenin activity is not
properly limited. Thus, genes encoding Wnt and β-catenin are proto-oncogenes, whereas
genes encoding APC and axin are tumor suppressors. Loss-of-function mutations in the
Apc gene are found in 80% of human colon cancers.
51. Answer: C
Difficulty: 2
Section: Alternative Signaling Routes in Gene Regulation
Feedback: Both Ci and β-catenin are phosphorylated by GSK3 and CK1 in the absence of
stimulation in Hedgehog and Wnt signaling pathways, respectively. They are both
ubiquitylated and undergo proteolysis in the absence of signal. β-catenin is stabilized and
can enter the nucleus only in the presence of Wnt. Ci enters the nucleus in the presence of
Hedgehog and acts as a transcriptional activator, but its fragment (produced from partial
proteolysis) can also enter the nucleus and act as a transcriptional repressor in the absence
of signal.
52. Answer: APPP
Difficulty: 2
Section: Alternative Signaling Routes in Gene Regulation
Feedback: In the presence of the Hedgehog signal, Smoothened is phosphorylated and
recruited to the plasma membrane, where it recruits the complex containing Ci, Fused,
and Costal and inhibits Ci proteolysis. This results in the accumulation of unprocessed Ci
in the nucleus and transcriptional activation of target genes.
53. Answer: CBA
Difficulty: 2
Section: Alternative Signaling Routes in Gene Regulation
Feedback: Various cell-surface receptors can activate NFκB in similar ways. IκB proteins
bind tightly to NFκB and prevent their nuclear entry in the absence of the signal. In the
presence of signal, IKK phosphorylates IκB to mark it for degradation. This frees NFκB
to enter the nucleus and activate transcription of its target genes.
54. Answer: C
Difficulty: 3
Section: Alternative Signaling Routes in Gene Regulation
Feedback: The major contribution to the delay appears to be that of mRNA export from
the nucleus to the cytosol, corresponding to the lag in the solid gray curve compared to
the dashed black curve. The former curve peaks about an hour after the latter.
55. Answer: B
Difficulty: 1
 Section: Alternative Signaling Routes in Gene Regulation
Feedback: Nuclear receptors have at least a ligand-binding domain and a DNA-binding
domain. Some of them only enter the nucleus after ligand binding, whereas others are
present inside the nucleus even in the absence of their ligand. Their ligands are typically
small hydrophobic molecules such as steroid hormones and thyroid hormones. Some
nuclear receptors are transcriptional activators, whereas others are transcriptional
repressors.
56. Answer: 2
Difficulty: 3
Section: Alternative Signaling Routes in Gene Regulation
Feedback: The period of the circadian rhythm is about 24 hours and would be conserved
in mutants that lack kinase 2 but retain kinase 1. These mutants have nevertheless lost the
higher-frequency oscillations caused by kinase 2.
57. Answer: D
Difficulty: 3
Section: Alternative Signaling Routes in Gene Regulation
Feedback: The clock shifts by about 6 hours between days 8 and 20 (in 12 days), i.e. by
about 0.5 hr/day. The free-running period, therefore, appears to be about 23.5 hours.
58. Answer: FFTT
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling in Plants
Feedback: Multicellularity and cell communication evolved independently in plants and
animals. However, plants and animal share common signaling molecules such as cyclic
GMP and nitric oxide. Receptor serine/threonine kinases are the largest class of cell-
surface receptors in plant cells. Among them, LRR receptor kinases constitute a major
group.
59. Answer: ethylene
Difficulty: 1
Section: Signaling in Plants
Feedback: Ethylene is a small gas molecule that can influence plant development in
various ways.
60. Answer: D
Difficulty: 1
Section: Signaling in Plants
Feedback: Ethylene receptors in plant cells are dimeric multipass transmembrane proteins
primarily located in the endoplasmic reticulum. In addiction to a copper-containing
 ethylene-binding domain, they contain a cytosolic domain that interacts with CTR1, a
serine/threonine kinase related to Raf, an upstream kinase in the MAP kinase module in
animal cells.
61. Answer: E
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling in Plants
Feedback: In the ethylene signaling pathway in plant cells, ethylene receptor and CTR1
are active in the absence of ethylene. Active CTR1 stimulates the degradation of of EIN3,
preventing it from activating the transcription of ethylene-responsive genes. Ethylene
binding inactivates the receptors, resulting in EIN3 accumulation and gene expression.
62. Answer: PCCP
Difficulty: 1
Section: Signaling in Plants
Feedback: Phytochromes are cytosolic serine/threonine protein kinases that are activated
by red light. Cryptochromes are flavoproteins that are sensitive to blue light. They are
found in animal as well as in plant cells.
63. Answer: B
Difficulty: 2
Section: Signaling in Plants
Feedback: In the presence of a lateral light, auxin efflux transporter proteins become
primarily localized to the side of the cell that is away from the light source. This redirects
the auxin flux mainly to the darker part of the growing shoot, where it stimulates the
elongation of the cells (in contrast to its inhibitory effect on the elongation of root
epidermal cells seen in gravitotropism), bending the shoot towards the light source.