Paper reference: 0230903

B. Sc. Degree Examinations 2010

BIOLOGY METHODS AND GENERAL PAPER

Time allowed: 3 hours (three hours)
Answer TWO questions, ONE from the METHODS section of the paper and ONE from the GENERAL section of the paper.

You have been provided with TWO examination booklets. Complete each question answered in a separate examination booklet.

Put your examination number ONLY (NOT YOUR NAME) on each page of your examination booklet.

Put your examination number, paper reference number, title of paper and the appropriate question number on the front of the Examination Booklet.

Each question will be marked out of 100. Your mark for this paper will be the average of the two marks.

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Paper reference: 0230903 METHODS SECTION 1. You notice that a particular species of heathland plant, which is only found in southern England, has not moved its distribution northwards, even though the climate has warmed over the last 30 to 40 years. Outline a programme of observations, experiments and analyses that you would undertake to evaluate why its distribution has not changed. In a survey of a small, isolated pacific island, you discover over 50 new species of closely related beetles living in a wide variety of ecological niches. How would you investigate the mechanisms by which speciation occurs in these beetles? You have observed that there is variation in resistance to parasitoid wasps in a population of insects. These wasps oviposit into larvae of their hosts and kill the host during their development. When the insect is resistant, it encapsulates the wasps eggs, so the wasp larvae do not develop. Design a series of laboratory experiments to test whether the observed variation has a genetic basis and that a genetic trade-off between resistance and some other life-history trait maintains this genetic variation. You often see two species of small mammals feeding next to each other in fields of barley. Describe a programme of work to determine whether they are competing with one another. Rats are predominantly nocturnal, but some habitats, such as rubbish dumps, appear to harbour diurnal populations. Describe how you would determine what underlies these differences in behaviour. Two-Pore Channels (TPCs) are ion channels present on lysosomal membranes of animal epithelial cells. They release calcium ions from lysosomal stores in response to the metabolite nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP). Early indications showed that TPCs are expressed in plant vacuolar membranes. Outline a plan of investigation that would enable you to determine the biochemical/ cellular and the physiological functions of TPCs in plants. A metabolic pathway in a bacterium is activated in response to changes in the extracellular concentration of a small molecule. How would you establish the mechanistic basis of this activation? High-throughput sequencing analysis of a soil sample from an industrial site contaminated with toxic heavy metals reveals the prevalence of a gene with a similarity to a methyltransferase. It is hypothesised that the gene product could be involved in methylating heavy metals in order to resist their toxicity. Outline a research programme to identify the organism that contains this gene, monitor its expression and determine its biological activity.

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Paper reference: 0230903 9. Bioinformatics analysis of the mouse genome has identified a gene with weak sequence similarity to a gene known to encode a transcription factor. Outline an experimental strategy to test whether the gene product functions as a transcription factor. To investigate the diversity of the community of archaea in soil, you have extracted DNA from soil and employed 16S rRNA PCR. PCR products were cloned into a vector and 10 colonies were picked and sequenced at random. All 10 sequences were identified as the same species A based on a sequence identity of 99% or greater. A second sample from the same site was analysed using the same methodology and provided 10 sequences from a different single species B. Outline the experiments you would perform to determine whether this result accurately reflected the community structure or was affected by laboratory artifacts. You have cloned a fibroblastic cell line from a mouse tumour that migrates twice as fast in culture as normal fibroblasts. Design a set of experiments to determine the molecular mechanism underlying this difference in behaviour. By screening a chemical library, you have identified a compound that prevents root hair elongation in Arabidopsis. Describe a series of experiments to determine the mode of action of the chemical. A novel putative cytokine has been isolated from macrophages and it has over 70% sequence homology with a previously identified proinflammatory chemokine. Describe how you would test the biological function of the novel molecule. The survival and distributions of native fly species are likely to be affected by climate change. Design and outline a laboratory-based research programme using Drosophila melanogaster to address the physiological and genetic basis of these effects. You suspect a bacterial pathogen is being transmitted to family pets from humans. Discuss how you would identify the causative agent and suggest how the disease may be brought under control.

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Paper reference: 0230903 GENERAL SECTION 16. What are the risks associated with translocation as a strategy for conserving endangered species? Why does genetic variation matter? Spiteful behaviours are those that impose a cost on both the actor and the recipient. Explain how spiteful behaviour might evolve. Why do cryptic prey species often exhibit colour polymorphisms? Discuss strategies for the eradication of malaria. Most gene expression studies use methods to assess accumulation of RNA rather than protein. Discuss why this is the case and whether it is likely to lead to inappropriate conclusions. To what extent can a proteins function be predicted from knowledge of its structure? How are electrochemical gradients established in a cell and why are they important? Analogies are often drawn between computers and living things. How useful and valid are such analogies? Compare and contrast eukaryotic and prokaryotic protein secretion. Is taxonomy still important? What are the likely impacts of cheap and efficient high throughput DNA sequencing on biological research? Discuss the role of sub-cellular compartmentalisation in cell biology. What are the challenges faced in designing anti-viral vaccines? Discuss the benefit of studying the same signalling pathway in several different species.

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