Q1.

(a) What is meant by a genome?

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(1)

Chromatin immunoprecipitation is one method to determine where a transcription factor

(b) Explain why the antibody binds to the transcription factor.

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 (2)

(c) Use the chart to explain what ‘precipitated DNA’ consists of.

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(1)

Soybeans are used in a number of processed foods. However, soybeans contain a protein
known as P34 that causes an allergic response in some people. Scientists have created
transgenic soybeans that produce single-stranded cDNA, which prevents transcription of
the P34 gene. They used recombinant plasmids as vectors to transform soybean cells.
After they had screened these cells for production of the P34 protein, they cultured the
transformed cells to form soybean plants.

(d) Suggest how single-stranded cDNA could prevent transcription of the P34 gene.

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(1)

(e) Describe the roles of two named types of enzymes used to insert DNA fragments
into plasmids.

Type of enzyme _____________________________________________________

Role _______________________________________________________________

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Type of enzyme _____________________________________________________

Role _______________________________________________________________

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(2)

(f) The soybean cells were screened for the presence of the P34 protein. This process
involved the use of gel electrophoresis to separate proteins extracted from soybean
cells.

Suggest two features of the structure of different proteins that enable them to be
separated by gel electrophoresis.

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 1. _________________________________________________________________

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2. _________________________________________________________________

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(2)
(Total 9 marks)

Q2.
(a) Describe and explain how the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to amplify a
DNA fragment.

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(4)

The figure below shows the number of DNA molecules produced using a PCR.

(b) Explain the shape of the curve in the figure above.

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(2)
(Total 6 marks)

Q3.
One way to detect and measure accurately the amount of RNA in a tissue sample is by
RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction).

RT-PCR uses a reaction mixture containing:

• the sample for testing

The principle behind this method is shown in Figure 1.

(a) Explain the role of reverse transcriptase in RT-PCR.

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(b) Explain the role of DNA polymerase in RT-PCR.

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(c) Any DNA in the sample is hydrolysed by enzymes before the sample is added to the
reaction mixture.

Explain why.

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(2)

(d) Figure 2 shows the results from using RT-PCR to detect RNA in two different
samples, A and B.

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 A quantitative comparison can be made of the amount of RNA in samples A and B.
This involves determining the number of cycles required to reach 50% maximum
concentration of DNA (C).

The amount of RNA in a sample can be measured as:

Use this information to calculate the ratio for RNA content in sample A : RNA
content in sample B.

Answer ___________
(2)

(e) Suggest one reason why DNA replication stops in the polymerase chain reaction.

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 (1)

(f) Scientists have used the RT-PCR method to detect the presence of different RNA
viruses in patients suffering from respiratory diseases.

The scientists produced a variety of primers for this procedure.

Explain why.

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(2)
(Total 9 marks)

Q4.
Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of malignant cancers. In MDS, the bone
marrow does not produce healthy blood cells.

Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is one treatment for MDS. In HSCT, the
patient receives stem cells from the bone marrow of a person who does not have MDS.
Before the treatment starts, the patient’s faulty bone marrow is destroyed.

(a) For some patients, HSCT is an effective treatment for MDS.

Explain how.

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(3)

(b) MDS can develop from epigenetic changes to tumour suppressor genes. In some
patients, the drug AZA has reduced the effects of MDS. AZA is an inhibitor of DNA
methyltransferases. These enzymes add methyl groups to cytosine bases.

Suggest and explain how AZA can reduce the effects of MDS in some patients.

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(3)

Scientists investigated the effectiveness of AZA in patients with MDS. A total of 360
patients were randomised in the ratio of 1:1 to receive AZA or conventional drugs
(control).

The figure below shows the scientists’ results.

(c) The control patients were treated with conventional drugs.

Give two reasons why.

1 _________________________________________________________________

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2 _________________________________________________________________

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(d) Use the figure above and the information provided to calculate the difference in the
number of patients surviving at 10 months after treatment with AZA compared with
conventional drugs.

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 Answer _______________
(2)
(Total 10 marks)

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