Lesson 3.8.2.2.1

3.8.2.2.1 Regulation of transcription and epigenetics Quiz: AQA Biology, Unit 8

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.8.2.2.1, Regulation of transcription and epigenetics: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Biology (7402), Unit 8: The control of gene expression, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Where must eukaryotic transcription factors move to stimulate gene transcription?

    • To the ribosome
    • Into the mitochondrion
    • Into the cytoplasm
    • Into the nucleus

  2. Which molecule does oestrogen bind to before stimulating target gene transcription?

    • DNA helicase
    • Histone protein
    • RNA polymerase
    • Receptor protein

  3. Epigenetics involves changes in gene function without altering which aspect of DNA?

    • Base sequence
    • Hydrogen bonds
    • Phosphate group
    • Deoxyribose sugar

  4. What effect does increased DNA methylation typically have on target gene expression?

    • Stimulates transcription
    • Increases translation
    • Accelerates replication
    • Inhibits transcription

  5. What effect does decreased histone acetylation have on chromatin structure?

    • Replicates chromatin
    • Condenses chromatin
    • Uncoils chromatin
    • Degrades chromatin

  6. Which epigenetic modification directly leads to gene silencing?

    • Increased histone acetylation
    • Decreased DNA methylation
    • Histone phosphorylation
    • Increased DNA methylation

  7. Epigenetic changes are particularly important in the development and treatment of which condition?

    • Emphysema
    • Diabetes
    • Scurvy
    • Cancer

  8. What effect does inhibiting DNA methyltransferase have on a silenced tumour suppressor gene?

    • Decreases transcription
    • Causes gene deletion
    • Halts protein synthesis
    • Increases transcription

  9. What process alters gene expression without changing the underlying DNA base sequence?

    • Gene mutation
    • Base substitution
    • Chromosomal translocation
    • Epigenetic change

  10. Why can lipid-soluble steroid hormones like oestrogen pass through the cell surface membrane?

    • Requires active transport
    • Diffuses through bilayer
    • Uses protein channels
    • Binds outer receptors

  11. What causes differences in DNA methylation patterns between genetically identical twins?

    • Environmental factors
    • DNA replication mistakes
    • Genetic mutations
    • Chromosomal errors

  12. Gene expression decreases from 40 units to 10 units after DNA methylation. By what factor did expression fall?

    • 10 times
    • 30 times
    • 2 times
    • 4 times

  13. What is the result when a transcriptional activator protein binds to a gene promoter?

    • mRNA is degraded
    • DNA sequence mutates
    • Translation is inhibited
    • Transcription is stimulated

  14. What effect does increased methylation of a gene's promoter region usually have?

    • Increased transcription
    • Gene silencing
    • Accelerated translation
    • Gene duplication

  15. How are epigenetic marks transferred to daughter cells during mitotic cell division?

    • Stored in cytoplasm
    • Copied during replication
    • Encoded in tRNA
    • Translated from mRNA

  16. How can drugs that reduce DNA methylation help in treating certain cancers?

    • Destroy cell walls
    • Mutate cancer DNA
    • Block ATP production
    • Reactivate silenced genes

  17. Put these events in the most likely order: 1 transcription factor enters the nucleus, 2 it binds the promoter, 3 transcription increases, 4 more protein is produced. Which sequence is correct?

    • 4, 3, 2, 1
    • 1, 3, 2, 4
    • 1, 2, 3, 4
    • 2, 1, 3, 4

  18. Why does increased DNA methylation prevent the transcription of a target gene?

    • Unwinds double helix
    • Degrades RNA polymerase
    • Hydrolyses ATP supply
    • Blocks transcription factors

  19. What relationship is shown if gene expression falls as DNA methylation levels increase?

    • No correlation
    • Negative correlation
    • Positive correlation
    • Exponential growth

  20. Why are epigenetic modifications to DNA described as being reversible?

    • Enzymes remove marks
    • Mutations self-repair
    • DNA degrades rapidly
    • Chromosomes dissolve

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