DAT (Dental Admission Test) Biology Syllabus

Biology syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Biology in DAT (Dental Admission Test), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Cell and Molecular Biology

   6 topics

   • Cell Structure and Organelles
     • Plasma membrane and fluid mosaic model
     • Nucleus, nucleolus, and chromatin
     • Endomembrane system: ER, Golgi, lysosomes
     • Mitochondria and chloroplasts (endosymbiotic theory)
     • Cytoskeleton: microtubules, microfilaments, intermediate filaments
   • Prokaryotic vs Eukaryotic Cells
     • Structural and genomic differences
     • Bacterial cell wall and capsule
   • Membrane Transport
     • Passive diffusion and osmosis
     • Facilitated diffusion and active transport
     • Endocytosis and exocytosis
   • Cellular Respiration
     • Glycolysis
     • Krebs (citric acid) cycle
     • Oxidative phosphorylation and electron transport chain
     • Fermentation pathways
   • Photosynthesis
     • Light-dependent reactions
     • Calvin cycle
   • Enzymes and Bioenergetics
     • Enzyme kinetics and regulation
     • ATP and free energy
2. 2

   Molecular Genetics

   5 topics

   • DNA Structure and Replication
     • Nucleotide composition and base pairing
     • Semiconservative replication and enzymes
   • Transcription and Translation
     • RNA processing and splicing
     • Genetic code and ribosome function
   • Gene Regulation
     • Operons (lac and trp)
     • Eukaryotic transcription factors and epigenetics
   • Mutations and DNA Repair
     • Point, frameshift, and chromosomal mutations
     • Repair mechanisms
   • Biotechnology Techniques
     • PCR and gel electrophoresis
     • Recombinant DNA and cloning
3. 3

   Classical Genetics

   5 topics

   • Mendelian Inheritance
     • Law of segregation and independent assortment
     • Monohybrid and dihybrid crosses
   • Non-Mendelian Inheritance
     • Incomplete dominance and codominance
     • Polygenic and multiple alleles
     • Epistasis and pleiotropy
   • Sex-Linked and Chromosomal Inheritance
     • X-linked traits
     • Nondisjunction and aneuploidy
   • Population Genetics
     • Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
     • Genetic drift and gene flow
   • Pedigree Analysis
     • Autosomal dominant and recessive patterns
4. 4

   Cellular Reproduction and Development

   5 topics

   • Cell Cycle
     • Interphase phases (G1, S, G2)
     • Checkpoints and cyclins
   • Mitosis
     • Phases of mitosis
     • Cytokinesis
   • Meiosis
     • Meiosis I and II
     • Crossing over and recombination
   • Gametogenesis
     • Spermatogenesis and oogenesis
   • Embryonic Development
     • Fertilization and cleavage
     • Gastrulation and germ layers
5. 5

   Anatomy and Physiology of Organ Systems

   6 topics

   • Nervous System
     • Neuron structure and action potentials
     • Synaptic transmission and neurotransmitters
     • Central and peripheral nervous systems
   • Endocrine System
     • Major glands and hormones
     • Feedback regulation
   • Circulatory and Respiratory Systems
     • Heart anatomy and cardiac cycle
     • Gas exchange and oxygen transport
   • Digestive and Excretory Systems
     • GI tract and accessory organs
     • Nephron function and filtration
   • Immune System
     • Innate and adaptive immunity
     • Antibodies and lymphocytes
   • Musculoskeletal System
     • Muscle contraction (sliding filament)
     • Bone structure and types
6. 6

   Evolution, Diversity, and Ecology

   5 topics

   • Mechanisms of Evolution
     • Natural selection and adaptation
     • Speciation and isolating mechanisms
   • Evidence for Evolution
     • Fossil record and homologous structures
   • Taxonomy and Classification
     • Three-domain system
     • Kingdoms and major phyla
   • Ecology and Populations
     • Population growth models
     • Community interactions and symbiosis
   • Ecosystems and Energy Flow
     • Trophic levels and food webs
     • Biogeochemical cycles

Biology flashcards for DAT (Dental Admission Test)

22 of 55 cards from the Biology deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is the primary function of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER)?

   Synthesis of proteins, via ribosomes studded on its surface, that are destined for secretion, the membrane, or lysosomes; it also folds and begins glycosylation of these proteins.

2. Which organelle is the site of ATP production via oxidative phosphorylation, and what unusual feature does it possess?

   The mitochondrion; it contains its own circular DNA and ribosomes (supporting the endosymbiotic theory) and has a folded inner membrane (cristae).

3. What is the role of the Golgi apparatus?

   It modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and lipids received from the ER into vesicles for secretion or delivery to other organelles; cis face receives, trans face ships.

4. List four key structural differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

   Prokaryotes lack a membrane-bound nucleus, lack membrane-bound organelles, have 70S ribosomes, and typically have a circular DNA chromosome; eukaryotes have a nucleus, organelles, 80S ribosomes, and linear chromosomes.

5. Compare passive and active transport across the plasma membrane.

   Passive transport moves substances down their concentration gradient without ATP (diffusion, facilitated diffusion, osmosis); active transport moves substances against the gradient and requires energy (ATP).

6. What is the function of the sodium-potassium pump, and how many ions does it move per cycle?

   It actively pumps 3 Na+ out and 2 K+ into the cell per ATP hydrolyzed, maintaining the resting membrane potential and ion gradients.

7. Define osmosis and explain what a hypertonic solution does to a cell.

   Osmosis is the diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane from low to high solute concentration; a hypertonic solution causes water to leave the cell, making it shrink (crenate/plasmolyze).

8. What are the net products of glycolysis per glucose molecule?

   2 pyruvate, 2 ATP (net), and 2 NADH; it occurs in the cytoplasm and does not require oxygen.

9. Where does the citric acid (Krebs) cycle occur and what are its products per turn?

   In the mitochondrial matrix; per turn it produces 3 NADH, 1 FADH2, 1 GTP (ATP), and 2 CO2 (two turns per glucose).

10. In the electron transport chain, what is the final electron acceptor and what is the immediate driving force for ATP synthase?

    Oxygen is the final electron acceptor (forming water); ATP synthase is driven by the proton (H+) electrochemical gradient across the inner mitochondrial membrane (chemiosmosis).

11. What are the products of fermentation in humans versus yeast?

    Humans perform lactic acid fermentation (pyruvate to lactate); yeast perform alcoholic fermentation (pyruvate to ethanol + CO2); both regenerate NAD+ for glycolysis.

12. Write the overall balanced equation for photosynthesis.

    6 CO2 + 6 H2O + light energy to C6H12O6 + 6 O2.

13. What occurs in the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis and where?

    In the thylakoid membranes, light splits water (photolysis), releasing O2, and energy is used to produce ATP and NADPH.

14. What is the Calvin cycle and where does it take place?

    The light-independent reactions in the stroma that fix CO2 using ATP and NADPH (via the enzyme RuBisCO) to synthesize glucose (G3P).

15. What does an enzyme do to a chemical reaction, and how?

    An enzyme increases reaction rate by lowering the activation energy; it does not change the overall free energy (delta G) or equilibrium of the reaction.

16. Distinguish competitive from noncompetitive enzyme inhibition.

    Competitive inhibitors bind the active site (raising Km, Vmax unchanged, overcome by more substrate); noncompetitive inhibitors bind an allosteric site (lowering Vmax, Km unchanged).

17. In bioenergetics, what distinguishes an exergonic from an endergonic reaction?

    Exergonic reactions release free energy (negative delta G, spontaneous); endergonic reactions absorb free energy (positive delta G, nonspontaneous, require energy input).

18. Describe the Watson-Crick model of DNA structure including base pairing.

    An antiparallel double helix of two sugar-phosphate backbones; bases pair A-T (2 hydrogen bonds) and G-C (3 hydrogen bonds).

19. Why is DNA replication called semiconservative, and what enzyme synthesizes the new strand?

    Each daughter molecule retains one original (parental) strand and one new strand; DNA polymerase synthesizes the new strand 5' to 3'.

20. What is the difference between the leading and lagging strands in DNA replication?

    The leading strand is synthesized continuously toward the replication fork; the lagging strand is synthesized discontinuously as Okazaki fragments away from the fork, later joined by DNA ligase.

21. What are the three main steps of transcription and what enzyme carries it out?

    Initiation, elongation, and termination, carried out by RNA polymerase, which synthesizes mRNA from a DNA template (5' to 3').

22. During translation, where does it occur and what reads the codons?

    On ribosomes; tRNA molecules with anticodons read mRNA codons and deliver the matching amino acids, building a polypeptide.

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