2

Section A
Answer all the questions.
1 (a)

A recent study of the house mouse, Mus musculus, on the island of Madeira resulted in the
following observations.

There are six distinct populations.

The mice are associated with human settlements.
The populations are located in different valleys separated by steep mountains.
Each population has a different diploid number of chromosomes.

As a result of these observations it has been suggested that speciation is taking place.
Fig. 1.1 is a map of Madeira showing the distribution of the six populations.

Fig. 1.1
Using the information in Fig. 1.1, state the likely isolating mechanism and the type of
speciation taking place.
isolating mechanism

type of speciation
[2]

(b)

Explain how speciation is occurring in the house mouse populations of Madeira.

....[5]
[Total: 7]

2(a)

Describe the role of insulin in the regulation of blood glucose concentration.

.. [3]

(b)

One of the steps in the production of bacteria capable of producing human insulin is the
insertion of the gene coding for human insulin into a plasmid vector.
Fig. 2.1 shows one of the artificial plasmids constructed to act as a vector.

Fig. 2.1
(i) With reference to Fig. 2.1, explain the importance of the plasmid having a single target site
for a particular restriction enzyme, such as BamHI.
.
.
.
.... [2]

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(ii) The genes for ampicillin resistance and tetracycline resistance on the plasmid allow the
genetic engineer to distinguish between bacteria that have taken up different circles of
DNA.
Complete the table to show whether bacteria which have taken up each different circle of
DNA are, or are not resistant to ampicillin, to tetracycline or to both. Show presence of
resistance with a tick () and absence of resistance with a cross ().
circle of DNA taken up by
bacteria

bacteria resistant to
ampicillin

bacteria resistant to
tetracycline

unaltered plasmids
recombinant plasmids that have
taken up the wanted gene
circles of the wanted gene
[3]
(c)

(i) Explain why genes for antibiotic resistance are now rarely used as markers in gene
technology.
..
.
.
......... [2]

(ii) Describe the use of one alternative marker gene that can be used instead of an antibiotic
gene.
........
.......
.......
.......... [2]

(d)

A husband and wife who already have a child with cystic fibrosis (CF) elected to have their
second child tested for the condition while still a fetus in very early pregnancy. The results of
the test, a DNA banding pattern, were discussed with a genetic counsellor.
The relevant DNA banding pattern produced by electrophoresis is shown in Fig. 2.2.

Fig. 2.2
With reference to Fig. 2.2, explain why,
(i) the fetus will develop CF
...[1]
(ii) the positions of the bands of DNA of the first child and of the fetus indicate that the
mutant allele for CF has a deletion in comparison with the normal allele.
........
.......
.......
.......... [2]
[Total: 15]

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(a) Fig. 3.1 outlines some steps in glucose metabolism in mammalian cells.

Fig. 3.1
With reference to Fig. 3.1:
(i) name the part of the cell where glucose is converted to pyruvate
........................................................................................................................................... [1]
(ii) explain why, in the absence of oxygen, pyruvate needs to be converted to lactate

[2]
(ii) name the enzyme responsible for the conversion of pyruvate to lactate
........................................................................................................................................... [1]

(iv) name the type of reaction and the type of bonds formed when glucose molecules are used
.
to make glycogen.
reaction ............................................................................................................................
bonds .................................................................................................................................[2]
(b)

Describe how anaerobic respiration in yeast cells differs from anaerobic respiration in
mammalian cells..
...
...
...
...
...
...
..
..... [4]
The respiratory quotient (RQ) is used to determine the type of respiratory substrate, such as
carbohydrate or lipid, which an organism uses at any one time.
(c) (i) State how the RQ is calculated.

[2]
(ii) State the typical RQ values obtained from the respiration of carbohydrates and lipids.
carbohydrate .....................................................................................
lipid ...................................................................................................
(iii)

[2]

Suggest what would happen to the RQ value when respiration becomes anaerobic.

........................................................................................................................................... [1]
[Total: 15]
(a) In a species of snail, shell colour is controlled by a gene with three alleles. The shell may be

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brown, pink or yellow. The allele for brown, CB, is dominant to the other two alleles. The
allele for pink, CP, is dominant to the allele is dominant to the allele for yellow, CY.
(i) Explain what is meant by a dominant allele.
........................................................................................................................................... [1]
(ii) Give all the genotypes which would result in a brown-shelled snail.
[1]
(b) A cross between two pink-shelled snails produced only pink-shelled and yellow-shelled
snails. Use a genetic diagram to explain why.

[4]
(c) The shells of this snail may be unbanded or banded. The absence or presence of bands is
controlled by a single gene with two alleles. The allele for unbanded, B, is dominant to the
allele for banded, b.
A population of snails contained 51 % unbanded snails. Use the Hardy-Weinberg equation to
calculate the percentage of this population that you would expect to be heterozygous for this
gene. Show your working.

[3]
(d)

A dog breeder wishes to know whether a dog with red hair tips is either homozygous or
heterozygous for this characteristic.

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(i) State the cross needed to determine the dogs genotype.

........................................................................................................................................... [1]
(ii) Explain why the offspring of this cross will reveal the genotype of the dog.

[3]
[Total: 13]

(a) When a part of the body is damaged or injured, action potentials are sent to the areas of the
brain responsible for the perception of pain.
Explain how the structure of a sensory neurone can enable the action potentials to reach the
brain very quickly.
...
...
...
...
...
[3]

(b)

The pain associated with osteoarthritis can be relieved using transcutaneous electrical nerve
stimulation (TENS). It uses electrical impulses to stimulate the nerve endings at, or near, the
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site of the pain. Self-adhesive electrodes are stuck on the skin and attached to a small, portable
power unit.
Fig. 5.1 shows a TENS machine in use.

Fig. 5.1
It is thought that TENS triggers the release of natural painkillers called endorphins, which are
similar in shape to painkilling drugs such as morphine.
Fig. 5.2 shows synapses in a pain pathway from a damaged joint to the brain.

Fig 5.2
(i) Suggest how endorphins may act to reduce pain.

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.. [4]
(ii) Suggest advantages of using TENS for pain relief instead of more conventional treatment.

[3]

(c) A sarcomere is made up of different molecules.

Complete Table 5.1 by naming the molecule that carries out the function described.
Table 5.1

[3]
(d) The diagram in Fig 5.3 shows the arrangement of actin and myosin in a sarcomere.

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Fig. 5.3
One form of muscle disease is caused by a mutated allele of a gene. This leads to production
of myosin molecules that are unable to bind to other myosin molecules. If myosin molecules
are unable to bind to other myosin molecules, this prevents muscle contraction.
Use Fig 5.3 and your knowledge of how muscles contract to suggest why.
.
.
.
.
.
....[3]
[Total: 15]

6 (a

The Santa Cruz tarplant, Holocarpha macradenia, is a tall annual plant that grows only in the

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coastal grasslands in California. An annual plant is one that grows, flowers, produces seeds and
dies in less than one year.
The tarplant used to be widely spread in California, but there are now only nine natural
populations. It is listed as an endangered species.
(i) Suggest two reasons why the tarplant has become endangered.

.. [2]
(ii) State three reasons why it is important to conserve species.
1. ...........................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
2. .............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
3. .............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................... [3]

(b) Tarplant seeds can survive in the soil for several years. Dormant seeds can be encouraged to
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germinate by scraping the soil, which exposes them to light. This stimulates the production of
gibberellin in these seeds, which brings about germination.
Explain how gibberellin brings about germination in seeds.
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [4]

(c) The long-term survival of tarplant seeds in the soil provides a store of seeds that can help to
ensure the future survival of the tarplant.
Little is known about the survival of tarplant seeds in the soil, or what percentage of these
seeds is able to germinate. Researchers therefore used computer models to predict how
these factors could affect the likelihood that the tarplant might become extinct.
In their models they used:
high or low survival values of tarplant seeds in the soil
different germination percentages of tarplant seeds.
The predictions of the models are shown in Fig. 6.1.

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Fig. 6.1
With reference to Fig. 6.1, describe the effect of each of the following on the risk of extinction
of the tarplant:
high compared to low survival of the tarplant seeds
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
different germination percentages of the tarplant seeds.
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................

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....................................................................................................................................................[3]
[Total:12]
7 (a
)

In mammals, the water potential of the blood is constantly monitored by osmoreceptor cells
in the hypothalamus of the brain. When the water potential of the blood decreases, ADH
(antidiuretic hormone) is produced by cells in the hypothalamus and released into the blood
via an endocrine gland.
(i) State precisely where ADH is released into the blood.
. [1]
(ii) The decrease in the water potential of the blood is sometimes due to the loss of water from
the body of a mammal.
List two ways by which water may be lost from the body.
. [1]

(b) Describe the action of ADH on the kidney.

...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................. [4]

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(c) Diabetes insipidus is a condition caused by an inability to produce ADH or by the kidneys
being unable to respond to ADH.
Suggest symptoms that may be experienced by a person who has diabetes insipidus.
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................................
[2]
[Total:8]

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Section B
Answer one question.
8

Describe the structure of photosystems and explain how a photosystem functions in cyclic
photophosphorylation.
[8]

Outline the light-independent stage of photosynthesis.

[7]
[Total: 15]

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease caused by an autosomal recessive allele. Gene
therapy has been attempted to treat CF since 1993. Outline the basic principles of gene
therapy for the treatment of CF.
[9]

Outline how the oestrogen/progesterone contraceptive pill works to prevent pregnancy.

[6]
[Total: 15]

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