DNA [78 marks]

1. 23M.2.HL.TZ1.7

All living organisms contain chromosomes. In addition to acting as stores of genetic information,
these chromosomes are involved in a range of active processes during the life of a cell and of an
organism.

(a) Outline the changes to chromosomes that occur during prophase in the first division of
meiosis.

[4]

(b) Describe the processes that are carried out by enzymes that bind to DNA.

[7]

(c) Explain the effects that the environment can have on DNA in living organisms.

[4]

2. 22N.1.SL.TZ0.6

What is the arrangement of subunits in a DNA nucleotide?

A. sugar – base – phosphate

B. sugar – phosphate – base

C. phosphate – sugar – base

D. sugar – phosphate – base – base – phosphate – sugar

[1]

3. 22N.1.SL.TZ0.10

A DNA triplet on the strand that is transcribed has the bases TAG. Which anticodon on tRNA is
used in translation?

A. AUC

B. UAG

C. TAG

D. ATC

[1]

4. 22N.1.SL.TZ0.11

Cells were grown in heavy nitrogen (15N) for many generations and then grown in light nitrogen
(14N) for two rounds of DNA replication. Which diagram shows the result of the centrifuged
DNA?
 [1]

5. 22N.1.HL.TZ0.7

What is the arrangement of the components of nucleotides in a single DNA strand?

[1]

6. 22M.1.SL.TZ1.6

What are linked by hydrogen bonds?

A. Hydrogen and oxygen within a water molecule

C. Base and sugar between DNA nucleotides

D. Hydrogen and oxygen in different water molecules

[1]

7. 22M.1.SL.TZ1.7

Which reaction occurs when a dipeptide is formed from amino acids?

A. Hydrolysis

B. Condensation

C. Transcription

D. Oxidation

[1]

8. 22M.1.SL.TZ1.9

A molecule of DNA is found to contain 200 guanine bases, representing 25 % of the total number
of bases. How many phosphate groups does this molecule of DNA contain?

A. 50

B. 200

C. 800

D. 1000

[1]

9. 22M.1.SL.TZ1.10

What is the minimum number of nucleotides needed to code for a polypeptide composed of 210
amino acids?

A. 70

B. 210

C. 420

D. 630

[1]

10. 22M.1.SL.TZ2.11

What is a function of the enzyme helicase?

A. It coils DNA up into a double helical shape.

C. It breaks hydrogen bonds between the DNA strands.

D. It forms temporary hydrogen bonds to produce messenger RNA.

[1]

11. 22M.2.HL.TZ1.8

(a) Draw a labelled diagram to show the structure of a single nucleotide of RNA.

[3]

(b) Describe how DNA profiling can be used to establish paternity.

[5]

(c) Explain the reasons for variation in human height.

[7]

12. 22M.2.HL.TZ2.5

DNA forms chromosomes, but much of eukaryote DNA is non-coding.

(a.i) Describe the structure of nucleosomes.

[1]

(a.ii) Explain how the two strands of the DNA double helix are held together.

[2]

(a.iii) There are multiple tandem repeats of nucleotide segments of DNA found in the non-coding
DNA between genes. Outline how tandem repeats are used for DNA profiling.

[3]

People can be analysed genetically for risks of specific diseases before they actually develop.
One of these is type I diabetes.

(b.i) Explain what happens in a person when they develop type I diabetes.

[2]
 (b.ii) State how type I diabetes should be treated to avoid harmful health consequences of the
condition.

[1]

13. 21N.1.SL.TZ0.10

What is the correct arrangement for the components of one strand in a DNA molecule?

[1]

14. 21N.1.SL.TZ0.11

The data shows part of the genetic code for mRNA. Which anticodon could be found on a tRNA
molecule bonded to lysine?

A. AAG
 B. UUC

C. TTT

D. GAA

[1]

15. 21M.1.SL.TZ1.9

The hydrolysis of a pure sample of an organic molecule produces a pentose sugar, thymine,
guanine and cytosine. What other substances could be expected to be present in the hydrolysed
sample?

A. RNA

B. Uracil

C. Phosphate

D. ATP

[1]

16. 21M.1.SL.TZ2.9

Which feature is common to both mRNA and DNA?

A. Covalent bonds between adjacent nucleotides

B. Hydrogen bonds between guanine and cytosine

C. Ribose sugar attached to phosphate

D. Antiparallel arrangement of polynucleotide strands

[1]

17. 20N.2.SL.TZ0.4

(a) Sketch the complementary strand to complete the section of a DNA diagram.

[3]
 (b.i) Define mutation.

[1]

(b.ii) Explain how evolution by natural selection depends on mutations.

[4]

18. 19M.1.SL.TZ1.10

The gene that codes for a particular polypeptide includes the base sequence shown.

GAGTACCCT

What is the base sequence of the mRNA molecule which is complementary to this sequence?

A. GAGTACCCT

B. CTCATGGGA

C. GUGTUCCCT

D. CUCAUGGGA

[1]

19. 19M.1.HL.TZ1.7

What is common to RNA and DNA?

A. Thymine

B. Nitrogenous bases

C. Histones

D. Deoxyribose

[1]

20. 19M.2.HL.TZ2.7

(a) Distinguish between the structures of DNA and RNA.

[3]

(b) Mendel found the same pattern of inheritance in all the crosses that he performed. Outline,
with examples, different types of inheritance that produce non-Mendelian ratios.

[4]

(c) Explain the cause of sickle cell anemia and how this disease affects humans.

[8]

21. 18M.1.SL.TZ1.12

What do DNA replication, transcription and translation have in common?

B. Require free nucleotides

C. Catalysed by polymerase

D. Complementary base pairing

[1]

© International Baccalaureate Organization, 2024