Subject

Class

Name

Candidate
Number

Class

2BI

ANGLO-CHINESE JUNIOR COLLEGE

Preliminary Examination 2009
BIOLOGY

9747/02
19 AUGUST 2009
2 hours

HIGHER 2
Paper 2 Core Paper
Additional Material: Writing Paper
READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST
Write your name, index number and class on this answer booklet.
Write in dark blue or black pen.
You may use a soft pencil for any diagrams, graphs or rough
working.

For Examiner's Use

Section A
1
2

Section A
Answer all questions.

3
4

Section B
Answer any one question.

5
6

At the end of the examination, circle the number of the Section B

question you have answered in the grid opposite.
Fasten all your work securely together.
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of
each question or part question.

7
Section B
8 / 9
Total

100
This question paper consists of 16 printed pages.

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2
1

Fig. 1.1 below shows an overview of the synthesis of proteins based on the genetic information
contained in the nucleus in a plant cell.

Fig. 1.1

(a) Label processes A and B.

A:

B:

[1]

(b) In order for process A to occur, the DNA double helix must first be unzipped by enzymes. In
vitro, DNA strands can also be separated by heat denaturation of DNA.
(i) Explain how DNA is denatured by heat.

[1]

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(ii)

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Two DNA segments are shown below.

CTAGCTGAACGCGCCCGATT
GATCGACTTGCGCGGGCTAA

TAAGCTTAACGCGACTGATA
ATTCGAATTGCGCTGACTAT

Segment 1

Segment 2

Identify the segment that would require a higher temperature for denaturation of the
DNA. Explain your answer.

[2]
(c) Process A and DNA replication require different enzymes and substrates. Describe two
other differences between these two processes.

[2]
(d) In all cells, there are many types of structure C. State the minimum number of types that
should be present and explain your answer.

[2]
(e) Based on Fig. 1.1, explain how protein synthesis in Agrobacterium tumefaciens would differ
from that of a plant.

[2]
[Total: 10]

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2

For
Examiner's
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The concentration of glucose in human blood is kept within a narrow normal range. All body cells
need a continuous supply of glucose. The uptake of glucose into the muscle cells occurs by
facilitated diffusion.
(a) Explain why glucose is taken up by facilitated diffusion.

[2]
(b) Table 2.1 shows the mean levels of glucose and insulin in two groups of people sampled one
hour after the ingestion of 75 g of glucose. One of the experimental groups consisted of
people with diabetes; the other acted as a control.
Table 2.1
group X
group Y
time after glucose
0 min
60 min
0 min
60 min
ingestion
plasma glucose
5.3
13.0
5.3
7.8
(mmol/L)
plasma insulin
68
66
69
380
(mmol/L)
(i)
Using the data in Table 2.1, give two reasons to explain which group (X or Y) included
the people with diabetes.

[3]
(ii)

In the diabetic group, the mean plasma glucose concentration remained above 5.3
mmol/L while it returned to 5.3 mmol/L in the control group. Explain how this change
occurred.

[1]
(iii) A tissue may, over time, lose its responsiveness to insulin, even though insulin
concentration remains unchanged. Suggest a reason for this decrease in
responsiveness.

[1]
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(iv)

Streptozotocin is a drug used for treating metastatic cancer of the pancreatic insulinproducing beta cells. Describe the process of metastasis.

[2]
To prevent the concentration of glucose in the blood from dropping below the normal range, the
pancreas releases another type of hormone, glucagon.
A general signal transduction pathway is shown in Fig. 2.1. Some parts of the pathway are
labelled.
Receptor
L
OUTSIDE OF CELL

1
GDP

Plasma membrane

INSIDE OF CELL

Intermediate or
relay molecules

Activation of
cellular responses
Fig. 2.1

(c) Using glucagon as an example of molecule L, describe what happen at stages 1, 2 and 3 in
a signal transduction pathway.

[3]
[Total: 12]
3

Fig. 3.1 shows a segment of the E.coli chromosome that contains the lac operon.
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lacI promoter

For
Examiner's
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Operator

DNA
lacI

Promoter for
lacZ, lacY
and lacA

lacZ

lacY

lacA

Fig. 3.1
(a) With reference to Fig. 3.1, describe three differences between the organisation of eukaryotic
and prokaryotic genes.

[3]
The gene activity of the lac operon in four different E. coli different strains was measured and the
results are shown in Table 3.1.
Table 3.1
I+
IZ+
ZO+

Key:

wild type (i.e. normal) allele for lacI gene

allele for lacI gene which is not expressed
wild type (i.e. normal) allele for -galactosidase gene of lac operon
allele for -galactosidase gene which is not expressed
functional operator of lac operon

E. coli strain

Genotype

E1

I+ O+ Z+

Presence () or absence () of -galactosidase activity

Lactose present

Lactose absent

E2

I O Z

E3

I+ Oc Z+

E4

I O Z

(b) Account for the activity of -galactosidase in strains E2 and E3 in terms of the expression of
LacI protein and its binding to the operator region.

[2]
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(c) (i)

The activity of -galactosidase in E4 was due to a single-base substitution mutation in

the lacI gene, resulting in a drastic change in the LacI protein. Explain how this
mutation could have resulted in the change.

[3]
(ii)

Based on the results in Table 3.1, state if this mutation in the lacI gene is a gain-offunction or loss-of-function mutation.
[1]

Table 3.2 below shows two other strains of E. coli, each containing an F plasmid.
The F plasmid includes the fertility factor. All necessary promoters are present. These E. coli
strains are partial diploids for a component of the lac operon as indicated in the table below.
Table 3.2
E.coli strain

Genotype

F1

I O+ Z / F I+

F2

I O+ Z / F O

A scientist then mixed two living strains of bacteria, E and F in three different combinations. In
each combination, a completely new strain of bacteria was isolated after a few days. The details
are shown in Table 3.3.
(d) (i) Assuming that no crossing over has taken place, complete the table below for the
genotypes and -galactosidase activity of the new bacterial strains.
[2]
Table 3.3

E. coli strain
(E)

E. coli strain
(F)

I+ O+ Z+

I O+ Z / F O

I O+ Z+

I O+ Z- / F I+

IS O+ Z+

I O+ Z / F I+

Genotype of new
strain isolated

Presence () or absence ()
of -galactosidase activity
Lactose
Lactose
present
absent

(ii) Name the process responsible for producing these new strains of E. coli.
[1]
[Total: 12]
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4

mRNAs in a bacterial cell are very unstable, having half-lives of less than a couple of
minutes. mRNAs in eukaryotes are relatively more stable, having longer half-lives of not more
than 30 minutes. Different mechanisms exist for destroying the eukaryotic mRNAs. One of these
is degradation by exonucleases.
(a) Explain why eukaryotic mRNAs are more stable than bacterial mRNAs.

[3]
(b) Describe how exonucleases are able to carry out their role in breaking down mRNAs .

[2]
(c) Transferrin is the protein that transports iron in the blood stream. It is transported into the cell
by the membrane-bound transferrin receptor (TfR).
(i)

Suggest how iron is transported into the cell.

[1]

At low intracellular iron concentrations, there are higher amounts of TfR to increase iron intake
into the cell. The expression of the TfR gene is mediated by aconitase which is an iron-sensitive
RNA-binding protein. This protein binds to the 3-untranslated region (3 UTR) of the TfR mRNA,
as shown in Fig. 4.1.

Fig. 4.1
(ii)

State the level at which the expression of TfR gene is controlled.

[1]

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(iii) Describe briefly how TfR levels are increased in low intracellular iron concentration.

[3]
(iv) Excessive iron levels in humans are associated with enhanced cancer cell growth.
Suggest two ways in which TfRs can be targeted in cancer therapy.

[2]
[Total: 12]

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5

Pituitary dwarfism is a sex-linked inherited condition in humans in which affected individuals

have very short limbs. The allele for pituitary dwarfism is recessive to the allele for normal limbs.
The family tree shows part of one affected family.
Key:
Normal male:
Affected male:
Normal female:
Affected female:

Fig 5.1
(a) Explain what is meant by 'sex-linked inherited condition'.
[1]
(b) With reference to Fig 5.1, identify and explain one piece of evidence to show that the allele
for pituitary dwarfism is recessive to the allele for normal length limbs.

[2]
(c) Using appropriate symbols, state the genotype of individuals 10 and 11. Explain how you
derived your answer.
(i) Genotype of individual 10:
Reason:

(ii) Genotype of individual 11:

Reason:
[3]

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(d) Couple 10 and 11 has another son.

(i)

State the probability that their second son will show pituitary dwarfism.
[1]

(ii)

Draw a genetic diagram to explain your answer.

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[3]

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[Total: 10]
Hexokinase is the first enzyme in the glycolytic pathway. Fig. 6.1 below shows the enzyme alone
with the arrow pointing to the active site. Fig. 6.2 shows the enzyme when substrate (not shown
in the diagram) is bound to it.

Fig. 6.1

Fig. 6.2

(a) Describe the model by which the substrate binds to hexokinase.

[2]
(b)

Describe one difference between what you have described in (a) and the binding of a
non-competitive inhibitor to hexokinase.

[1]
(c) Explain the role of hexokinase in glycolysis.

[2]

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(d) Explain the role of glycolysis in aerobic respiration.

[2]
(e) Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate is an intermediate in glycolysis which is also found in the Calvin
cycle. Briefly describe how glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate is formed in the Calvin cycle.

[3]
(f)

It has been observed that tumour cells have very high rates of glycolysis. Also, in many
tumour cells, hexokinase is bound to the outer membrane of the mitochondrion. Suggest how
the association of hexokinase with the mitochondrion can lead to high rates of glycolysis.

[2]
(g)

The structures of mitochondria and chloroplast share similar adaptations for ATP
synthesis. Describe and explain two of them.

[2]
[Total: 14]

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7

One population of rats, found on a remote island off the coast of South Australia, have had no
genetic contact with mainland rats since they were isolated by rising sea levels at the end of the
last glacial period, around 10 000 years ago.
Scientists have taken blood samples from the rats and compared the distribution of unique DNA
sequences called microsatellites, which are scattered across the rats' chromosomes. These
microsatellites give a measure of the population's genetic diversity, or lack of it. In this case the
microsatellite data showed that the island population has low genetic diversity.
The scientists concluded that the island population of rats has been through a genetic
bottleneck.
(a) Explain the scientists' choice of using microsatellites over genes for the analysis of genetic
diversity of the rat population on the island.

[2]
(b) Explain how a genetic bottleneck may lead to a decrease in genetic diversity.

[2]
Despite the island rats lack of genetic diversity, the population size has been maintained over
many generations. In fact, the rats appear to be thriving.
(c) Suggest one reason for the rats' success despite the lack of genetic diversity within the
population.

[1]

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Warfarin is a poison used to control rat populations. Fig. 7.1 shows changes in the proportion of
rats resistant to warfarin in a particular population over a period of about 4 years. High levels of
warfarin were used on this population during Year 2 but poisoning stopped at the end of this
period. Rats are reproductively mature at an age of three months and can breed about every
three weeks.

Fig. 7.1
(d) Explain the process which led to the increase in the percentage of resistant rats during Year
2.

[3]
(e) Using the data in Fig. 7.1, explain what can be concluded about the fitness of warfarinresistant rats compared to non-resistant rats in an environment without warfarin.

[2]
[Total: 10]
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For
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Section B
Answer one question.
Write your answers in the lined pages provided.
Your answers should be illustrated by large, clearly labelled diagrams, where appropriate.
Your answers must be in continuous prose, where appropriate.
Your answers must be set out in sections (a), (b) etc., as indicated in the question.
8

(a) Explain how meiosis and fertilisation can give rise to genetic variation.

[8]

(b) Describe how the structure of a myelinated neurone is well-adapted for the transmission of
of an action potential and synaptic transmission.
[8]
(c) Pufferfish contain a deadly toxin, tetrodotoxin which affects voltage-gated sodium ion
channels. Consuming the toxin may result in paralysis and ultimately death. Suggest how
this toxin works.
[4]
9

(a) Compare and contrast the ways in which lambda phage and human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV) reproduce themselves.
[10]
(b)

Using HIV protease as an example, analyse how its structure is related to its
function. [6]

(c) Influenza viruses of many different subtypes, e.g. H1N1 and H5N1, have been causing
respiratory infections in humans. Explain how these different subtypes come about.
[4]

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