SAQ’s

1. Draw and label the events that occur at different phases of the cell cycle and their
functions.

1. Briefly explain how the cell cycle is regulated by the abundance of specific
control/regulatory molecules within the cell. Use an example and diagram
illustration in addition to your description.[8]

or (2)

• Rhythmic fluctuations in the abundance and activity of cell cycle control molecules
pace the sequential events of the cell cycle. These regulatory molecules are mainly
proteins of two types: protein kinases and cyclins. (1)
• Many of the kinases that drive the cell cycle are present at a constant concentration
in the growing cell, but much of the time they are in an inactive form. (1)
• To be active, such a kinase must be attached to a cyclin, a protein that gets its name
from its cyclically fluctuating concentration in the cell. (1)
• Because of this requirement, these kinases are called cyclin-dependent kinases, or
Cdks. The activity of a Cdk rises and falls with changes in the concentration of its
cyclin partner. (1)
• MPF (maturation-promoting factor/M-phase-promoting factor), is a cyclin-Cdk
complex and MPF activity correspond to the peaks of cyclin concentration. The cyclin
level rises during the S and G2 phases and then falls abruptly during M phase. (1)
• When cyclins that accumulate during G2 associate with Cdk molecules, the resulting
MPF complex is active—it phosphorylates a variety of proteins, initiating
mitosis/triggers the cell’s passage into the M phase, past the G2 checkpoint. (1)
2. Draw and label phases of mitosis and meiosis in a cell with a karyotype of 2n=4,
showing their differences and similarities.

3. Explain how independent assortment contribute to genetic variation, with the aid of
diagrams. Using karyotype of 2n=4 to illustrate.