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O LevelBiologyCambridge (CIE)Exam Questions18. Biotechnology & Genetic Modification18.2 Genetic Modification

Genetic Modification (Cambridge (CIE) O Level Biology): Exam Questions

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18.2 Genetic Modification

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1a
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Genetic modification is a technique that can be used to create many useful substances.

Define the term genetic modification.

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1b
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Fig. 1 shows part of the process of genetic modification.

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Fig. 1

(i) Identify structure A.

[1]

(ii) Describe the function of structure A in the process of genetic modification.

[1]

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1c
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Structure A and B contain 'sticky ends'.

Explain the purpose of these.

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1d
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Enzyme X plays an important role in the process of genetic modification.

(i) Identify enzyme X and state its purpose in genetic modification.

[2]

(ii) Enzyme X leads to the formation of structure C. Give the name of structure C.

[1]

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2a
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Define the term genetically modified organism.

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2b
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Fig. 1 shows insecticide use and the percentage of land used to grow genetically modified (GM) corn in US cornfields between 1996 and 2013.

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Fig. 1

(i) Calculate the change in insecticide use between 1996 and 2010.

[2]

(ii) Describe what the data shows about insecticide use and the percentage of corn fields used to grow GM corn between 1996 and 2013.

[2]

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2c
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One way in which the corn in part (b) has been genetically modified is to provide the corn with resistance to pests.

Explain one benefit of pest resistant GM corn.

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1a
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Bacteria are useful in biotechnology and genetic engineering.

Fig. 1 shows a photomicrograph of a bacterium. 

screenshot-2022-10-12-16-17-39

Fig. 1

State the name of the process that is taking place in Fig. 1. 

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1b
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(i) Write the formula that would be used to calculate the actual width of the bacterium.

[1]

(ii) The actual width of the bacterium is 0.0008 mm. Convert this value to micrometres (μm).

[1]

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1c
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Genetically modified bacteria can produce human insulin. 

(i) State the name of the disease that can be treated with insulin injections.

[1]

(ii) Insulin is a protein.

Describe the process of using bacteria in genetic engineering to produce human proteins.

[5]

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1d
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Genetically modified bacteria are often grown in fermenters.

(i) Suggest why steam is used to clean fermenters.

[2]

(ii) State three conditions inside a fermenter that are measured and controlled.

[3]

(iii) State the name of one commercial product, other than insulin, that is made in fermenters.

[1]

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1e
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Crop plants can also be genetically modified. 

Describe the advantages of genetically modifying crops.

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1a
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Tissue plasminogen activators (TPAs) are human proteins that are used as drugs to break down blood clots.

TPAs break down blood clots by activating plasminogen. Plasminogen is a protein that is always present in the blood.

When activated, plasminogen forms a protease that breaks down fibrin molecules.

(i) Plasminogen is found in the plasma.

State what is meant by the term plasma.

[1]

(ii) State the products of the action of protease on the protein fibrin.

[1]

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1b
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TPAs can be produced by genetically-engineered bacteria.

Fig. 1 shows some of the stages involved in genetically engineering a bacterium to make a TPA.

cie-igcse-2019-paper4-5b

Fig. 1

(i) State the name of structure A in Fig. 1.

[1]

(ii) In the flow chart, X represents the action of an enzyme on a molecule of DNA.

State the name of this enzyme.

[1]

(iii) The TPA gene is inserted into structure A.

Explain how the gene is inserted into structure A to form structure B as shown in Fig. 1.

[3]

(iv) Before TPA was made by genetically-engineered bacteria it was only available from blood donated by people.

Suggest one advantage of producing TPA by genetically-engineered bacteria.

[1]

(v) The genetically-engineered bacteria produce mRNA that is a copy of the human TPA gene.

Explain the role of mRNA in the bacterium.

[2]

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