Q1.

Taxol is a drug used to treat cancer. Research scientists investigated the effect of
injecting taxol on the growth of tumours in mice. Some of the results are shown in Figure
1.

Figure 1
 
Mean volume of tumour / mm3
Number of
days of Group injected
treatment Control group with taxol in
saline

1 1 1

10 7 2

20 21 11

30 43 20

40 114 48

50 372 87

(a)     Suggest how the scientists should have treated the control group.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(b)     Suggest and explain two factors which should be considered when deciding the
number of mice to be used in this investigation.

1. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(c)     The scientists measured the volume of the tumours. Explain the advantage of using
volume rather than length to measure the growth of tumours.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)
(d)     The scientists concluded that taxol was effective in reducing the growth rate of the
tumours over the 50 days of treatment. Use suitable calculations to support this
conclusion.

 
(2)

(e)     In cells, taxol disrupts spindle activity. Use this information to explain the results in
the group that has been treated with taxol.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

(f)      The research scientists then investigated the effect of a drug called OGF on the
growth of tumours in mice. OGF and taxol were injected into different mice as
separate treatments or as a combined treatment. Figure 2 and Figure 3 show the
results from this second investigation.

Figure 2
 Figure 3
 
Mean volume of tumour
Treatment following 70 days treatment
/mm3 (± standard deviation)

OGF 322 (± 28.3)

Taxol 207 (± 22.5)

OGF and taxol 190 (± 25.7)

Control 488 (± 32.4)

(i)      What information does standard deviation give about the volume of the
tumours in this investigation?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(ii)     Use Figure 2 and Figure 3 to evaluate the effectiveness of the two drugs
when they are used separately and as a combined treatment.

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______________________________________________________________

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______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(4)
(Total 15 marks)
Q2.
The diagram shows two chromosomes in a cell undergoing mitosis.

(a)     Name X.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(b)     These are homologous chromosomes.  Give two pieces of evidence from the
diagram that support this.

1. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(c)     What will happen to these chromosomes in anaphase?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 5 marks)
Q3.
Scientists investigated the effect of bromelain on cancer cells. They took cells from skin
cancers in mice and added them to a liquid growth medium in two dishes.

Four hours later they added a solution of bromelain to one of the dishes. They left the
other dish as a control. They also added a substance to both dishes that is turned purple
by respiring cells.

Both dishes were placed in an incubator. The scientists measured the intensity of the
purple colour at intervals over a period of 100 hours.

(a)     The scientists put the same number of skin tumour cells in each dish at the start of
this investigation. Explain why it was important to put the same number of cells in
each dish.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(b)     The scientists concluded that bromelain did not kill cancer cells but stopped them
dividing. Does the graph support this conclusion? Explain your answer.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(c)     An article in a newspaper claimed that these data show that bromelain can be used
to treat cancer.

Give three reasons why we should be careful about accepting this claim.

1. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

(d)     The rate of cell division is important in investigations into cancer. Suggest why.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(e)     Scientists have investigated the effects of bromelain on cancer growth in humans.
Suggest why they gave bromelain in addition to, rather than instead of, the usual
treatment.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 10 marks)

 
 Q4.
In many parts of the world, crops have to be watered to grow enough food but fresh water
is often in short supply.

Barley is a plant that grows a leafy shoot and then produces seed that is harvested for
food.

Scientists investigated whether barley could be grown successfully using fresh water
mixed with seawater. This would reduce the use of fresh water. However, seawater
contains dissolved sodium chloride (salt).

The scientists grew barley in plots of equal size in the same large field. Each plot received
one of four treatments.

A       No watering.
B       Watering with fresh water during growth and seed production.
C       Watering with a 1:1 mix of fresh water and seawater during growth and seed
          production.
D       Watering with fresh water during growth and with a 1:1 mix of fresh water and
seawater during seed production.

At the end of the investigation, the scientists measured the concentration of salt in the soil
in each plot and the yield of barley seed harvested from each plot.

The scientists’ results are shown in the table below.

 
Mean concentration of salt in
Watering treatment Mean yield of barley seed / g
soil / arbitrary units

A 10.1 346

B 9.7 804

C 13.5 538

D 11.6 695

(a)     Watering treatment was the independent variable in this investigation.

Explain what is meant by the independent variable.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(b)     The same variety of barley was used in all the plots. Why was this important?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________ (2)
(c)     When barley plants are growing, the number of cells increases.
Name the process that increases the number of cells.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(d)     What do the data in the table above show about the effect of watering barley with a
mixture of fresh water and seawater?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(e)     The scientists suggested that watering barley with diluted seawater might not be
sustainable if repeated every year.
Do these data support this suggestion?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

(Extra space) ________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 9 marks)
Q5.
The enzyme tyrosine kinase (TK) is found in human cells. TK can exist in a non-functional
and a functional form. The functional form of TK is only produced when a phosphate
group is added to TK.

This is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

(a)     Addition of a phosphate group to the non-functional form of TK leads to production

of the functional form of TK.

Explain how.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(b)     The binding of the functional form of TK to its substrate leads to cell division.
Chronic myeloid leukaemia is a cancer caused by a faulty form of TK. Cancer
involves uncontrolled cell division.

Figure 2 shows the faulty form of TK.

Figure 2

 
 Suggest how faulty TK leads to chronic myeloid leukaemia.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(c)     Imatinib is a drug used to treat chronic myeloid leukaemia. Figure 3 shows how
imatinib inhibits faulty TK.

Figure 3

Using all of the information, describe how imatinib stops the development of chronic
myeloid leukaemia.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 6 marks)

 
Mark schemes

Q1.
(a)     Given only saline;

Otherwise treated exactly the same way;

2

(b)     Ethical consideration, e.g., leads to death / suffering of mice;

Large number to improve reliability / reduce sampling error;

Number of mice related to cost / space available / animal husbandry;

2 max

(c)     Vary in shape / do not grow uniformly;

Q Allow descriptions of variation in shape.
1

(d)     7.44 and 1.74;;

7.42 and 1.72;;

(Ratio) 4.28 : 1;;

(Ratio) 4.31 : 1;;

(Percentage decrease) 76.6%;;

(Percentage decrease) 76.8%;;

Any of the answers shown gain two marks.
An answer of 23.4% or 23.2%
Percentage decrease gains one mark.
Correct method of calculating rate / ratio / percentage
increase with an incorrect answer gains one mark.
2 max

(e)     Reference to Mitosis;

As chromosomes cannot attach (to spindle) / chromatids cannot separate (on

spindle);
Q Do not penalise confusion between chromosomes and
chromatids in second marking point

Cell division / cell cycle slows down;

Q Mitosis slows down = 2 marks
Q Mitosis stopped = 1 mark
Q Mitosis must be spelt correctly
3

(f)      (i)      (Degree of) spread / variation from the mean;

1

(ii)     Both chemicals (on their own) slow down growth / are effective;

Taxol is more effective than OGF;

 Combined treatment (seems) most effective;

SD overlap for OGF with taxol and taxol (on its own) so not conclusive /
could be chance / both treatments could be equally effective;
Q Ignore all references to significance
4
[15]

Q2.
(a)     Centromere;
1

(b)     Same size;

Same shape;

Same genes;

In same sequence/locus/loci;
2 max

(c)     Chromatids separate;

(Chromatids) pulled to opposite ends of cell;

By spindle fibres;

Become part of new nuclei;

2 max
[5]

Q3.
(a)     To ensure the colour is the same at the start;
1

(b)     Yes – curve on graph with bromelain present remains approximately

constant / rises very slightly;
Would decrease if killing of cells occurred / would increase if cells still dividing;
2

(c)     Use of mouse cells (rather than human);

(Carried out) in vitro / not in living organisms;
Only tested on one type of cancer;
Not possible to predict effect on humans (as no data collected);
3 max

(d)     The faster the rate of division the faster the cancer would grow;
By measuring rate of cell division you could see how effective the treatment
was;
2

(c)     Not ethical to replace conventional treatment;

As life of patient is at risk (if bromelain not effective);
2
[10]
Q4.
(a)     Variable that is changed;
Reject ‘the variable that changes’.
1

(b)     1.      Idea of a confounding variable;

2.      (So) genetically similar;

2. Do not accept ‘genetically identical / same DNA’.

3.      (So) have similar salt tolerance / response to salt water / response to

watering treatment;

4.      (So) have similar yield / mass of seeds;

Do not accept ‘amount / number of seeds’ or ‘growth rate’.
2 max

(c)     Mitosis;
Ignore cell division
1

(d)     1.      Irrigation with sea water / C / D increased yield compared with no

irrigation / A;
For ‘yield’ accept ‘mass of seed’ throughout.

2.      Yield was lower when irrigated with sea water / C / D compared with
fresh water / B;
Only penalise once for use of ‘amount / number of seeds’.

3.      Yield was lower when watered with sea water throughout growth and
seed formation / C than when watered with sea water just at seed
formation / D;
Accept use of figures from table.
’It’ refers to watering with seawater / mixture.
2 max

(e)     1.      Irrigation with sea water / C / D increases concentration of salt in soil;

Ignore reference to standard deviation / quality of the data.

2.      Lower water potential in the soil linked to reduced uptake of water;

3.      Salt concentration in the soil might / might not increase in the future;
Mark point 3 includes the principle for mark point 1 so mp3
gains 2 marks (for mp1 and mp3)

4.      Might decrease plant growth / yield in the future;

5.      Less food / fewer seeds for future planting;

Mp 3 and 4. Allow ‘further’ for the idea of ‘in the future’.
3 max
[9]
Q5.
(a)     1.      (Phosphate) changes shape of TK / changes shape of enzyme /
changes the active site;
It = phosphate
Accept ‘alters’ for changes
Reject that phosphate is an inhibitor
Accept adding energy / affecting charged / affects polar
groups (on amino acids)

2.      Active site forms / becomes the right shape / can bind to substrate /
complementary to substrate / E-S complex can form;
Reject similar / same shape as substrate
2

(b)     1.      Faulty TK has functional active site without phosphate;

Accept ‘works without phosphate’

2.      (So, faulty) TK functional all the time / TK not controlled (by phosphate);
2

(c)     1.      Non-competitive inhibitor / binds to site other than active site;

Accept allosteric site
Do not accept ‘changes shape’ unqualified

2.      Causes TK to be in non-functional form / active site not formed / wrong

shape / E-S complex not formed;

3.      So, (uncontrolled) cell division stopped / slowed / controlled;

2 max
[6]