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Kgaswe International School

Plot 605, Extension 4, Palapye, Botswana Private Bag 75
(T) (+267) 492-2180 (F) 4922181 e-mail: kgasweschool@gmail.com

Academic Centre of Excellence

AS BIOLOGY
MARK SCHEME FOR
REVISION EXERCISE 1

The Very Best in Pre-Primary, Primary and Secondary Education.

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(1) (a) Outline the role of DNA polymerase in the replication of DNA.

three from

joins a nucleotide to extending, polynucleotide / strand ;

(only allows) complementary base pairing ;

forms phosphodiester bonds (between nucleotides) / forms the sugar phosphate backbone ;

proofreading the new strand ;

repairs any mismatched base pairs ; [3]

(b) Floxuridine is a drug used to treat cancer.

(i) Floxuridine inhibits DNA replication.

Suggest why the inhibition of DNA replication is an effective treatment for cancer.

stops, cell cycle / mitosis / cell division / cell replication / AW ; [1]

(ii) Floxuridine prevents thymine nucleotides being produced.

Explain why floxuridine does not affect transcription.

thymine only present in DNA / no thymine in RNA ;

uracil (nucleotide) replaces thymine (nucleotide) in transcription ; [1]

(c) Fig. 6.1 is a scanning electron micrograph of a lung cancer cell in a stage of the cell cycle.

(i) Name the stage of the cell cycle occurring in Fig. 6.1.

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cytokinesis ; [1]

(2) Meristematic tissue is found in the growing region of plants, such as root tips. Fig. 2.1 shows
a section through the meristematic region of a root tip of onion, Allium cepa.

Table 2.1 shows the numbers of cells in different stages of the cell cycle that were observed in
sections of the meristematic regions of root tips of A. cepa.

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(a) Complete Table 2.1 by using the letters A to H from Fig. 2.1 to identify one cell in each
stage of the cell cycle. [3]

Answer

(b) The total length of time taken for meristematic cells of A. cepa to complete one cell cycle at
25 °C is 12 hours.

Using sections similar to the one in Fig. 2.1, the length of time spent in each stage of the cell
cycle can be estimated. To obtain the estimate, the percentage of cells in that stage is calculated.

Using the data in Table 2.1, calculate:

• the percentage of cells in anaphase

• the mean length of time in minutes for anaphase.

Show your working.

(29 as a percentage of 5000 =) 0.58 (%) ; A 0.6 (%)

(0.0058 × 720 minutes =) 4 (min) / 4.2 / 4.18 / 4.176 ; [2]

(c) State one event that occurs during cytokinesis in the cell cycle of plant cells, such as those
shown in Fig. 2.1.

1 cell plate forms (across equator of cell) ;

2 cell wall / cellulose, laid down ; A cell wall forms (between the two)

3 cytoplasm divided (into two) ;

R cytoplasm, constricts / pinches in

I ‘separates into two daughter cells’

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I events at late telophase

4 idea that organelles shared out ;

5 AVP ; detail of cell plate formation e.g. ref. to vesicles transported to equator / involvement of
cytoskeletal structures / ref. to phragmoplast [1]

(3) Polymerisation of DNA nucleotides occurs during the semi-conservative replication of a

molecule of DNA during interphase.

Describe the semi-conservative replication of DNA.

any five from:

1 DNA (double helix / molecule) unwinds ;

I unzips

R DNA, strand / α helix, unwinds

2 hydrogen bonds break between, base pairs / bases / strands ;

A hydrogen bonds break between nucleotides only if clear that two strands are separated

3 both strands used as templates ; concise statement

4 DNA polymerase, qualified ; e.g. involved in polynucleotide formation / phosphodiester bond

formation / catalyses synthesis

R joins phosphates

5 ref. to (free) activated (DNA) nucleotides / AW ;

A phosphorylated nucleotides

R RNA nucleotides

6 complementary (DNA) nucleotides added ;

R RNA nucleotides

A described in terms of complementary base pairing

A A pairs with T and C pairs with G

7 idea that process, occurs / continues, along whole DNA molecule ;

8 ref. to Okazaki fragments / movement of polymerase in one direction / nucleotides added in

one direction ;

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A correct ref. to leading and lagging strands

9 each newly formed molecule contains one original and one newly synthesised strand ;

10 AVP ; e.g. replication bubbles form / described

ref. to repair / proofreading

ref. to helicase (unwinding) / ligase (joining Okazaki fragments) in correct context

R ligase joining phosphates

process occurs, step-by-step / sequentially / AW

ref. to RNA primers [5]

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