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Name: Index Number: Class:

DUNMAN HIGH SCHOOL

Preliminary Examination
Year 6

H2 BIOLOGY 9744/03
Paper 3 Long Structured and Free Response Questions 20 September 2018
2 hours
Additional Materials: Writing paper

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES:
DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE OVER UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO.
READ THESE NOTES CAREFULLY.

Section A Long Structured Questions

Answer all questions.
Write your answers on space provided in the
Question Paper.

Section B Free-Response Questions For Examiner’s Use

Answer one question. Your answer to Section B
Section A
must be in continuous prose, where appropriate.
Write your answers on the writing paper provided. 1 / 27
Answer each part (a) and (b) on a fresh piece of
2 /8
writing paper.
3 / 15
INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES Section B / 25
Essential working must be shown. Total / 75
The intended marks for questions or parts of Grand Total
questions are given in brackets [ ]. [260]

This document consists of 16 printed pages.

[Turn over
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Section A: Long Structured Questions (50 marks) For

Answer all questions in this section. Examiner’s
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Question 1

Fig. 1.1 shows the life cycle of Dengue virus.

H+ H+
H+
H+

Fig. 1.1

(a) (i) Identify processes A and B. [2]

Process A:

Process B:
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(ii) With reference to Fig. 1.1, identify and explain the type of genome found in Dengue For
virus. [2] Examiner’s
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(iii) Describe the main events from step 8 to step 9. [4]

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(b) A dengue virus vaccine, Dengvaxia, was recently developed not only to prevent first For
infections, but also to avoid severe disease that may occur upon second and third Examiner’s
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infections. This consequence, called antibody dependent enhancement (ADE), now
appears to be caused by the vaccine itself.

Primary dengue virus infection may lead to a disease that includes fever, headache,
muscle, joint pain and skin rash. In about 1 in 10,000 infections, severe disease can
develop which involves severe bleeding, shock, and hemorrhagic fever. In a secondary
infection involving a different serotype, the risk of severe disease is much higher,
approaching 1 in 100.

After a 3-phase clinical trial, it is now recognize that serious dengue, defined as requiring
hospitalization, has occurred in two populations: vaccinated seronegative children, and
monotypic dengue virus immune children who received a placebo. In the seronegative
children, the vaccine acted like a primary dengue virus infection, causing severe disease
after an infection acquired ‘in the wild’. In immune children who received the placebo, a
second acquired infection led to ADE.

During year 5 after the third dose of vaccine, 295 of 20,439 children were hospitalized
with dengue virus infection. Severe dengue was also observed during years 2-4 after the
third dose.

(i) Using information from paragraph 3, explain the term “seronegative children”. [2]

(ii) Using information from paragraph 4, suggest why many countries are not enforcing
the use of dengue vaccine. [2]
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(iii) Nearly all children who received Dengvaxia produced neutralizing antibodies For
against all four serotype of dengue virus. With reference to Fig. 1.2, explain why Examiner’s
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are they still affected by serious disease. [5]

vaccination

Fig. 1.2
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During an overseas trip to the Sahara Desert, Howard was accidently stung by one of the most For
venomous scorpions in the world, the Deathstalker. The venom of the Deathstalker scorpion Examiner’s
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contains a potent toxin known as chlorotoxin. Fig. 1.3 shows the effect of the chlorotoxin from
the Deathstalker scorpion.

Fig. 1.3

In an attempt to save Howard’s life, doctors from a nearby hospital gave Howard an injection
of antivenom containing antibodies that bind specifically to chlorotoxin. The effect of the
antivenom is shown in Fig. 1.4.

Fig. 1.4

(c) (i) State the type of immunity conferred by the antivenom. [1]
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(ii) Using the information provided in Fig. 1.3 and Fig. 1.4, explain how the antivenom For
helped save Howard’s life. [4] Examiner’s
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(d) After his near-death experience, Howard had an epiphany and decided to pursue his
lifelong ambition to be a professional snake charmer. Using his life savings, he purchased
a particularly venomous King cobra for his future performances from a local snake dealer.

Before Howard can embark on his new career, he will need to determine how to deal with
accidental envenomation (the process by which venom is injected by the bite or sting of
a venomous animal). One way is to ensure that he keeps a vial of antivenom (containing
antibodies that bind to the toxins present in the King cobra’s venom) with him at every
performance. However, according to the local snake dealer, several snake handlers have
managed to build up an immunity through the practice of mithridatism by regularly
injecting themselves with non-lethal doses of the venom.

Discuss the use of mithridatism in place of antivenom to counteract the toxins in the King
cobra’s venom. [5]

Total: [27]
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Question 2 For
Examiner’s
Coral reefs are affected by climate change. Fig. 2.1 shows how sea water temperatures use
have varied over the last century or so at the Great Barrier Reef. 0°C is considered the
average sea water temperature. Rising sea level temperatures have been suggested as
a reason for more frequent coral bleaching events. Fig. 2.1 shows the trend for coral
bleaching events globally since 1980.

Fig. 2.1

Fig. 2.2
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(a) With reference to Fig. 2.1 and 2.2, explain whether the data provides sufficient evidence For
that the more frequent bleaching events seen in coral reef ecosystems over the last 20 Examiner’s
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years are due to rising water temperatures. [6]

(b) Other than rising water temperatures, suggest two other ways climate change has
impacted coral reefs. [2]

Total: [8]
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Question 3 For
Examiner’s
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(a) Fig. 3.1 shows the peptidoglycan cell wall of the prokaryote Escherichia coli.

The carbohydrate backbones are made up of two different kinds of sugar: N-

acetylmuramate (NAM) and N-acetylglucosamine (NAG). NAM and NAG alternate along
the chain and differ from glucose only at the C2 and C3 position.

Fig. 3.2 shows the molecular structure of NAM and NAG.

Fig. 3.1

Fig. 3.2

With reference to Fig 3.1 and Fig. 3.2, describe two ways in which the structure of
peptidoglycan:

(i) is similar to cellulose. [2]

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(ii) differs from cellulose. [2] For

Examiner’s
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Features Peptidoglycan Cellulose

(iii) The enzyme lysozyme is found in many pharmaceutical products like eye drops
and throat lozenges that treat bacterial infection. Lysozyme is a glycoside
hydrolase.

Suggest how the enzyme could be used to treat bacterial infection. [2]
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(b) The oil stored in the seeds of the castor oil plant Ricinus communis has been used in the For
production of pharmaceutical products such as zinc and castor oil cream, and as a Examiner’s
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lubricant. However, Ricinus seeds also produce a poisonous protein ricin, which is
classified as an agent of bioterrorism.

Fig. 3.3 shows the structure of ricin which consists of two polypeptides – the A chain of
ricin (RTA, ricin toxin A) joined to a B chain (RTB, ricin toxin B).

RTA

RTB

Fig. 3.3

(i) The RTB component of ricin has two binding sites specific for galactose. This
enables RTB to bind to cell surface components that contain galactose. This is the
first step of cellular intoxication.

Identify a structure found on the mammalian cell surface that makes it a good target
for ricin. [1]
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The RTA component of ricin is an enzyme that damages an essential component of the For
protein synthesis machinery – the ribosome. RTA catalyses the removal of one particular Examiner’s
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nitrogenous base (adenine) in a crucially important section of ribosomal RNA of the large
subunit of eukaryotic ribosomes. This results in eventual cell death.

The two polypeptides – RTA and RTB are covalently linked by a disulfide bond between
two cysteine residues. Reduction of ricin into its subunits, RTA and RTB, is catalysed by
protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), an enzyme that resides in the lumen of the endoplasmic
reticulum. PDI breaks the interchain disulfide bond.

Fig. 3.4 illustrates the reduction process catalysed by PDI.

Reduction of interchain disulfide bond

Fig. 3.4

(ii) Explain why the reduction process shown in Fig. 3.4 is necessary before RTA can
exhibit its catalytic activity. [2]

(iii) Suggest one way in which plant ribosomes in the seed cells are protected from the
effect of ricin. [1]
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(c) Enzyme X digests a sugar and the reaction was carried out in a conical flask. Enzyme X For
may be immobilised in alginate beads. Examiner’s
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Fig. 3.5 shows a comparison between the activity of free enzyme X and immobilised
enzyme X over a range of temperatures. Equal concentrations of free enzyme X and
immobilised enzyme X were used.

Fig. 3.5

(i) Explain the effect of temperature on the activity of free enzyme X. [3]
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(ii) Explain the differences between the activity of free enzyme X and immobilised For
enzyme X up to 40 °C. [2] Examiner’s
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Total: [15]
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Section B: Free-Response Question (25 marks)

Answer only one question.

Write your answers on the writing paper provided.
Answer each part (a) and (b) on a fresh piece of writing paper.

Your answers should be illustrated by large, clearly labelled diagrams, where appropriate.
Your answers must be in continuous prose, where appropriate.
Your answers must be set out in sections (a), (b) etc., as indicated in the question.
A NIL RETURN is required.

Question 4

(a) Explain how the various aspects of DNA replication mechanism are important in the
design of PCR technique and what additional considerations are needed for a PCR
process. [10]

(b) Discuss the ethical implications of the application of stem cells in research and medical
applications and how human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) overcome some
of these issues. [15]

Total: [25]

OR

Question 5

(a) Describe the mutation that give rise to sickle cell anaemia. [10]
(b) Staphylococcus aureus is a common bacterium, found on human skin. If it enters the
body through wounds or surgery, it can cause serious infection.

There are many strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Most of these strains were sensitive
to penicillin when the antibiotic was first introduced in the 1940s. However, by the late
1950s, over 90% of Staphylococcus aureus strains were resistant to penicillin. The
antibiotic methicillin was then used to treat infection by Staphylococcus aureus. Now,
there are at least 15 different strains of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA).

Explain how 15 different strains of MRSA may arise from a single strain of
Staphylococcus aureus. [15]

Total: [25]

END OF PAPER