AP Bio FRQ

Describe the three structural components of an RNA nucleotide monomer. Explain the role of RNA polymerase during transcription.

a five-carbon sugar (ribose), a phosphate group, and a nitrogen base (adenine, cytosine, guanine, or uracil). RNA polymerase joins or bonds the newly paired RNA nucleotide and the growing RNA strand with a covalent bond.

Identify the dependent variable in the experiments. Identify a control group missing from the second experiment. Justify the need for this control group in the second experiment.

The dependent variable is identified as the maximum elongation rate of the mRNA. Experimental strain from the first experiment without amanitin.

The justification that the missing control is needed because the effect of amanitin on the maximum elongation rate cannot be determined without comparison to the maximum elongation rate under the same conditions without amanitin

Describe the effect of amanitin on the maximum elongation rate for the wild-type and modified RNA polymerases. Determine the ratio of the average maximum elongation rate for the modified RNA polymerase compared to the wild strain RNA polymerase in Figure 1.

Amanitin decreases the maximum elongation rate for the wild strain and does not affect the rate in the experimental strain. 1/6

State the null hypothesis for the experiment in Figure 1. Provide reasoning to justify the claim that the change in the amino acid sequence in the modified RNA polymerase affected the shape of the active site on the enzyme

Any difference between the two elongation rates is due to chance.A change to the active site would explain the decrease in the elongation rate.

Describe the effect on an enzyme of an increase in environmental temperature above the optimum temperature range of the enzyme.

Increase in temperature above optimum range will do you nature enzyme and reduce the reaction rate, or can alter shape of enzyme and reduce reaction rate

Using the template in the space provided for your response, construct an appropriately labeled graph to represent the data in Table 1. Determine whether there is a statistical difference in the amount of CO2 fixed by rubisco at 30°C and 40°C.

no statistical difference

Based on the data, identify the temperature range at which the soybean leaves are producing the lowest amount of carbohydrate.

Any value above 45°C and equal to or below 50°C

Increased amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are correlated with increased global surface temperatures. Based on the data, predict how a surface temperature that continues to rise above 40 C most

likely affects the amount of energy available to primary consumers in an ecosystem. Provide reasoning to justify your prediction. One model predicts that an increase in greenhouse gases will lead to a 2°C increase in average surface temperature on Earth. Based on the data from the experiment and the prediction of an increase in average surlace temperature by the model, predict how the locations of plant species are expected to change over time

Less energy will be available. Carbon fixation decreases at temperatures above 40°C. As temperatures warm, the ranges where individual plant species are found will move toward the poles.

Describe the importance of phenotypic variation in louse body color among individuals in a population of lice.

Increased variation increases the probability that some members of the population will survive (and reproduce) in a changing environment.

Justify the decision of the researchers to hold lighting conditions constant in their experiment.

The decision is justified by describing that, since pigeons clean their feathers by sight, variable light conditions would affect the effectiveness of this behavior.

Predict the most likely effect of the pigeons cleaning their feathers on the phenotypes of the lice after four years

Louse phenotypes that blended with their host's feather color would increase in frequency.

Provide reasoning to support your prediction in part (c).

Lice with a contrasting coloration to the host feathers were removed before they could reproduce. Lice with a similar coloration to the host feathers survived to reproduce.

Identify the rectangular solid that represents the cell with the smallest amount of plasma membrane per volume of cytoplasm.

Rectangular solid 1

Describe the factors that influence an individual's phenotype.

Phenotype is based on genetic potential that is influenced by environmental conditions.

Explain how the presence of Notonecta chemical cues affects gene expression in the Daphnia.

The presence of Notonecta chemical cues enhanced expression of genes associated with crest development in the Daphnia.

As a follow-up experiment, researchers placed the Daphnia that were exposed to the Notonecta chemical cues into a tank without chemical cues. The Daphnia reproduced asexually, and the offspring developed in the tank without chemical cues. Predict the relative size of the crest height and width of offspring raised in the tank without chemical cues as compared to the parent Daphnia.

Offspring would resemble the original population.

Provide reasoning to justify your prediction in part (C).

Without the Notonecta chemical cues, the genes for crest size would not be affected during development.

Describe the role of mitosis in the growth of a plant.

the process of mitosis generates new cells that are genetically identical to each other

Explain why there are more cells observed in mitosis in the root tip than in the woody stem.

the root tips always continue to grow and develop more than the stem parts

Refine the model in the space provided for your response by using the letters from four of the cell labels of Sample 2 to represent the sequential steps of mitosis.

E D, B, C.

Explain how the arrangement of cellular components during the step of mitosis portrayed by cell D in Sample 2 facilitates the proper distribution of chromosomes to the two daughter cells.

during stage D all chromosomes line up on the equator, and that the spindle fibers enable the two chromatids of each chromosome to move to opposite ends of the cell before the cell divides.

Identify the rectangular solid that represents the cell with the smallest amount of plasma membrane per volume of cytoplasm.

Rectangular solid 1

Describe the relationship between the dimensions of the rectangular solids and their surface area-to-volume ratios.

As the rectangular solid becomes longer, wider, AND thinner, the SA:V increases.

Using the data from the model, evaluate the hypothesis that cells shaped like rectangular solids 1 and 2 are better suited for slow metabolism and the long-term storage of energy-containing molecules than are cells shaped like rectangular solids 4 and 5.

Since 1 and 2 have less surface area to volume ratio than 4 and 5, this supports the idea that cells with smaller sizing are more effective in long term storage of energy and better in slow metabolism.

Based on the trends shown in the data, explain why some rectangular cells include folds or projections in their plasma membranes.

The surface area would increase but the volume would stay the same, which creates a lower surface area to volume ratio

Describe the pattern of inheritance that is most likely associated with a mutation in the MT-ND5 gene.

Explain why individuals are not typically heterozygous with respect to mitochondrial genes.

The mutant allele is only inherited from the maternal parent. MT-ND5 is a mitochondrial gene and mitochondria only carry a single, unpaired chromosome.

Identify a dependent variable measured in the researcher's experiment. Identify one control that the researcher could use to improve the validity of the experiment. Justify the researcher analyzing blood samples at many intermediate time points instead of at only the beginning and the end of the 20-week period.

Concentration of lactic acid in the blood. Measure NAD+ and lactic acid levels in a group of other affected individuals treated with placebo for comparison. By collecting more data, the researcher will see a more accurate trend.

Describe the relationship between the concentration of NAD in the blood and the concentration of lactic acid in the blood during the first 5 weeks of treatment with the vitamin. Based on Figure 2, calculate the average rate of change in blood NAD concentrations from week 5 to week 17.

The concentration of NAD+ increased and the concentration of lactic acid decreased.20 mol/1/week based on the calculation [(60 - 300) / (17 - 5)]

The researcher performed a follow-up experiment to measure the rate of oxygen consumption by muscle and brain cells. Predict the effect of the MT-ND5 mutation on the rate of oxygen consumption in muscle and brain cells. Justify your prediction. The researcher had hypothesized that the addition of the vitamin that is similar in structure to NADH would increase the activity of the mutated NADH dehydrogenase enzyme in individuals with the disorder. Explain how the vitamin most likely increased the activity of the enzyme

The mutation will decrease the rate of oxygen consumption by the electron transport chain. The mutation likely inhibits the rate of oxygen consumption because the electron transport chain will be less efficient, so less oxygen will be required as a terminal electron acceptor. The enzyme had decreased activity but still functioned. Increasing the amount of substrate should increase the amount of product produced. Because the vitamin was similar to NADH, it could bind to the active site of the enzyme and effectively increase the substrate concentration.

Describe how amino acids are categorized by their chemical properties. Explain how a change in the amino acid sequence of the FXRI protein could decrease the ability of the protein to bind to RNA

Based on their R groups, amino acids are categorized as hydrophobic, hydrophilic, or ionic (acidic or basic). A change in amino acid sequence changes the shape of a protein, so that RNA-binding sites formed by the interactions of certain amino acids may change or be lost entirely.

Determine whether there is a statistical difference in the amount of FXRI protein produced by the cells after 16 and 24 hours in the presence of IL-19.

No statistical difference

Based on the data for the 48-hour period, describe the effect of IL-19 on FXR1 gene expression.

IL-19 causes a small increase in expression of the FXR1 gene.

The researcher hypothesizes that the FXRI gene codes for a protein that binds to mRNAs that encode some of the proteins that damage arteries. Individuals with a particular mutation of the FXRI gene tend to have high levels of these proteins. Based on this information, predict how the FXR1 protein most likely interacts with the mRNAs.

The FXR1 protein must inhibit translation of the mRNAs.

Describe one outcome that would demonstrate that a given population has evolved.

There is a change in allele frequency.

Identify one dependent variable measured in the experiment

Growth rate of bacteria

Predict the results obtained by the researchers when they grew the Cit and Cit bacteria in the medium

that contained only citrate.

Only the Cit+ bacteria grew.

The researchers claim that the Cit mutation increases the fitness of the bacteria. Provide reasoning to support the claim.

The Cit* bacteria have an energy source unavailable to other strains and could grow and reproduce at a more rapid rate due to reduced competition for resources.

Describe the process that maintained a stable Tasmanian devil population size before the appearance of

DFTD in 1996.

The Tasmanian devil population would have been maintained at a stable population size by density-dependent factors (e.g., birth rate equaling death rate, the populations reaching carrying capacity).

Explain how the huge reduction of the Tasmanian devil population since 1996 affects the susceptibility of the current population to new diseases in comparison with the susceptibility of the population before 1996.

The population underwent a genetic bottleneck and thus has reduced genetic diversity. The current population is more likely to be susceptible to a new disease (less likely to harbor natural resistance) than it would have been in the past.

Tasmanian devils are top predators and are considered a keystone species in their community. Predict the effect of the rapid reduction of the Tasmanian devil population on the rest of the community.

Species diversity of the community will decrease

Justify the prediction of part (c).

The prey species of the Tasmanian devil would have increased in number as the Tasmanian devil population decreased. This in turn would have likely led to population decreases of the food sources for these prey species

A skin cell completes one round of the cell cycle. Describe the products.

cell cycle leads to cell division and creates 2 identical daughter cells

Based on Figure 1, explain how p53 regulates the cell cycle in the presence of damaged DNA.

regulates cell cycle inhibiting transcription in the presence of damaged DNA

Based on Figure 1, explain how a mutation to p53 may lead to an increased risk of cancer.

a mutation wouldn't inhibit the transcription of damaged DNA which would cause it to continue to grow

Identify the individual who most likely exhibits symptoms of cystinuria.

Individual 1

Describe the relationship between the total number of mutant alleles in an individual and the concentration of cysteine in the urine.

the higher the number of mutant alleles, the greater the concentration of cysteine in urine relative to normal values.

Evaluate the hypothesis that mutations in SLC7A9 have a greater effect on the transport of cysteine across the plasma membrane of kidney cells than do mutations in SLC3Al.

The hypothesis is not supported by the data. While the individual with a single mutant allele for SLC7 A9 has a higher concentration than the individual with a single mutant allele for SLC3 A1, the individual with two mutated SLC7 A9 alleles does not have a higher concentration than one of the individuals with two mutant SLC3 A1 alleles.

Explain how the data support the claim that cysteine is a large polar molecule.

concentration of cysteine is affected by mutant allele which is a complex protein; if complex protein is low, cysteine is not transported back and its concentration in urine is higher.

Describe how C. parvum obtains the glucose it needs for glycolysis after it has infected another cell.

Explain the role of lactate dehydrogenase in enabling C. parvum to continue producing ATP by glycolysis.

C. parvum absorbs glucose from its environment, which, in this case, takes glucose away from its host. Lactate dehydrogenase allows fermentation to convert NADH to NAD+, which is needed for glycolysis to continue making ATP.

Identify the independent variable used in the experiment. Identify the difference between the control cells and the experimental cells used in the experiment. Justify the researchers using a different range of concentrations for FX11 than was used for gossypol.

The independent variable is the concentration of the chemical. The characteristics of the control cells as the same type of cells, infected with the parasite but not treated with any chemicals. FX11 had minimal impact on the growth of C. parvum until it reached a concentration of greater than 30uM, which was the maximum concentration of gossypol that was tested.

Based on the data in Figure 1, identify the concentration of gossypol that reduced C. parvum growth to 50% of that in control cells.

15 M

Researchers discovered a strain of C. parvum that expresses a functional variation of the lactate dehydrogenase gene. A DNA sequence comparison showed that the variant differs from the normal sequence in the region that codes for the enzyme's allosteric site. Predict the effect of FXI1 treatment on C. parvum cells that express this variant of lactase dehydrogenase. Provide reasoning to support your prediction.

Explain how gossypol and FX11 might be used as drugs to treat C. parvum infections in humans without negatively affecting human cells.

FX11 will have little to no effect. The allosteric site is the region of the enzyme where a non-competitive inhibitor like FX11 would bind. It is likely that changing the sequence of this region would decrease inhibitor binding. The drugs will prevent C. parvum from generating the ATP it needs to survive by inhibiting a key enzyme in fermentation. Since human cells have mitochondria and do not rely on fermentation to produce ATP, they are not likelv to be harmed.

Describe the situations in which a normal human cell would enter the cell cycle and undergo mitotic cell division. Explain how spindle fibers help ensure the products of mitosis are two identical cells with a full set of chromosomes

Cells divide by mitosis when the organism is growing or repairing tissues. Spindle fibers attach to the center of each duplicated chromosome and assist in pulling one chromatid to each pole of the cell so that, when the cell divides, each daughter cell contains a copy of each chromosome.

Based on the data, determine the concentration (s) of paclitaxel that is (are) most effective in causing tripolar cell division.

A concentration of 6-8 nM

Based on the data, identify the lowest level of paclitaxel that will allow for at least 50% of the cells to be tripolar.

4 nM

From the start codon through the stop codon, the length of the fully processed AURKA mRNA is 1,212 nucleotides. Calculate the number of amino acids in the polypeptide chain coded for by the mRNA.

1,212 nucleotides minus 3 nucleotides (for the stop codon) equals 1,209.

1,209 divided by 3 nucleotides per amino acid equals 403 amino acids.

Predict the effect of a mutation that prevents the expression of AURKA on a normal (noncancerous) cell.

The cell will be unable to undergo mitosis.

Describe the way the scientists will determine the evolutionary fitness of the mice in the experiment.

fur matches the environment which provides safety for the mice against predators

Identify the independent variable in the scientists' experiment.

The color of the ground in each of the enclosures

State the null hypothesis of this experiment

The color of the enclosure ground will not affect the frequency of light and dark mice in the population.

The scientists claim that the changes in the frequency of fur color were the result 1 point of natural selection. Justify the researchers' claim.

Mice with a fur color that helped them blend into the environment were able to avoid predation and reproduce, increasing the frequency of their genes in the population.

Describe the relationship between a parasite and its host.

The parasite will benefit while the host will be harmed.

Explain how producing the enzymes that digest a-pinene is beneficial to the bacterial species living within the nematodes.

By producing the enzymes that digest a-pinene, the bacteria increase the

survival rate of the nematodes. This ensures that the nematodes continue

provide a protected habitat and resources for the bacteria.

Predict the effect of the antibiotic treatments on the mortality rate of the nematodes when exposed to a-pinene.

The mortality rate of the nematodes will increase after the nematodes are treated with antibiotics.

Provide reasoning to justify your prediction in part c

Antibiotics will reduce the bacterial population thereby preventing the degradation of a-pinene. As a result, there will be more a-pinene to negatively affect the nematodes and more nematodes will die.

Describe the major process that takes place in this eukaryotic organelle.

Light provides the energy to fix carbon into organic molecules

Explain the function of the structure labeled with an X in Figure 1.

Specific metabolic functions are more efficiently carried out because the outer membrane enables the compartmentalization of chemical reactions.

On the template in the space provided for your response, represent the location where carbon fixation takes place by writing "CF" and the location of the electron transport proteins by writing "ETP."

"CF" must be marked in the stroma and "ETP" must be marked on a thylakoid membrane,

Explain how the shape and stacking of the thylakoids contributes to the rate of carbon fixation by the chloroplast.

The thin and stacked nature of the thylakoids increases the surface area of the thylakoid membrane, allowing for a greater number of chlorophyll molecules and electron transport proteins.

Identify the genotypes of the male and female flies used in cross

• X'X' and X*Y

Identify the cross in which the female parent was most likely heterozygous.

Cross 3

The researchers hypothesize that crossing any unaffected female and an affected male will result in a 0% chance of producing an affected male offspring. Evaluate the validity of the hypothesis.

This hypothesis is not supported. If the unaffected mother is heterozygous, she can pass on the recessive allele and the male offspring will be affected.

Explain how the results exclude the possibility that the trait is encoded by a mitochondrial gene.

Traits encoded by mitochondrial genes are inherited from the female parent only, resulting in offspring that all have the same genotype as their mother.