Q1.

Ebola is a disease caused by a virus. The Ebola virus has a glycoprotein on its
surface  
which binds to a specific receptor protein in the cell-surface membranes of  
human cells.  
When it binds to this receptor protein, the virus can enter the cell. Some people
5
do not  
produce this receptor protein. These people may become infected with the  
Ebola virus  
but do not develop the disease.  
 
A blood test can be used to determine whether a person has Ebola. People with 10
Ebola
have large numbers of specific plasma cells and a specific antibody in their
blood.
Some scientists have suggested treating people suffering from Ebola by using
transfusions of blood plasma from people who have recently recovered from the
disease.

The Ebola virus has a high mutation rate. This makes it difficult to develop a vaccine.

(a)     People who do not have the specific receptor protein in their cell-surface
membranes may be infected with the Ebola virus but do not develop the disease
(lines 1–5).

Explain why they do not develop the disease.

If they do not have the receptor, the virus can’t enter the cells, which means it
doesn’t have a place to replicate itself, therefore no damage can be caused to the
cells

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(2)

(b)     Explain the increase in specific plasma cells and antibody in people infected with the
Ebola virus.

The antigen on the Ebola virus binds to a specific B cell, causing the rapid
replication of the B cell. The plasma cells produce and release antibodies which
neutralise the virus.

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(2)

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(c)     Explain how a blood transfusion from a patient recently recovered from Ebola may
be an effective treatment (lines 8–10).

In the recovered patient, there will be lots of Ebola antibodies. The transfusion will
therefore contain antibodies. The antibodies will bind with the Ebola antigen,
destroying the virus in the receiver of the transfusion.

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(3)

(d)     A high mutation rate makes it difficult to develop a vaccine (line 11).
Explain why.

High mutation rate leads to antigens changing. If a vaccine contains one specific
antigen, the antibodies will not be complimentary to the new antigen and therefore
will be ineffective.

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(3)
(Total 10 marks)

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Q2.
(a)     Changes to the protein coat of the influenza virus cause antigenic variability. Explain
how antigenic variability has caused some people to become infected more than
once with influenza viruses.

The memory B-cells can’t recognise the new antigens, so the antibodies produced
for the old antigens are not effective

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(2)

(b)     The drawings show the changes in a B lymphocyte after stimulation by specific
antigens.

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B lymphocyte before stimulation        B lymphocyte after stimulation

(i)      Describe the role of macrophages in stimulating B lymphocytes.

Presents the antigen to the T cell allowing it to activate the B cell

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(1)

(ii)     Explain how the changes shown in the drawings are related to the function of
B lymphocytes.

More mitochondria to provide more energy. More RER to synthesise more

proteins. More Golgi body to package the proteins. This is necessary as B
lymphocytes have to produce a very large number of antibodies, a type of
protein

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Q3.
(a)     Phagocytes and lysosomes are involved in destroying microorganisms. Describe
how.

Phagocytes engulf pathogens and enclose them in a vacuole. Lysosomes have

enzymes that digest the proteins inside the pathogens

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 ___________________________________________________________________
(3)

(b)     The pie chart shows the proportions of people infected with four different strains of
influenza virus early in 2004.

(i)      A person may develop influenza twice within a short time. Use information
from the pie chart to explain why.

The person may get a different strain, and they only have memory cells for
their first strain.

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(2)

(ii)     The information in the pie chart is valuable to companies who make influenza
vaccines. Use your knowledge of antigens to explain why.

Vaccines only work against certain strains because the antigens they possess
are different. This enables the company to target the most common strain

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(2)

Q4.
(a)     What is an antigen?

A toxin or foreign substance which induces an immune response in the body

(2)

(b)     What is an antibody?

A protein produced by a lymphocyte in the presence of a specific antigen

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 (2)

Poliomyelitis is an infection caused by a virus.

A doctor vaccinated a group of patients against poliomyelitis. He gave each patient two
doses of vaccine, 3 months apart.

An immunologist tested three samples of blood from each of the patients:

•       (sample 1) taken 2 weeks before the first dose of vaccine
•       (sample 2) taken 2 weeks after the first dose of vaccine
•       (sample 3) taken 2 weeks after the second dose of vaccine.

He measured the concentration of antibodies against the poliomyelitis virus in the patients’
blood each time. The results are shown in the graph.

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(c)     Calculate the percentage increase in the mean concentration of antibodies in blood
between samples 2 and 3.

(37/2) x 100 = 1850

Answer = 1850_________ %
(1)

(d)     Explain the differences between the mean concentrations of antibodies in blood

samples 1, 2 and 3.

In sample 1, the patient had not had contact with the virus, so the body could not
generate an immune response, so no antibodies could be produced. In sample 2,
which was 2 weeks after the first vaccine, the mean concentration increased to two.
This was because the patient was producing antibodies to fight the weakened
pathogen in the vaccine. In sample 3, which was 2 weeks after the second dose of
the vaccine, the patient produced more memory cells which could remain in the
blood and combat the pathogen if it is encountered again.

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(4)
(Total 9 marks)

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 Q5. The figure below shows a test that has been developed to find out if a person has antibodies
to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antigen.
 
HIV antigens are attached
Step 1
to a test well in a dish.

A sample of blood plasma

is added to the well.
Step 2 If HIV antibodies are
present, they bind to the
HIV antigen.

The well is washed.

A second antibody with an
enzyme attached is then
Step 3
added.
This binds specifically to
the HIV antibody.

The well is washed again.

A yellow solution is added,
which changes to blue if the
Step 4 enzyme is present. A blue
colour shows that the
person has HIV antibodies.

(a)     This test only detects the presence of HIV antibodies. Give two reasons why it
cannot be used to find out if a person has AIDS.

1. You need AIDS symptoms to diagnose AIDS

2. You need a lower number of T helper cells

(2)

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(b)     The solution will remain yellow if a person is not infected with HIV. Explain why.

The HIV antibody is not present, so the secondary antibody will not be able to bind

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(2)

(c)     A mother who was infected with HIV gave birth to a baby. The baby tested positive
using this test. This does not prove the baby is infected with HIV.
Explain why.

Children receive HIV antibodies from their mothers so the solution will always turn
blue with a sample from a new-born

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(2)

(d)     A control well is set up every time this test is used. This is treated in exactly the
same way as the test wells, except that blood plasma is replaced by a salt solution.

Use information from the figure above to suggest two purposes of the control well.

1. Only the enzyme is causing the change in colour

2. The washing is effective because all the unused antibodies are removed
(2)
(Total 8 marks)

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Q6.
Read the following passage.

Chlamydia is a bacterium. Scientists have shown that infection with chlamydia can cause
heart disease in humans. Infection with the bacterium can stimulate the formation of
atheroma. This can lead to a heart attack.

Other scientists have been working with mice. These scientists have suggested that
chlamydia may cause heart disease in a different way. They have found a protein on the
surface of chlamydia cells which is similar to a protein in the heart muscle of mice. After
an infection with chlamydia, cells of the immune system of the mice may attack their heart
muscle cells and cause heart disease.

Use the information in the passage and your own knowledge to answer the following
questions.

(a)     (i)      Using information from the passage, explain what is meant by an antigen.

A protein on the surface of a chlamydia bacterium that initiates an immune

response from rats

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(2)

(ii)     After an infection with chlamydia, cells of the immune system of the mice may
attack the heart muscle cells (lines 7-8). Explain why.

The chlamydia protein is similar to the one found in the heart muscle of mice,
so the antibodies will attack the heart cells

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(2)

(b)     Some scientists have suggested that people should be vaccinated to prevent
infection by chlamydia. Evaluate this suggestion.

This would be a good thing as it would prevent people from developing heart
problems. However, the research in mice might not be replicated in humans, and
vaccination programs are often expensive

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(3)
(Total 7 marks)

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Q7.
The diagram shows a cholera bacterium. It has been magnified 50 000 times.

(a)     Name A.

Plasma membrane
(1)

(b)     Name two structures present in an epithelial cell from the small intestine that are
not present in a cholera bacterium.

1. Mitochondria

2. Nucleus
(2)

(c)     Cholera bacteria can be viewed using a transmission electron microscope (TEM) or
a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

(i)      Give one advantage of using a TEM rather than a SEM.

Higher resolution

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(1)

(ii)     Give one advantage of using a SEM rather than a TEM.

Allows for a 3D image

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(1)

(d)     Calculate the actual width of the cholera bacterium between points B and C.
Give your answer in micrometres and show your working.

 30000μm/50000 = 0.6 μm

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(2)

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(e)     An outbreak of cholera occurred in London in 1849. The graph shows the
relationship between the number of deaths from cholera and the height at which
people lived above sea level.

Describe the relationship between the number of deaths from cholera and the height
at which people lived above sea level.

As the height increases, the number of deaths decrease. The rate decreases after
30 m above sea level

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(2)
(Total 9 marks)

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