Roderick MacKinnon — Questions and answers
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What important discovery did Roderick MacKinnon make in 2003?
Choices
- A) How to make electricity
- B) The atomic structure of a potassium ion channel ✓
- C) A new type of muscle
- D) A different kind of university
Answer: B) The atomic structure of a potassium ion channel
From page 1
What was the big challenge Roderick MacKinnon decided to take on?
Choices
- A) To become the best medical doctor
- B) To invent a new type of X-ray machine
- C) To visualize the 3D atomic structure of ion channels using X-ray crystallography ✓
- D) To teach at a university full-time
Answer: C) To visualize the 3D atomic structure of ion channels using X-ray crystallography
From page 5
What difficult thing did MacKinnon's team finally achieve after many years?
Choices
- A) They built a giant crystal out of salt.
- B) They made a very bright light.
- C) They successfully crystallized a potassium ion channel from bacteria. ✓
- D) They drew a picture of a cell.
Answer: C) They successfully crystallized a potassium ion channel from bacteria.
From page 6
What did MacKinnon's discovery help scientists understand about the body?
Choices
- A) How to build tall buildings
- B) How neurons send signals and how muscles and hearts work ✓
- C) Why some birds fly
- D) The colors of the rainbow
Answer: B) How neurons send signals and how muscles and hearts work
From page 8
What did Roderick MacKinnon say was important for his work?
Choices
- A) To always be fast
- B) To be patient and not give up ✓
- C) To work alone all the time
- D) To only study easy problems
Answer: B) To be patient and not give up
From page 10