REVISION SET 14

Extended response

Question 1
Describe how vaccines could be produced by recombinant DNA techniques. (10 marks)
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Question 2
Research into the treatment of diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease is often
focused on stem cell therapy. Describe how embryonic stem cell therapy could be used to treat
diseases of the nervous system. (11 marks)
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Question 3
The understanding of DNA and its mode of action has been advanced through the development of
new technologies. Two such technologies include: Genetic Probes and Polymerase Chain Reactions.

Describe these technologies and discuss their influence on our improving understanding of the nature
of DNA. (10 marks)

Genetic Probe:

Determine sequence of gene of interest (1)

Produce a complementary strand of DNA/RNA (1)
Label this with fluorescence or radioactive label (1)
Introduce to DNA to be tested so that it will attach to gene of interest (1)

Any three points = 3 marks

Used to identify a gene/allele / successful gene transfer (1)

To establish relationships/ presence of inheritable diseases (1)

PCR:

(max 4)
Denaturation: Heat DNA to separate strands (1)
Annealing: Primer bind to complementary DNA template to initiate DNA replication by Taq
polymerase (1)
Elongation: TAQ-polymerase synthesise a new DNA strands (1)
Multiple copies of DNA is produced through series of repeated cycles (1)

(max 1)
To produce large amounts of DNA (1)
For investigation, experimentation and/or other DNA techniques (1)
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Question 4
Evolution can be defined in terms of the changes to allele frequencies in a gene pool. Discuss four
evolutionary forces that can act to alter the allele composition of a gene pool.
(8 marks)

Two marks / evolutionary force

Mutation (1)
Sudden change in the structure of gene introduces a new allele to the gene pool (1)

Migration (1)
As individuals join or leave a population the frequency of their alleles in the gene pool will
increase or decrease (1)

Genetic Drift (1)

Allele frequencies change due to random, chance events (1)
Such as natural disasters etc (1)
It is most powerful in small isolated populations (1)
Non-directional / not influenced by selection (1)

Any 2 points = 2 marks

Natural Selection (1)

Those with most favourable variations more likely to survive (1)
More likely to have offspring (1)
Favourable alleles increase in frequency (1)
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Question 5
Mutations in the human genome can result from a variety of different causes. For each of the
scenarios below explain how mutations are caused and the types of mutations produced.
Provide an example of each to help clarify your answer.
(a) Errors in DNA replication (7 marks)
(b) During cell division (7 marks)
(c) From damage caused by mutagens (6 marks)
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Question 6
Many different theories aim to explain how variation in skin colour exists between human populations.
Using your knowledge of natural selection and how environmental factors can affect skin colour,
explain how light skin may have first evolved from a population of dark-skinned individuals. (7 marks)