Genetic Engineering

Edexcel Biology GCSE - Genetic Engineering PhysicsAndMathsTutor.
com
Questions
Q1.
Penicillin, isolated from a fungus, was the first antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections and
is still widely used today
Scientists have genetically engineered bacteria to produce large amounts of penicillin.
Describe how scientists would produce a genetically modified bacterium that produces
penicillin.
(4)
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(Total for question = 4 marks)

Edexcel Biology GCSE - Genetic Engineering PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
Q2.
Figure 2 shows some information about two types of cattle.
Describe how these types of cattle could be selectively bred to produce cattle that can
survive high temperatures and have good meat quality.
(2)
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Q3.
The population of humans on Earth has increased significantly, leading to food shortages.
The growth of drought-resistant crop plants could lead to an increase in food supply.
Describe how drought-resistant crop plants can be produced.

(3)
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Q4.
Describe how racehorses alive today have been selectively bred to run faster.
(3)
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Q5.
A scientist was trying to produce plants that are tolerant to acidic soil.
The scientist has 100 plant seeds.
(i) Describe the method the scientist could use to grow plants from these seeds that are
tolerant to low levels of acid in the soil.
(2)
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(ii) The scientist wants to use these plants in a selective breeding programme to produce
plants that could grow in higher levels of acid.
Describe how the scientist could use these plants in a selective breeding programme.
(2)
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(iii) Explain one benefit of producing food crops that can be grown in acidic soil.
(2)
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Q6.
Human growth hormone (hGH) can be used as a medical treatment.
Before 1980, hGH was extracted from the pituitary glands of humans after they had died.
Since 1980, hGH can be produced by bacteria that have been genetically modified.
(i) Describe the advantages of producing hGH using genetically modified bacteria.
(2)
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Answer the question with a cross in the box you think is correct . If you change
your mind about an answer, put a line through the box and then mark your new
answer with a cross .
(ii) Figure 4 shows a percentile growth chart for the height of girls aged 2 – 20.
Figure 4
Which girl is most likely to need to be treated with human growth hormone?
(1)
A a 7 year old who is 125 cm tall
B a 9 year old who is 135 cm tall
C a 10 year old who is 145 cm tall
D a 12 year old who is 128 cm tall

Q7.
* Bacteria have been genetically engineered to produce human insulin since 1978.
Explain how bacteria can be genetically engineered to produce human insulin.

(6)
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Q8.
Bacterial cells can be genetically modified using enzymes to produce the hormone insulin.
Explain how enzymes are used to produce a genetically modified plasmid in a bacterial cell.
(3)
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Q9.
Yeast cells can be genetically modified to produce a painkiller.
This painkiller is usually obtained from opium poppies.
One method for genetically modifying a yeast cell uses a plasmid containing the desired
gene.
(i) Explain how a gene can be inserted into a plasmid.

(2)
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(ii) Discuss the possible benefits and risks of producing painkillers from genetically modified
yeast cells rather than extracting the painkillers from poppies.
(3)
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Q10.
* Figure 14 shows two varieties of potato plant.
Figure 14
New varieties of potato plant can be produced by selective breeding.
Explain how selective breeding of the two varieties of potato plants can produce new potato
plants that are all faster growing and produce many, large potatoes.
(6)
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Q11.
Figure 8 shows a plasmid containing the human insulin gene.
Explain how the human insulin gene can be inserted into a plasmid.
(3)
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Q12.
Chymosin can be produced by genetically modified bacteria.
Figure 12 shows a bacterial cell.
Explain how to genetically modify a bacterial cell to produce chymosin.

(3)
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Q13.
Some crop plants have been genetically engineered to produce toxic chemicals in their
leaves.
Explain one advantage of producing these genetically modified crop plants.

(2)
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Q14.
* Some crop plants have been genetically modified to be resistant to insect pests.
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of producing genetically modified crop plants.
(6)
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Q15.
Farmers selectively breed chickens to produce larger chickens.

Figure 9 shows how the size of chickens has changed over time.
(i) Explain how farmers have used selective breeding to produce larger chickens.
(3)
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(ii) Describe one benefit and one risk of selectively breeding chickens.
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Q16.
Figure 9 shows a plant with plantlets growing from it.
If a plantlet touches soil, it will grow roots and become a new plant.
This is an example of asexual reproduction.
Figure 11 shows the characteristics of three different varieties of this plant.
A gardener wants to use selective breeding to produce a plant with large green and white
striped leaves and large white flowers.
Explain which plants the gardener should use.

(3)
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Q17.
Figure 5 shows the leaf of a wheat plant with a fungal disease.
Give two benefits of breeding wheat plants that are resistant to fungal disease.
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Q18.
GM crops often produce a larger yield than non-GM crops.
Give one reason why this could reduce the destruction of forests.
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(Total for question = 1 mark)

Q19.
Figure 15 shows a method of producing plants.
Figure 15
(i) Some cells in each plantlet develop into root cells.

Name the process occurring as these cells develop into root cells.
(1)
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(ii) Describe the advantages of producing plants by the method shown in Figure 15.
(2)
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(iii) An autoclave is used to prepare the agar growth medium used in Step 2.
Explain why the agar growth medium is autoclaved.
(2)
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(iv) One of the plantlets had different coloured leaves.

Give one reason why this plantlet had different coloured leaves.
(1)
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Q20.
Figure 9 shows the number of organ transplants needed and the number of donors available
in the USA from 1991 to 2018.
(i) Compare the number of donors available with the number of organ transplants needed
from 1991 to 2018.
Use information from the graph to support your answer.
(3)
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(ii) State why scientists are genetically engineering animals for organ transplants.
(1)
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Q21.
Some crop plants are genetically modified to make them resistant to attack by insect pests.
State one disadvantage of genetically modified crop plants.
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(Total for question = 1 mark)

Mark Scheme
Q1.
Q2.
Q3.
Q4.
Q5.
Q6.
Q7.
Q8.
Q9.
Q10.
Q11.
Q12.
Q13.
Q14.
Q15.
Q16.
Q17.
Q18.
Q19.
Q20.
Q21.

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Edexcel Biology GCSE - Genetic Engineering PhysicsAndMathsTutor.

Scientists have genetically engineered bacteria to produce large amounts of penicillin.

(Total for question = 4 marks)

Figure 2 shows some information about two types of cattle.

(Total for question = 2 marks)

Describe how drought-resistant crop plants can be produced.

(Total for question = 3 marks)

(Total for question = 3 marks)

(Total for question = 6 marks)

Human growth hormone (hGH) can be used as a medical treatment.

B a 9 year old who is 135 cm tall

C a 10 year old who is 145 cm tall

D a 12 year old who is 128 cm tall

(Total for question = 3 marks)

Explain how bacteria can be genetically engineered to produce human insulin.

(Total for question = 6 marks)

(Total for question = 3 marks)

Yeast cells can be genetically modified to produce a painkiller.

This painkiller is usually obtained from opium poppies.

(i) Explain how a gene can be inserted into a plasmid.

(Total for question = 5 marks)

* Figure 14 shows two varieties of potato plant.

New varieties of potato plant can be produced by selective breeding.

Figure 8 shows a plasmid containing the human insulin gene.

(Total for question = 3 marks)

Chymosin can be produced by genetically modified bacteria.

Figure 12 shows a bacterial cell.

Explain how to genetically modify a bacterial cell to produce chymosin.

(Total for question = 3 marks)

Explain one advantage of producing these genetically modified crop plants.

(Total for question = 2 marks)

(Total for question = 6 marks)

Farmers selectively breed chickens to produce larger chickens.

Figure 9 shows a plant with plantlets growing from it.

This is an example of asexual reproduction.

Figure 11 shows the characteristics of three different varieties of this plant.

Explain which plants the gardener should use.

Figure 5 shows the leaf of a wheat plant with a fungal disease.

(Total for question = 2 marks)

GM crops often produce a larger yield than non-GM crops.

(Total for question = 1 mark)

Figure 15 shows a method of producing plants.

(i) Some cells in each plantlet develop into root cells.

(iv) One of the plantlets had different coloured leaves.

(Total for question = 6 marks)

(Total for question = 4 marks)

State one disadvantage of genetically modified crop plants.

(Total for question = 1 mark)

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