1 Catalase is an enzyme that breaks down hydrogen peroxide inside cells.

Red blood cells contain

catalase.

Some dogs have an inherited condition in which catalase is not produced. This condition is known
as acatalasia and it is caused by a mutation in the gene for catalase.

(a) Define the terms gene and gene mutation.

a length of DNA that codes for a specific protein
gene...................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
a change in base sequence of DNA
gene mutation....................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

[2]

(b) A geneticist was asked to investigate the inheritance of acatalasia in dogs.

The normal allele is represented by B and the mutant allele is represented by b.

The geneticist made the diagram in Fig. 3.1 to show the inheritance of acatalasia in a family
of dogs. The shaded symbols indicate the dogs with acatalasia.

normal male
1 2 3
normal female

male with acatalasia

4 5
female with acatalasia

Fig. 3.1

(i) State the genotypes of the dogs identified as 1, 2 and 3 in Fig. 3.1.

Bb
1 .............................................................................................................................
bb
2 .............................................................................................................................
Bb
3 ............................................................................................................................. [3]

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 (ii) The geneticist crossed dog 4 with dog 5. Approximately half of the offspring had
acatalasia and half the offspring did not have acatalasia.

Complete the genetic diagram to show how this is possible.

dog 4 dog 5
parental phenotypes normal has acatalasia

parental genotypes Bb
............. bb
.............

B b + b
gametes .......... , .......... ..........

Punnett square female gametes

b
B Bb (normal/carrier)
male gametes
b bb (acatalasia)

Bb, bb (heterozygous and homozygous recessive

offspring genotypes................................................................................................
normal/carrier, has acatalasia
offspring phenotypes.............................................................................................. [3]

(iii) State the name given to the type of cross that you have completed in (b)(ii).
test cross
................................................................................................................................ [1]

[Total: 9]

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2 Anthocyanin is a red pigment found in carnation flowers. Some carnation plants have a gene for
making anthocyanin.

(a) (i) A flower grower bred red carnations.

Describe how growers selectively breed plants.

Growers select the plants with the desired genes/characteristics and breed them.
................................................................................................................................
Offsprings with desired features are then also selected and bred with each other.
................................................................................................................................
Growers can do test crossing to find out which plants produce the offsprings they
................................................................................................................................
want. This selective breeding/crossing is done throughout many generations of the plants
................................................................................................................................
to keep producing plants with desired feature.
................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................ [3]

(ii) Explain the disadvantages of using sexual reproduction to breed red carnations.
- Sexual reproduction would take a longer time
................................................................................................................................
- The pollination process may be more random and therefore the offspring
................................................................................................................................
may have more variety and not be guaranteed to be as desired
................................................................................................................................
- Two parents are required
................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................ [2]

(b) Meiosis is necessary for sexual reproduction of carnation plants.

Define the term meiosis.

Meiosis is the nuclear division of cells by halving its chromosomes from diploid to haploid.
...........................................................................................................................................
Meiosis results in genetically different cells
...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... [2]

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 (c) Carnation plants show co-dominance for the anthocyanin gene. There are two alleles:
A
• F – allele for anthocyanin pigment (red flowers)
N
• F – allele for no anthocyanin pigment (white flowers)

(i) State the genotype of a carnation plant that is heterozygous for this gene.
F^A F^N
................................................................................................................................ [1]

(ii) Describe the phenotype of a heterozygous carnation plant for this gene.
pink flowers
................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................ [1]

A N A A
(iii) The breeder crossed a F F carnation plant with a F F carnation plant. Predict, using
a genetic diagram, the proportion of pure breeding carnation plants in the offspring.

parental genotypes FAFN × FAFA

F^A F^N + F^A F^A

gametes ........... ........... ........... ...........

Punnett square parent gamete

F^A F^N
parent gamete
F^AF^A F^AF^N
F^A (red flowers) (pink flowers

F^AF^A F^AF^N
F^A (red flowers) (pink flowers)

F^AF^A, F^AF^N (homozygous dominant, heterozygous

offspring genotypes .............................................................................................
red flowers, pink flowers
offspring phenotypes ...........................................................................................
50%
proportion of pure breeding carnation plants .......................................................

[4]

[Total: 13]

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3 (a) Sex in cats is determined in the same way as in humans.

Complete the diagram below to show how sex is determined in cats.

male cat female cat

female cat (XX)

gametes X X

X
...... XX XX
male cat
XY
(.........)
Y
......
XY XY

1:1 or 50%
offspring ratio..................................................................................................................... [3]

(b) A scientist investigated the inheritance of fur colour in cats.

The gene for coat colour is located on the X chromosome. The gene has two alleles:

• B black

• b orange.
B
The X chromosome with the allele for black is represented by X .
b
The X chromosome with the allele for orange is X .

A female cat can be a mixture of these colours, described as calico.

Fig. 3.1 shows the inheritance of this condition in a family of cats.

orange male
1 2
black male

calico female

orange female
3 4 5 6 7
black female
Fig. 3.1

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 (i) State the genotypes of cats 1, 4, and 5 in Fig. 3.1.

X^bY
cat 1 .......................................................................................................................
X^BY
cat 4 .......................................................................................................................
X^BX^B
cat 5 ....................................................................................................................... [3]

(ii) Coat colour in cats is an example of discontinuous variation.

Explain why coat colour is an example of discontinuous variation.

coat color is an example of discontinuous variation because it's influenced by
................................................................................................................................
the genotype and gene structure.. discontinuous variation also only results in a
................................................................................................................................
small number of phenotypes with no intermediates. there are only black, orange,
................................................................................................................................
and calico coat colors
................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................ [3]

[Total: 9]

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4 Fig. 5.1 shows the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans.

Fig. 5.1

(a) (i) State the genus of this nematode.

Caenorhabditis
.......................................................................................................................................[1]

(ii) State two structural features of nematodes.

thread-like bodies
1 ........................................................................................................................................
unsegmented body
2 ........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) Nematodes feed on dead and decaying material. Explain why this gives nematodes an
important role in ecosystems.

Nematodes play an important role in ecosystems because they get rid of the dead and
...................................................................................................................................................
decaying animals on the top of the food chain. Nematodes recycle energy from the dead
...................................................................................................................................................
animals and recycles nutrients. Nematodes also remove organic waste and prevents build
...................................................................................................................................................
up of waste
...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[3]

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 (c) Fig. 5.2 shows the life cycle of C. elegans. The diploid number of this species is 12.

adult which has

both male and
female sex organs

diploid body cells

of the adult
P
egg
sperm

larval stage

embryo passes out

of adult and
not drawn to scale continues
development

Fig. 5.2

(i) Suggest why there is very little genetic variation in the offspring of the adult nematode
shown in Fig. 5.2.
the female and male gametes both come from the same nematode, therefore there
...........................................................................................................................................
is very little variation. the meiosis results in little variation. the only source of
...........................................................................................................................................
variation from this type of reproduction is mutation
...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[2]

(ii) State the haploid number of C. elegans.

6
.......................................................................................................................................[1]

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 (iii) Explain why meiosis occurs at P and mitosis occurs at Q.

the cells divide by half from diploid cell to form 2 haploid gametes
meiosis at P ........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
the cells go through nuclear division that results in genetically identical
mitosis at Q ........................................................................................................................
cells for growth
...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[3]

(d) C. elegans was one of the first organisms to have its genome sequenced.

An organism’s genome is the sum of all its genetic material. Gene sequencing identifies all
the component parts of the DNA that makes up the genome.

State where DNA is located in a cell.

in the chromosomes in the nucleus of a cell
...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[2]

[Total: 14]

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