Surname

Centre
No.

Initial(s)

Paper Reference

6 1 3 1

Candidate
No.

0 1

Signature

Paper Reference(s)

6131/01

Examiners use only

Edexcel GCE

Team Leaders use only

Biology (Salters-Nuffield)
Advanced Subsidiary
Unit Test 1
Monday 1 June 2009 Afternoon
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Question Leave
Number Blank

1
2
3
4

Materials required for examination

Nil

Items included with question papers

Nil

5
6
7

Instructions to Candidates
In the boxes above, write your centre number, candidate number, your surname, initial(s) and
signature.
The paper reference is shown above. Check that you have the correct question paper.
Answer ALL questions. Write your answers in the spaces provided in this question paper.
If you need to use additional answer sheets, attach them loosely but securely inside this booklet.
Show all the steps in any calculations and state the units. Calculators may be used.
Include diagrams in your answers where these are helpful.

Information for Candidates

The marks for individual questions and the parts of questions are shown in round brackets: e.g. (2).
There are 7 questions in this question paper. The total mark for this question paper is 60.
There are 20 pages in this question paper. Any blank pages are indicated.

Advice to Candidates
You will be assessed on your ability to organise and present information, ideas, descriptions and
arguments clearly and logically, including your use of grammar, punctuation and spelling.

Total
This publication may be reproduced only in accordance with
Edexcel Limited copyright policy.
2009 Edexcel Limited.
Printers Log. No.

N34030A
W850/R6131/57570 5/5/

Turn over

*N34030A0120*

Leave
blank

Answer ALL questions.

1.

(a) Use the shapes given to draw a single nucleotide in the space below.

= sugar

= base

= phosphate

(2)
(b) The table below shows four features relating to DNA and messenger RNA (mRNA).
Complete the table by writing the correct word or words in the boxes provided.
Feature

DNA

mRNA

Name of sugar present

Name of the group that

links sugar to sugar

Number of strands in the

nucleic acid

Name of base
complementary to adenine
(4)
2

*N34030A0220*

Leave
blank

(c) DNA replication changes the amount of DNA present. The graph below shows the
amount of DNA present in a sample after one DNA replication. Complete the graph
by drawing bars to represent the amount of DNA found in this sample before the first
replication and after a second replication.
10
9

7
6
5
4
3
2

Before first
replication

After first
replication

Amount of DNA /
arbitrary units

After second
replication
(2)

Q1

(Total 8 marks)

*N34030A0320*

Turn over

Leave
blank

2.

(a) The diagram below shows part of the right ventricle and two branches, labelled A
and B, of the coronary artery of a heart.
The cardiac muscle cells in the shaded area were found to have a high concentration
of lactic acid whilst those in the non-shaded area had no lactic acid present.
Coronary artery

Part of right ventricle

(i) Suggest which of the two branches of the coronary artery was blocked. Explain
your answer.
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(2)
(ii) The blockage could have been caused by a blood clot. Describe how a blood clot
is formed in an artery.
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(4)
4

*N34030A0420*

Leave
blank

(b) The electrical activity of a heart was studied by stimulating the sino-atrial node
(SAN). The time taken for electrical activity to be detected in the atrio-ventricular
node (AVN) was recorded. The time taken for electrical activity to be detected in the
SAN, at the start of the next cycle, was also recorded.
The results are shown in the table below.
Area of the heart

Time when electrical activity

was detected / seconds

AVN

0.15

SAN

0.75

(i) Describe what happens in the atria during the 0.15 seconds before the AVN shows
any electrical activity.
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(2)
(ii) Use the information in the table to calculate how often the SAN would show
electrical activity in 1 minute. Show your working.

Answer: ................................. per minute

(2)

Q2

(Total 10 marks)

*N34030A0520*

Turn over

Leave
blank

3.

All proteins are made of amino acids.

(a) The diagram below shows an amino acid. On the diagram place a tick (9) in the box
next to the component that makes the amino acid acidic.
CH3

H2N

COOH

H
(1)
(b) Describe the primary structure of a protein.
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
(2)

*N34030A0620*

Leave
blank

(c) The diagram below shows a polypeptide made up of 10 amino acids. The shaded
circles represent amino acids that have hydrophobic properties and the un-shaded
circles represent amino acids that have hydrophilic properties.

Draw this polypeptide as it would appear in the container of water shown below.

air

water

(2)

*N34030A0720*

Turn over

Leave
blank

(d) Amylase is an enzyme that hydrolyses starch.

A student investigated the effect of the concentration of amylase on the rate of
hydrolysis of starch solution. She mixed a solution of amylase, at a concentration of
one arbitrary unit, with a starch solution. She timed how long it took for a measureable
amount of product to be formed.
She repeated this procedure with seven different concentrations of amylase. The
volume and concentration of the starch solution were kept constant.
The results of her investigation are given in the table below.
Concentration of amylase solution
/ arbitrary units

Time taken for a measureable amount

of product to be formed / seconds

360

185

135

90

75

60

50

44

(i) What effect does doubling the concentration of amylase solution have on the time
taken for a measureable amount of product to be formed?
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(1)
(ii) Explain the effect of doubling the amylase concentration on the rate of reaction.
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(2)

*N34030A0820*

Leave
blank

(iii) The investigation was repeated using DNA polymerase and starch solution but no
reaction took place. Explain why no reaction took place.
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(2)

Q3

(Total 10 marks)

*N34030A0920*

Turn over

BLANK PAGE

10

*N34030A01020*

Leave
blank

4.

In a rare genetic condition, familial hypercholesterolaemia, the blood low density

lipoprotein (LDL) level is raised.
An adult person believed to have this condition had a test to measure the blood LDL
levels. The result of this test and a reference table for familial hypercholesterolaemia are
shown below.
The adult persons blood LDL test result = 250 mg per dm3
Reference table for familial hypercholesterolaemia.
Blood LDL
/ mg per dm3

Possible phenotype

Possible genotype

75175

No
hypercholesterolaemia

hh

200400

Medium
hypercholesterolaemia

Hh

>450

High
hypercholesterolaemia

HH

(a) Use the above information to:

(i) Suggest the adult persons genotype.
................................................................................................................................
(1)
(ii) Suggest three reasons why a range of blood LDL is given in the table for the hh
genotype, rather than a single level.
1 ..............................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
2 ..............................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
3 ..............................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(3)

*N34030A01120*

11

Turn over

Leave
blank

(b) LDL can be removed from the blood by liver cells. Liver cells have LDL receptor
proteins in the cell surface membrane, which enable the cells to take up LDL from the
blood.
The mutation that causes familial hypercholesterolaemia is a deletion in the DNA
base sequence that codes for the LDL receptor protein.
(i) Explain how a deletion in the DNA base sequence, that codes for the LDL
receptor protein, can make a receptor protein that is non-functional.
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(3)
(ii) Suggest why a person, homozygous for familial hypercholesterolaemia (HH),
has the highest blood LDL level.
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(1)

12

*N34030A01220*

Leave
blank

(iii) The diagram below shows three DNA samples in an electrophoresis gel. One
sample comes from a person with the hh genotype, one from a person with the
Hh genotype and one from a person with the HH genotype.
Sample
1

Sample
2

Sample
3
Sample well

gel

Positive terminal

Suggest which of the three samples comes from the person with the HH genotype.
Give one reason for your answer.
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(2)

Q4

(Total 10 marks)

*N34030A01320*

13

Turn over

BLANK PAGE

14

*N34030A01420*

Leave
blank

5.

In the future, gene therapy may become a treatment for a number of inherited conditions.
(a) Describe the principles of gene therapy.
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
(3)
(b) Distinguish between somatic gene therapy and germ line gene therapy.
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
(2)

Q5

(Total 5 marks)

*N34030A01520*

15

Turn over

Leave
blank

6.

A study of the uptake of sodium ions was undertaken to compare facilitated diffusion with
active transport.
Two samples of tissue (P and Q), were taken from the same section of small intestine.
Both samples were placed in sodium chloride solutions of the same concentration. ATP
was added to the sodium chloride solution surrounding sample Q.

14

Sample Q

12
10
8
6

Sample P

0
0

Concentration of sodium ions inside the

tissue / arbitrary units

The sodium ion concentration inside each tissue sample was recorded every minute for
5 minutes. The results are shown in the graph below.

Time / minutes
(a) (i) Compare the uptake of sodium ions in the two samples over 5 minutes.
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(3)

16

*N34030A01620*

Leave
blank

(ii) Give one piece of evidence from the graph which confirms that active transport
is occurring in sample Q. Explain your answer.
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(2)
(b) Describe one difference between diffusion and facilitated diffusion.
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
(1)
(c) Exocytosis is another transport process that occurs in tissues.
Describe the process of exocytosis.
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
(2)

Q6

(Total 8 marks)

*N34030A01720*

17

Turn over

Leave
blank

7.

(a) The table below shows four structural features found in two carbohydrates. Complete
the table by placing a tick (9) in the box if the feature is present and a cross (8) if it is
absent.
Structural feature

Sucrose

Amylopectin

Glycosidic bonds present

Side chains present
Contains more than three
glucose monomers
(3)

18

*N34030A01820*

Leave
blank

(b) There are several ways a person can reduce the risk of obesity and heart disease. A
change of diet can reduce the risk.
The graph below shows the percentage of saturated and unsaturated fats in four
different cooking oils.

100

80
)%( taf egatnecreP

60

40

20

Flax

Olive

Sunflower

Walnut

cooking oil
Key
Saturated fats
Unsaturated fats
Using the information in the graph, suggest which cooking oil might be the best one
to reduce the risk of heart disease. Give a reason for your answer.
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
(2)
Question 7 continues on the next page

*N34030A01920*

19

Leave
blank

(c) The table below shows the average daily energy taken in and energy given out of four
different people.
Person

Energy taken in
/ KJ per day

Energy given out

/ KJ per day

9240

9240

9282

9330

9618

9198

8868

8868

(i) Suggest which person is most at risk of obesity. Give a reason for your answer.
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(2)
(ii) Exercise can reduce the risk of both obesity and heart disease. Suggest which
person is undertaking extreme exercise. Give a reason for your answer.
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 9 marks)
TOTAL FOR PAPER: 60 MARKS

END

20

*N34030A02020*

Q7