plumiThe genetic code and protein synthesis: Edexcel International A Level Biology questions
Every Edexcel International A Level Biology exam question on The genetic code and protein synthesis (specification points 2.11–2.13), 2019–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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Q5(b)
The whole paper ↗Q5(c)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q5(c)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q6(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗Your answerQ6(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q6(b)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Q6(c)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Q7(b)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Your answerQ5(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q3(a)
The whole paper ↗Q3(b)
The whole paper ↗Q3(c)
The whole paper ↗Q2(a)
The whole paper ↗Q2(b)
The whole paper ↗Q2(c)
The whole paper ↗Q3(a)
The whole paper ↗Q3(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q3(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q1(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q1(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗
All 42 questions on The genetic code and protein synthesis, as a list
- June 2025, AS Unit 1, Q5(b) (3 marks): Protein synthesis increases as a cell grows. Describe the roles of messenger RNA (mRNA) and transfer RNA (tRNA) in protein synthesis. (3)
- June 2025, AS Unit 1, Q5(c)(i) (2 marks): Give one advantage and one disadvantage of using a Voronoi diagram to present this information. (2) Advantage Disadvantage
- June 2025, AS Unit 1, Q5(c)(ii) (6 marks): The proportions of these molecules change as a bacterial cell prepares to divide, as it divides into two new bacterial cells and as each new bacterial cell grow
- June 2025, Unit 4, Q6(b)(i) (1 mark): Which is the mean number of bases in the template (antisense) strand of one region that codes for a protein? (1) A 239 B 476 C 714 D 1 429
- June 2025, Unit 4, Q6(b)(ii) (2 marks): Suggest two reasons why this DNA contains more than 150 000 base pairs. (2)
- June 2025, Unit 4, Q6(b)(iii) (4 marks): Describe the roles of the proteins: • RNA polymerase • ribosomal protein • RUBISCO • ATP synthetase. (4)
- January 2025, AS Unit 1, Q6(c)(iii) (2 marks): Another drug, used to treat FH, is a short antisense strand of DNA from the apo B gene. Suggest how this antisense strand of DNA would reduce the levels of apo
- January 2025, AS Unit 2, Q7(b)(iii) (1 mark): Which row gives the names of the molecules labelled X and Z? (1) Molecule X Molecule Z A polypeptide DNA strand B polypeptide RNA strand C polysaccharide DNA st
- October 2024, AS Unit 1, Q5(b)(i) (2 marks): Describe the role of mRNA in the production of enzymes. (2)
- June 2024, AS Unit 1, Q3(a) (2 marks): Describe the role of RNA polymerase in protein synthesis. (2)
- June 2024, AS Unit 1, Q3(b) (3 marks): Compare and contrast the structure of the start and stop codons and how they work. (3)
- June 2024, AS Unit 1, Q3(c) (2 marks): Describe the roles of the ribosomes in protein synthesis. (2)
- January 2024, AS Unit 1, Q2(a) (2 marks): Triplet code (2)
- January 2024, AS Unit 1, Q2(b) (2 marks): Non-overlapping code (2)
- January 2024, AS Unit 1, Q2(c) (2 marks): Degenerate code (2)
- October 2023, AS Unit 1, Q3(a) (2 marks): The rate of protein synthesis is dependent on a number of factors. The graph shows the effect of the mass of protein in the diet on the rate of protein synthesi
- October 2023, AS Unit 1, Q3(b)(i) (1 mark): Name the two stages in protein synthesis, in the order that they occur. (1) Stage 1 Stage 2
- October 2023, AS Unit 1, Q3(b)(ii) (4 marks): Describe the roles of messenger RNA (mRNA) and transfer RNA (tRNA) in protein synthesis. (4)
- June 2023, AS Unit 1, Q1(a)(i) (1 mark): Complete the diagram to show the sequence of bases in this mRNA. (1)
- June 2023, AS Unit 1, Q1(a)(ii) (1 mark): Name this stage of protein synthesis. (1)
- June 2023, AS Unit 1, Q1(a)(iii) (1 mark): Name the enzyme used in this stage of protein synthesis. (1)
- June 2023, AS Unit 1, Q5(c)(i) (1 mark): Variegin is a peptide consisting of 32 amino acids. Which is the minimum number of bases in the gene that codes for this peptide? (1) A 32 B 33 C 96 D 99
- January 2023, AS Unit 1, Q8(c)(i) (3 marks): Explain how the alleles present in individual 3 result in the proteins found on the surfaces of his red blood cells. (3)
- January 2023, Unit 4, Q8(a)(i) (3 marks): Describe how the viral RNA is translated. (3)
- January 2023, Unit 5, Q8(e) (2 marks): Explain what is meant by the phrase ‘mitochondrial proteome’ (paragraph 7). (2)
- January 2022, AS Unit 1, Q4(a) (1 mark): Give the meaning of the term gene. (1)
- January 2022, AS Unit 1, Q8(a)(i) (1 mark): Give the seventh triplet code in the gene for the β‑globin chain in a person who has sickle cell disease. (1)
- January 2022, AS Unit 2, Q3(a) (2 marks): The diameter of one spherical liposome was 75 nm. Calculate the volume of this liposome using the formula: V = 4 3 πr3 Give your answer in standard form. (2) An
- October 2021, AS Unit 1, Q6(b)(iii) (3 marks): In AHP, toxic porphyrin molecules build up. The synthesis of the haem component of haemoglobin involves several steps. Each step in the synthesis of haem is cat
- October 2021, Unit 5, Q6(a)(i) (1 mark): Which is the function of tRNA in cytokine synthesis? (1) A identifies an amino acid and transports it to a ribosome B identifies a base and transports it to a r
- October 2021, Unit 5, Q6(e) (3 marks): CD45 is a protein found on the surface of lymphocytes. Different forms of the CD45 protein are found on the surface of different lymphocytes. Describe how diffe
- January 2021, AS Unit 1, Q1(b)(ii) (1 mark): Name the process that synthesises a mRNA strand using the DNA template strand. (1)
- October 2020, AS Unit 1, Q6(a) (6 marks): Explain the nature of the genetic code. Use information in the table to support your answer. (6)
- October 2020, AS Unit 1, Q6(b)(i) (1 mark): Give the sequence of amino acids that is coded for by these bases. (1)
- October 2020, AS Unit 1, Q6(b)(ii) (5 marks): Explain the possible effects on a protein if there is a substitution mutation in the 9th base in this DNA strand. Use information in the table to support your a
- June 2019, AS Unit 1, Q3(a)(i) (1 mark): Complete the diagram to show the sequence of amino acids coded by this DNA base sequence. (1)
- June 2019, AS Unit 1, Q3(a)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why only five amino acids are coded by this sequence of bases. (2)
- June 2019, AS Unit 1, Q3(b) (3 marks): Explain why some amino acids, such as alanine, have more than one genetic code. (3)
- June 2019, AS Unit 1, Q3(c)(i) (1 mark): Calculate the percentage of genetic codes that code for amino acids. Give your answer to four significant figures. (1) Answer %
- June 2019, AS Unit 1, Q3(c)(ii) (2 marks): Explain the role of the other three genetic codes. (2)
- June 2019, AS Unit 1, Q3(d) (1 mark): Messenger RNA (mRNA) and transfer RNA (tRNA) are involved in the synthesis of a polypeptide chain from DNA. Which row of the table shows the codon on mRNA and t
- June 2019, AS Unit 1, Q8(b)(iii) (3 marks): Transfer RNA (tRNA) is involved in translation. The amino acid AzPhe requires a special tRNA molecule during the synthesis of silk. Suggest why AzPhe is not ins
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