1UNIVERSITY

UNILUS
of
LUSAKA
SCHOOLOF MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCESs
DEPARTMENT OF BASIC SCIENCES
PMBI 130- A LEVEL BIOLOGYI
END OF SEMESTER FINAL EXAMINATION
THURSDAY 25TH JUNE, 2020

14:00-17:00 HOURS

TIME ALLOWED: 3 HOURS PLUS 5 MINUTES READING TIME

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES:
1. Read the instructions very carefully.
2. Check that you have the correct examination paper in front of you.
3. There are ElGHT (08) questions in this examination paper. Answer ANY
FIVE (5) QUESTIONS.
4. All questions must be answered in the examination answer booklet

provided only.
5. Begin answering each question on a new page.
6. Write down the number of questions that you have answered on the

cover of the examination answer booklet.

7. This is an Open Book Examination. You may consult with any learning

materials you wish.

8. There shall be NO COMMUNICATION AMONG STUDENTS during the

examination. Any students found doing so will be disqualified from the

examination.

DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO Sso.

Page I ol 7
QUESTION ONE
Carefully scrutinise the two molecules exhibited in Fig. 1 and provide relevant
answers to the questions below.

HOCH OH HOCH
O
OH

H
H H H

OH H OH OH
2-Deoxyribose Ribose

Fig. 1

a)ldentify the chemical nature of the two organic compounds displayed in Fig. 1.

(4 marks)
b) Based on the number of carbon atoms contained in each molecule, identify
the class of the organic compounds to which both deoxyribose and ribose

belong (4 marks)
c) Describe the molecular feature that differentiates deoxyribose from ribose.

(4 marks)
d) ldentify the nucleic acid that exclusively contains ribose (4 marks)
e) Which nucleic acid is characteristic for its possession of deoxyribose?

(4 marks)
[TOTAL: 20 MARKS]

QUESTION TWO
Recent cytological research findings have revealed that in eukaryotic organisms, the
stages of cell division in somatic cells, hereby referred to as the cell cycle, involves
a series of events that have been broadly divided into two major phases known as

the interphase and the mitosis phase. Both the interphase and mitosis phases
run through several steps

Describe the major stage of the cell cycle in which the cell spends the

greater part of its life span. (5 marks)

b) Which stage of interphase leads to the onset of prophase? (3 marks)

Page 2 of 7
 C) Explain the process occurring during S (Synthesis) period of the cel

cycle (4 marks)
d) Comment on the process that occurs during the G 1 (Gap 1) of the cell

cycle (5 marks)
e) Name the main stage of the cell cycle into which the somatic cell

progresses soon after the end of cytokinesis process (3 marks)

[TOTAL: 20 MARKS]

QUESTION THREE
The structure displayed in Fig. 2 below reveals that chromosomes consist of

chromatids, the centromere, the short and long arms that are separated by the
centromere. Therefore, cytologists can differentiate species of organisms bearing the

same number of chromosomes by classifying the chromosomes based on the

ocation of the centromere.

:ster
ctiromatd5

t*Vee***
CrromHs(PmE

Recrore

Kekxnc:?

Fig. 2

Define the component of the chromosome called the chromatid.

a)
(2 marks)
b) Describe the main function of the centromere. (5 marks)
What features are characteristic of a metacentric chromosome?
c)
(4 marks)
Explain the location of a centromere on a telocentric chromosome
d
(4 marks)
Give a brief account on features of an acrocentric chromosone
e)
(5 marks)
TOTAL: 20 MARKS]

Page 3 ol 7
QUESTION FOUR
Give plausible definitions on any FIVE of the following terms

a) Enzyme
b) Plasmodesmata

c)Cytokinesis
d) Gametogenesis
e) Histones
) Disaccharide
Nucleolus

h) Nucleotide

i) Nucleoside

Glycerophospholipid
[TOTAL: 20 MARKSS]

QUESTION FIVE
The function of biological membranes (biomembranes) is to regulate what
Substances enter the cell and which substances exit cell so as to ensure that
essential molecules readily enter the cell while metabolic intermediates remain within

the cell and waste compounds exit the cel. The structure of the biomembrane
exhibited in Fig 3 given beloW was advanced by Singer and Nicholson in 1972

channel carrier

protein prote:n
phospholipd 9lycoprolein

688888
Cholesterol

inlerilpiofeis
e:lpela
lein #1Osphait tiakl

Structure of biomembrane
Fig. 3. The a

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 a) ldentity the concept of the model as advanced by Singer and
Nicholson (4 marks)
Describe where the integral membrane proteins and the peripheral
membrane proteins are located within the biomembrane structure.

(5 marks)
c) Give a well-refined definition of the biomembrane (2 marks)
d) Which molecular components of the biomembrane are hydrophobic?
(4 marks)
e) Name components of the biomembrane that exhibit
properties of
being
hydrophilic. (4 marks)
TOTAL: 20 MARKS]

QUESTION SIX
Meiosis is aspecial type of cell division in which the sexually
reproducing eukaryoticC
organisms develop sex cells known as the sperm and egg cells in their
reproductive
organs. This means that most sexually
reproducing animals have diploid cells
Consisting of two copies of each chromosome in which one is of maternal
and
another is of paternal in
origin

a) What are the homologous chromosomes? (2 marks)

b) Explain features that characterise a bivalent in a meiotic process.

(5 marks)
C) Briefly describe the meiotic process referred to as the crossing over
event
(5 marks)
d) Which events are associated with metaphase I in meiosis? (4 marks)
e) Describe events that occur at the stage of anaphase ll in a
meiotic
division of cells
(4 marks)
[TOTAL: 20 MARKS]

Page 5 ol7
QUESTION SEVEN
he Planet Earth is endowed with three major types of life forms, namely: the

eukaryotic organisms, the prokaryotic organisms and the viruses. Critically examine
the cell structure displayed in Fig. 4 and answer the relevant questions framed

below

m0o ardKp:aSM etCuUT

CAskeieton

croaT
icre
R:basornes
-

Piasma me ae

PurvxiT¬ AtIchONrkon

Fig. 4: A 3-dimensional view of a cell

a) Identify the major organismic group of life forms which bears the cell
type displayed in Fig. 4. (3 marks)
b) Name the specific group of organisms that contains the membrane
bound organelles such as the Golgi apparatus, lysosomes and
mitochondria. (3 marks)
C) Name the largest organelle contained in this cell type (2 marks)
d) Describe the function of the lysosomes. (6 marks)
e) What is the physiological role of the mitochondria in such organisms?

(6 marks)
TOTAL: 20 MARKS]

Page 6 of 7
QUESTION EIGHT
RNA is a
uniquely
different molecule
compared to DNA in that this single-stranded
nucleic acid consIsts of a chain of nucleotides
composed of a sugar, a phosphate
group and a nitrogenous base. A fragment of RNA is in displayed Fig. 5

NH2

- 0

OH

NH
NHz

Fig.5. Fragment of RNA molecule

a)
Identify the type of sugar restricted to RNA molecules and is absent in DNA

(3 marks)
Name the nitrogenous base that is restricted to RNA molecules and is absent
b)
in DNA. (3 marks)
Identify the group or class of a nitrogenous base which is restricted to RNA

(4 marks)
d) Describe the role of messenger RNA (mRNA) in the process of protein
synthesis
(6 marks)
e) Which type of RNA IS involved in the assembly of amino acids to form a

polypeptide (protein chain)? (4 marks)

[TOTAL: 20 MARKS

END OF FINAL EXAMINATION

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