9700_s17_qp_42
A paper of Biology, 9700
Questions:
10
Year:
2017
Paper:
4
Variant:
2

Login to start this paper & get access to powerful tools

1
2
Chloroplasts belong to a group of organelles called plastids. Although different types of plastid have different structures and functions, one type of plastid can change into another type of plastid in response to environmental or developmental signals. • Example 1: plants grown in the dark have plastids called etioplasts which lack chlorophyll. If these plants are exposed to light, the etioplasts quickly change into chloroplasts. • Example 2: chloroplasts in surface tissues of tomato fruits change into plastids called chromoplasts as the fruits ripen. Thylakoid membranes break down and chlorophyll synthesis stops. Chromoplasts synthesise and accumulate red lycopene and orange β-carotene pigments. For each of these examples, explain the effect on the rate of photosynthesis of one type of plastid changing into another type of plastid. Example 1 Example 2 Outline the method you would use to separate and identify the pigments in an extract of tomato chromoplasts. Cyanobacteria are prokaryotic organisms. Plastids are thought to have evolved from cyanobacteria that became incorporated into larger cells. Experiments show that free-living cyanobacteria can adapt to environmental signals in the same way as plastids. shows the absorption spectra of cyanobacteria grown under two different lighting conditions. One group was grown under fluorescent light and the other group was grown under red light. The range of light wavelengths absorbed by each group of cyanobacteria was then measured under identical lighting conditions. 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 absorbance 1.0 light wavelength / nm fluorescent light Key: red light With reference to and the information given on pages 4 and 5, explain the effect of different lighting conditions on the absorption spectra of the two groups of cyanobacteria.
3
4
Weeds reduce crop yields by competing with crop plants for space, light, water and minerals. The modes of action of three different types of herbicide are summarised in Table 4.1. Table 4.1 type of herbicide mode of action year of first widespread use photosystem II inhibitor prevents photophosphorylation ALS inhibitor prevents synthesis of the amino acids isoleucine, leucine and valine glyphosate prevents synthesis of the amino acids phenylalanine, tryptophan and tyrosine shows the cumulative number of species of weeds that have become resistant to these three types of herbicide since 1960. number of species year ALS inhibitor ALS inhibitor photosystem II inhibitor photosystem II inhibitor glyphosate glyphosate Describe how the number of weed species resistant to herbicides has changed since 1960. Explain how a weed species becomes resistant to a herbicide. ALS inhibitor herbicides work by binding to an enzyme present in chloroplasts called acetolactate synthetase (ALS). ALS is a globular protein consisting of four identical polypeptides each composed of 668 amino acids. The primary structure of the ALS polypeptide of each weed species resistant to ALS inhibitor herbicides has been sequenced. Amino acid substitutions at positions as far apart as position 122 and position 574 can result in resistance. The gene that codes for the ALS polypeptide does not contain any non-coding sections . The first amino acid in the final polypeptide is methionine. State the number of base pairs in the gene that codes for an ALS polypeptide. Explain why resistance to ALS inhibitor herbicide can result from substitutions of amino acids that are far apart in the primary sequence. Genetic modification is one method used to develop herbicide resistance in crop plants. Other methods include: method 1: crossing a crop plant with a herbicide-resistant wild plant belonging to the same genus and then applying the herbicide method 2: causing mutations in the crop plants and then applying the herbicide. State two benefits of using method 1 and two benefits of using method 2 to develop herbicide resistance in crop plants. method 1 method 2
5
Cancer is a disease in which normal controls over cell division are lost and malignant tumours form. An early diagnosis of many types of cancer can result in successful treatment. The BRCA2 protein is involved in suppressing the development of tumours. The gene that codes for this protein is on chromosome 13. Several different dominant alleles of this gene, BRCA2, code for faulty versions of the protein. The presence of any one of these faulty alleles leads to an increased chance of developing several types of cancer, including breast cancer. Not everyone with one of these alleles develops cancer. This is because environmental factors, including lifestyle, are also involved. is a pedigree (family tree) showing the occurrence of cancers in four generations of a family. The presence of a faulty BRCA2 allele was confirmed in person 15. The other individuals with cancer were not tested for the presence of the allele. Individuals 24–30 are all under twelve years old. female cancer allele present but no cancer no information male cancer allele present but no cancer no information Discuss the extent to which provides evidence that a faulty BRCA2 allele increases the risk of a person developing cancer. People whose families are suspected of having a faulty BRCA2 allele may choose to be tested for its presence in their own genome. A company based in the USA sells a microarray containing DNA probes for 20 different alleles that are associated with an increased risk of cancer, including the faulty BRCA2 alleles. This microarray can be used in a medical facility or research laboratory to test blood samples for the presence of these alleles. Explain the meaning of the term genome. Suggest a type of cell from a blood sample that is suitable for testing for the presence of this allele and explain your choice. Outline how a microarray enables the detection of particular alleles. Suggest one advantage and one disadvantage of screening for faulty alleles of BRCA2 before any symptoms occur. advantage disadvantage
6
7
8
An investigation was carried out in a temperate woodland that contained a number of areas with two different types of ground cover vegetation. • On higher ground where the soil was drier, the dominant ground cover plant was bracken, Pteridium aquilinum. • On lower ground where the soil was wetter, the dominant ground cover plant was bramble, Rubus fruticosus. Describe how the abundance of the two plant species at higher and lower ground sites could be measured. Soil from under bracken and under brambles was collected and placed in two funnels. A bright light was placed over each funnel so that small invertebrate animals moved down the funnels and were collected in two collecting vessels. The main groups of invertebrates present were identified and counted. Some of the results are shown in Table 8.1. Table 8.1 invertebrate group number present in soil under bracken number present in soil under brambles pseudoscorpion wireworm gamasid mite springtail total It was not possible to identify the invertebrates as far as genus or species level, and only the wireworm group could be classified as far as the taxonomic level above genus. Name the taxonomic level represented by the wireworm group. State the null hypothesis for a statistical test comparing the data from the two types of site. Simpson’s Index of Diversity for invertebrates from the soil under bracken was calculated as 0.663 using the formula: D = 1 – Σ n N 2 n = number of individuals of each species present in the sample N = the total number of all individuals of all species. Calculate Simpson’s Index of Diversity for the invertebrates from the soil under brambles. Complete Table 8.2 and use the space provided to show your working. Show all working to three decimal places. Write your final answer on the dotted line. Table 8.2 animal taxon number present in soil under brambles n N  n N pseudoscorpion wireworm gamasid mite springtail total Simpson’s Index of Diversity = Describe what Table 8.1 and the calculated figures for Simpson’s Index of Diversity show about the effect of bracken and bramble vegetation cover on the diversity and abundance of soil invertebrates in the woodland.