YEAR 10 BIOLOGY REVISION ONE

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

1. For most living things DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID (DNA) is the molecule that determines their
characteristics. It also contributes to the diversity of living things.

2. DNA is made up of molecules called nucleotides. Nucleotide molecules have three main parts
– A PHOSPHATE GROUP, DEOXYRIBOSE SUGAR AND ONE OF FOUR NITROGENOUS
BASES.

3. The nucleotides are organised in a way that makes DNA a double helix. The shape of a double
helix is like a twisted rope ladder. The uprights are made of alternating phosphate and sugar
groups. The nitrogen-rich bases (commonly called bases) pair up to form the rungs. The four
bases ADENINE (A), THYMINE (T), GUANINE (G) and CYTOSINE (C) all have different chemical
structures. This means they can only pair up in one way, a characteristic known as
complementary base pairing. Adenine can only form a complimentary base pair with thymine (A–
T) and guanine can only pair with cytosine (G–C).

4. Therefore, there are two types of ‘rungs’ on the ‘ladder’: A-T rungs and C-G rungs. This can be
seen in the figure below.

5. Chromosomes are long, thin, threadlike structures found in the nucleus of cells. Chromosomes
are made up of DNA and protein. The cells in the human body each contain 46 chromosomes (in
23 pairs).
 YEAR 10 BIOLOGY REVISION ONE

6. Genes are sections of DNA. Each chromosome can have over 1000 genes. The differences
between one gene and the next is the order of the bases along the DNA strand and the length of
the DNA strand. The order of the bases along the DNA strand is the genetic code. Each gene
codes (contains instructions) for a specific protein. Proteins control many characteristics or
functions in the body. Proteins include the structural materials that build up your cells and tissues,
most hormones and all enzymes.

7. All the cells in your body have nuclei that contain chromosomes made of DNA. Each cell
contains exact copies of the chromosomes that were in the original zygote that became you. This
means that it must be possible to copy DNA molecules. This process of copying DNA is known as
REPLICATION.

8. Replication occurs on both of the exposed strands of DNA, and the result is two identical
molecules of DNA. The diagram below shows chromosomes after replication. Each replicated
chromosome has the two identical molecules which are now called CHROMATIDS. After the
chromosome replicates, the two copies are joined at the CENTROMERE.

9. Cells divide or replicate when organisms grow. Unicellular organisms also reproduce by cell
division using a process called MITOSIS. For the reproduction of most multicellular organisms, a
more complicated method, called MEIOSIS, produces sex cells that fuse to make a new organism.
There are two types of cell division:

 Mitosis produces two daughter cells that are identical to the parent cell. This is the type of
cell division involved in growth and repair of the body.
 Meiosis produces gametes (eggs and sperm) that have half the number of chromosomes of
the parent cell.

10. In your body cells, there are 46 chromosomes, half of which came from your father and half
from your mother. The number of chromosomes in your body is the DIPLOID NUMBER. The
diploid number is also described as 2N, which means two sets. In your gametes (sex cells), there
must be half this number of chromosomes. Eggs and sperm have only one copy of each
chromosome, called the HAPLOID NUMBER.

11. Of the 46 chromosomes in your cells, two are sex chromosomes – the ones that determine
whether you are a male or a female. The other 44 chromosomes are not sex chromosomes and
are known as autosomes.

12. The two fish below look the same but have different genes. Biologists use special terms to
describe this situation.

The type of genes in an organism is called its GENOTYPE. What the organism looks like or its
physical characteristics is called its PHENOTYPE. In this example, both fish have the same
phenotype but different genotypes. The fish with the genotype BB is said to be HOMOZYGOUS, or
a pure breeder, because both the alleles for the skin colour gene are the same. The other fish with
the genotype Bb is said to be HETEROZYGOUS, or HYBRID, because its two alleles for skin
colour gene are different. So, the first fish in the diagram could be described as being a
homozygous black fish, while the other one is heterozygous black.
 YEAR 10 BIOLOGY REVISION ONE

13. One of the easiest ways of predicting is to use a PUNNETT SQUARE. In the Punnett square
below, two heterozygous black fish have been crossed.

Using a Punnett square, you can predict on average that, for each red baby fish, three black baby
fish will be produced.

14. With dominant and recessive inheritance, one gene masks or hides the effects of another.
However, genes do not always work in this way. If a black mouse is crossed with a white mouse,
the offspring are grey. This is called INCOMPLETE DOMINANCE. This is a case where some
genes do not have dominant or recessive alleles. The alleles show incomplete dominance, and the
appearance of a heterozygous individual results from a ‘blending’ of two such alleles.

15. Your two sex chromosomes determine which sex you are. All the eggs produced by a female
will have one X chromosome. Half the male’s sperm will carry an X chromosome and the other half
will have a Y chromosome. If a sperm containing an X chromosome fertilises an egg, then the
offspring will be female (XX). If a sperm carrying a Y chromosome fertilises an egg, then the
offspring will be male (XY).

16. Males have only one X chromosome, so if they get an X chromosome with a faulty gene they
will develop the disease. Diseases such as colour blindness, haemophilia and Duchenne muscular
dystrophy are passed on in this way. They are SEX-LINKED DISEASES which, because they are
passed on via the X chromosome, are also referred to as X-LINKED DISEASES.

17. It is very time consuming to draw Punnett squares and work out genotypes from this. It is often
easier to draw GENETIC PEDIGREES or family trees to show the information.

18. If the chromatids fail to separate during meiosis, the child will be born with an extra
chromosome or part of a chromosome. This is called CHROMOSOMAL ABNORMALITY.
Examples include Down syndrome and Klinefelter’s syndrome. Mistakes can happen as DNA is
copied. The base sequence is changed, and mistakes occur in the manufacture of proteins. This
type of change is called a MUTATION. Mutations may arise spontaneously (by chance) or result
from damage to a strand of DNA. UV radiation, nuclear radiation and certain chemicals such as
nicotine and asbestos can cause mutations. If the mutation occurs in the eggs or sperm, then there
is a chance that they will be passed on to the next generation. Environmental factors called
MUTAGENS can increase the frequency of mutations.
 YEAR 10 BIOLOGY REVISION ONE

QUESTIONS

1. Match the following words to their meanings: zygote, alleles, heterozygous, chromosomes.

(a) Thread-like bodies seen in the nucleus of a cell when the cell is about to divide: chromosomes

(b) Different versions of a gene: alleles

(c) The cell produced by the joining of a sperm and an egg: zygote

(d) A type of organism that contains two different versions of a particular gene: heterozygous

2. Which of the following are true (T) and which are false (F)?

(a) Chromosomes are made up of DNA: T

(b) Co-dominance occurs when the offspring show a blend of the characteristics of the parents: F

(c) In X-linked inheritance, the male will always show the disease if he inherits a faulty X
chromosome: T

(d) The term ‘genome’ is used to describe all the genetic material an organism has: T

3. Study the following diagram carefully.

(a) If circle 1 represents a body cell, then what do the objects inside the circle represent?

chromosomes

(b) What does the letter A represent?

A dominant form of an allele

(c) What process does the diagram show?

meiosis

(d) Where would this process take place in the body of a female?

In order to produce egg cells

(e) How many chromosomes would be found in cell 1? How many chromosomes would be found in
cell 4?

2 chromosomes in cell 1 and 1 chromosomes in cell 4

4. A strand of DNA contains the bases AAGTC.

(a) What is the sequence of bases on the other matching strand of DNA?

TTCAG

(b) How are the two strands of DNA held together in the double helix?

They are held together by hydrogen bonds

5. Complete the sentences below using the listed words in the box.

ALLELES, BASES, CHROMOSOMES, DNA, DOMINANT, GENES, GENOME, GENOTYPE,

(1) are found in the nuclei of cells. They carry (2), which determine what an organism looks like
and how it functions.

1: chromosomes

2: genes

Body cells contain pairs of chromosomes while (3) contain only single chromosomes. When
fertilisation occurs, the single chromosomes form pairs in the cells of the new organism.

3: sex cells

Sex in humans is determined by sex chromosomes – females have a pair of (4) chromosomes and
males have an X and a (5).

4: X

5: Y

Chromosomes are made of (6). The sequence of the (7) on the DNA determines which types of
proteins will be made.

6: DNA

7: bases

(8) alter the sequence of bases in cells, and occur spontaneously or from exposure to (9) or certain
chemicals.

8: Mutations

9: radiation
 YEAR 10 BIOLOGY REVISION ONE

The whole of an organism’s genetic information found in its DNA is called its (10).

10: Genome

Different versions of a gene, called (11), are found at the same location on a pair of chromosomes.

11: Alleles

For an inherited characteristic, the (12) form of the gene, masks the recessive one.

12: dominant

The (13) of an organism is the types of genes it contains, whereas its physical characteristics are
called its (14).

13: genotype

14: phenotype

6. Look at the following diagram.

(a) What does this diagram represent?

DNA

(b) What do the letters A, T, G and C stand for?

Adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine

(c) Bases are normally arranged along a strand of DNA in sets of three, as shown. Why do you
think this is?

This is how they are read from codons in order to produce different amino acids for proteins
 YEAR 10 BIOLOGY REVISION ONE

(d) What at the sets of three letters called, and what do they code for?

Codons, they code for amino acids which code for protein

7. Look at the following crosses between pea plants.

(a) What is meant by ‘pure-breeding tall pea plants’? What is another name for ‘pure’?

Pure-breeding tall pea plants are plants which are homozygous for the tall pea plant allele. Another
name for pure is homozygous

(b) What would the genotype and phenotypes of the parents and offspring be from each cross?

The parents genotype would either be TT or tt, their phenotype respectively would be tall and
small. Their offspring would have Tt genotype and their phenotype would be tall. The offspring for
those would could be either TT, Tt or tt, phenotype being either 75% chance of tall and 25%
chance of small.

(c) What type of inheritance is this? How do you know?

Dominant and recessive inheritance as the genes for this inheritance is either dominant or
recesisve

(d) Who was the first person to identify this type of inheritance pattern?

Gregor Mendel
 YEAR 10 BIOLOGY REVISION ONE

8. Horses have a total of 64 chromosomes in each of their somatic (body) cells. Male horses have
an X and a Y chromosome in their cells.

(a) How many pairs of chromosomes are found in the body cells of horses?

32

(b) How many chromosomes are found in the sperm of a horse?

32

(c) Which chromosome do sperm carry?

An x sperm and a y sperm

9. Read the list of observations below. Put each observation into the correct group—genetic
variation (GM) or environmental variation(EV).

a. Some types of apples are sweeter than others: GM

b. A mother mouse can produce a litter with different coat patterns: GM

c. People who eat a balanced diet do not get the disease scurvy: EV

d. Boxers often have scars on their faces: EV

e. If two cuttings from a rose bush are taken, the one that is planted in compost will grow better
than the one planted in sand: EV

f. A brother and sister often have the same shape of nose: GM

g. In a field of corn the plants growing under an overhead power line are smaller than the others:
EV

10. The results of a genetic investigation into coat colour of mice is shown below.

Colour of male Colour of Colour of baby

1 brown black all brown

all black
3 black black

a. What colour seems to be dominant? How do you know?

Brown as when put together with the black allele, all of the offspring produced had a phenotype of
brown

b. How can the results of the second mating be explained?

The two mice in the second mating were heterozygous so therefore brown mice often showed up
as the allele for brown mice is dominant over the black allele, but there was a chance that black
mice could be produced if it inherited both black alleles from each parent

11. Having attached ear lobes is an inherited characteristic. Answer the following questions true (T)
or false (F).

a. A person born with attached earlobes can lose this characteristic in later life: F

b. Earlobe information can only be passed to the child by its mother: F

c. Earlobe information is carried by a gene: T

d. The appearance of your earlobes can be affected by changes in the season: F

e. If both parents have attached earlobes it is likely that they will have a child who has attached
earlobes: T

f. If both parents have attached earlobes it is possible that they will have a child who does not have
attached earlobes: F most of the time depends on dominance

12. In watermelons, green fruit colour (G) is dominant to striped fruit colour (g). Use the Punnett
squares below to work out the expected genotype and phenotype of the following crosses:

(a) Two striped fruit were crossed.

Female Gametes

g g
 YEAR 10 BIOLOGY REVISION ONE

gg gg
Male g
Gametes gg gg
g

Possible Genotypes: gg

Possible Phenotypes: striped fruit colour

(b) A heterozygous (hybrid) green and a striped fruit were crossed.

Female Gametes

G g

Gg gg
Male g
Gametes g Gg gg

Possible Genotypes: 50% Gg, 50% gg

Possible Phenotypes: 50% green fruit colour and 50% striped colour