AP BIOLOGY Test Booklet

Unit 1

1. The protein is made up of amino acids linked together in a chain. Some humans produce a version of
the protein in which phenylalanine (an amino acid) has been deleted from position 508 of the amino acid
chain.

Which of the following best predicts how the amino acid deletion will affect the structure of the protein?
(A) It will have no observable effect on the structure of the protein.
It will affect the primary structure of the protein, but the other levels of protein structure will not be
(B)
affected.
It will affect the secondary and tertiary structures of the protein, but the primary structure will not be
(C)
affected.
(D) It will affect the primary, secondary, and tertiary structures of the protein.

2. A mutation in the gene coding for a single-polypeptide enzyme results in the substitution of the amino acid serine,
which has a polar R group, by the amino acid phenylalanine, which has a nonpolar R group. When researchers test
the catalysis of the normal enzyme and the mutated enzyme, they find that the mutated enzyme has much lower
activity than the normal enzyme does.

Which of the following most likely explains how the amino acid substitution has resulted in decreased catalytic
activity by the mutated enzyme?
The substitution decreased the mass of the enzyme so that the mutated enzyme binds more weakly to the
(A)
substrate than the normal enzyme does.
The substitution altered the secondary and tertiary structure of the enzyme so that the mutated enzyme folds
(B)
into a different shape than the normal enzyme does.
The substitution caused many copies of the mutated enzyme to cluster together and compete for substrate to
(C)
bind.
The substitution caused the directionality of the enzyme to change such that the amino terminus of the
(D)
normal enzyme has become the carboxy terminus of the mutated enzyme.

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Students investigated the effect of light on the carbon cycle in aquatic ecosystems by performing the controlled
experiment summarized below. The students placed equal amounts of water ( ) from a large aquarium in glass
beakers. The students transferred aquatic plants from the aquarium to several of the beakers, and then they placed equal
numbers of the beakers in the light or the dark (Figure 1: groups and ). Similarly, the students transferred goldfish
from the same aquarium to other beakers, and then they placed equal numbers of those beakers in the light or dark (Figure
1: groups and ). Finally, the students placed an equal number of beakers containing water only in the light or dark
(Figure 1: groups and ).

After exposing the samples to light or dark for one hour, the students recorded the of the water in each beaker. Carbon
dioxide dissolved in water will lower the of an aqueous solution. In the experiment, the students used changes in
to monitor changes in the amount of carbon dioxide in the water. For each treatment group, the students calculated the
mean pH and standard error, as documented in the table below.

3. Which of the following graphs is the most appropriate representation of the experimental results documented in the
table?

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(A)

(B)

(C)

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(D)

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Friedreich’s ataxia is an inherited disorder. Friedreich’s ataxia is caused by an insertion mutation in a noncoding portion
of the gene where a triplet is repeated hundreds of times. The gene encodes the protein frataxin. A
pedigree of a family with members affected by this disorder is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. A pedigree of a family affected by Friedreich’s ataxia

A researcher collected from several members of the family and used to amplify the genes from each
individual’s . The researcher then used gel electrophoresis to separate the . The results are shown in
Figure 2.

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Figure 2. gene fragment sizes for several family members. A sample of with fragments of known lengths
was used for comparison.

The researcher also used a computer to model the structure of the mutant allele. The model suggests that the
repeated triplets in the mutant gene may lead to the formation of an unusual triple-stranded configuration of
(Figure 3).

Figure 3. The modeled triple-helix structure that can form in areas with multiple triplets

4. Which of the following types of bonds is most likely responsible for the unusual base pairing shown in Figure 3 that
results in the formation of a triplex structure?

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(A) Hydrogen
(B) Polar covalent
(C) Ionic
(D) Nonpolar covalent

5. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. In an experiment, bacteriophages were labeled with either
radioactive phosphorus or radioactive sulfur. The labeled bacteriophages were incubated with bacteria for a brief
amount of time and then removed. The infected bacteria cells were found to contain significant amounts of
radioactive phosphorus but not radioactive sulfur.

Based on the results of the experiment, which of the following types of molecules did the bacteriophages most
likely inject into the bacteria cells?
(A) Simple carbohydrate
(B) Amino acid
(C) DNA
(D) Polypeptide

Directions: Answers must be in essay form. Outline form is not acceptable. Labeled diagrams may be used to supplement
discussion, but in no case will a diagram alone suffice. It is important that you read each question completely before you
begin.

Many biological structures are composed of smaller units assembled into more complex structures having functions based
on their structural organization. For the following complex structures, describe the smaller units, their assembly into the
larger structures, and one major function of these larger, organized structures.

6. An enzyme

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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7. Read each question carefully. Write your response in the space provided for each part of each question. Answers
must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted lists, or diagrams alone are not acceptable and will not
be scored.

The stems and fruits of pineapple plants contain a group of protein-digesting enzymes collectively called
bromelain and often used as an antibrowning agent for fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables brown when
they are bruised during transport or sliced and exposed to air. This browning is controlled by enzymatic pathways
that produce brown pigments. The browning of fruits and vegetables reduces the nutritional value of the food, so
antibrowning agents such as bromelain are used.

(a) Identify the type of monomer of which this enzyme is composed.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(b) Bromelain works by breaking the enzymes that cause browning into smaller molecules. Explain how the
reaction that breaks up the enzymes occurs.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(c) The of a solution determines the charge of certain R groups. The of pineapple fruit ranges from 3.5 to
5.2. Predict the effect on the activity of bromelain if it is used in a product with a of 11.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(d) Provide reasoning to justify your prediction.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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8. The carbohydrates glucose, galactose, and fructose have the same chemical formula but different
structural formulas, as represented in the figure.

Which of the following statements about glucose, galactose, and fructose is most likely true?
The carbohydrates have the same properties because they have the same number of carbon, hydrogen, and
(A)
oxygen atoms.
(B) The carbohydrates have the same properties because they each have a single carbon-oxygen double bond.
The carbohydrates have different properties because they have different arrangements of carbon, hydrogen,
(C)
and oxygen atoms.
(D) The carbohydrates have different properties because they have different numbers of carbon-carbon bonds.

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9.

Which of the following statements best describes how organisms such as rabbits obtain the carbon necessary for
building biological molecules?
Rabbits eat plants and use energy absorbed from the plants to make carbon atoms from electrons, protons,
(A)
and neutrons in the air.
Rabbits eat plants and break down plant molecules to obtain carbon and other atoms that they rearrange into
(B)
new carbon-containing molecules.
Rabbits eat plants and use water absorbed from the plants to hydrolyze , which the rabbits breathe in
(C)
from the air and use as a carbon source.
Rabbits eat plants and make carbon-containing molecules by using carbon atoms that the plants absorbed
(D)
from the soil and stored in the cells of their leaves.

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10. (b) It has been proposed that apple trees are in a mutualistic relationship with the animals who eat the apples.
Describe ONE benefit to each organism in the mutualistic relationship.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

The secondary compound cyanide (Figure 1) is a toxic, bitter-tasting chemical that is found in apple seeds.
Cyanide in seeds is only released and tasted if the seed is crushed. When animals eat apples, they typically eat the
sweet fleshy part of the fruit and spit out the seeds or swallow them whole.

(a) Based on the chemical structure of cyanide, identify ONE type of biological macromolecule that could serve as
a chemical precursor for the production of cyanide in a plant. Justify your choice.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

The secondary compound cyanide (Figure 1) is a toxic, bitter-tasting chemical that is found in apple seeds. Cyanide in
seeds is only released and tasted if the seed is crushed. When animals eat apples, they typically eat the sweet fleshy part of
the fruit and spit out the seeds or swallow them whole.

11. Based on the chemical structure of cyanide, identify ONE type of biological macromolecule that could serve as a
chemical precursor for the production of cyanide in a plant. Justify your choice.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

12. Which of the following is responsible for the cohesive property of water?

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(A) Hydrogen bonds between the oxygen atoms of two adjacent water molecules
(B) Covalent bonds between the hydrogen atoms of two adjacent water molecules
Hydrogen bonds between the oxygen atom of one water molecule and a hydrogen atom of another water
(C)
molecule
Covalent bonds between the oxygen atom of one water molecule and a hydrogen atom of another water
(D)
molecule
(E) Hydrogen bonds between water molecules and other types of molecules

13. A typical bag of fertilizer contains high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium but trace amounts of
magnesium and calcium. Which of the following best matches the fertilizer component with the molecule in which
it will be incorporated by organisms in the area?
(A) Nitrogen will be incorporated into nucleic acids.
(B) Phosphorus will be incorporated into amino acids.
(C) Potassium will be incorporated into lipids.
(D) Magnesium will be incorporated into carbohydrates.

14. If of the nucleotides in a single-stranded molecule are adenine, then what percent are expected to be
thymine?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

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15. Read each question carefully. Write your response in the space provided for each part of each question. Answers
must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted lists, or diagrams alone are not acceptable and will not
be scored.

Paramecia are single‑celled aquatic eukaryotes that can survive in a wide range of salinities. Paramecia use
contractile vacuoles to help maintain homeostasis under these varying salt conditions. The contractile vacuoles fill
with fluid and then contract to remove the fluid from the paramecia.

Scientists wished to determine the effect of salinity on contractile vacuole activity. They maintained different
groups of paramecia in water of different salinities for one month. They then measured the average amount of
fluid ejected from the contractile vacuoles in each group of paramecia each time the vacuoles contracted (Table 1).

Table 1. Contractile Fluid Output by Paramecia Adapted to Different Salinities

Salinity of Maintenance Water ( Average Fluid Output of Contractile Vacuole (

) )
10 (freshwater) 1.3
250 0.25
750 0.1
1000 0.05

(a) Describe how the phospholipids of a plasma membrane regulate the movement of large or polar molecules
across the membrane. Explain how osmosis will affect animal cells when the cells are placed into an environment
with a low water potential (high solute concentration) compared to the intracellular water potential.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(b) Use the template to construct an appropriately labeled graph that represents the data in Table 1.

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Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(c) Describe how increasing salinity affects the amount of fluid ejected each time a contractile vacuole contracts.
Calculate the water potential ( ) of an animal cell without contractile vacuoles if water enters the cell and creates
a solute potential ( ) of . Assume that the pressure potential ( ) in the cell is 0.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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16. Researchers compared similar proteins from related organisms in different habitats. They found that the proteins
from organisms living in harsh environments had a greater number of cysteine amino acids than did proteins from
organisms not living in harsh environments. The structure of cysteine is shown. Bonds can form between the sulfur
atom of different cysteine amino acids ( bonds).

Figure 1. Chemical structure of cysteine

Which of the following best describes the effect of a greater number of cysteine amino acids on the stability of the
proteins?
(A) The change has no effect on the stability of the protein because only one type of amino acid is involved.
The change leads to increased protein stability because of an increased number of bonds in the tertiary
(B)
structure of the proteins.
The change leads to decreased protein stability because of an increased number of bonds in the tertiary
(C)
structure of the proteins.
The change leads to increased protein stability only when the added cysteine amino acids are next to other
(D)
cysteine amino acids in the primary structure.

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Directions: Answers must be in essay form. Outline form is not acceptable. Labeled diagrams may be used to supplement
discussion, but in no case will a diagram alone suffice. It is important that you read each question completely before you
begin.

Water is essential to all living things.

17. Discuss THREE properties of water.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

18. (b) Explain each of the following in terms of the properties of water. You are not limited to the three properties
discussed in part (a):

• the role of water as a medium for the metabolic processes of cells

• the ability of water to moderate temperature within living organisms and in organisms’ environment
• the movement of water from the roots to the leaves of plants

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

Directions: Answers must be in essay form. Outline form is not acceptable. Labeled diagrams may be used to
supplement discussion, but in no case will a diagram alone suffice. It is important that you read each question
completely before you begin.

Water is essential to all living things.

(a) Discuss THREE properties of water.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

19. Amylase is an enzyme that converts carbohydrate polymers into monomers. Glycogen synthase is one of the
enzymes involved in converting carbohydrate monomers into polymers.

Which of the following best explains the reactions of these enzymes?

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Amylase aids in the removal of a water molecule to break covalent bonds whereas glycogen synthase aids in
(A)
the addition of a water molecule to form covalent bonds.
Amylase aids in the addition of a water molecule to break covalent bonds whereas glycogen synthase aids in
(B)
the removal of a water molecule to form covalent bonds.
Amylase aids in the addition of a water molecule to form covalent bonds whereas glycogen synthase aids in
(C)
the removal of a water molecule to break covalent bonds.
Amylase aids in the removal of a water molecule to form covalent bonds whereas glycogen synthase aids in
(D)
the addition of a water molecule to break covalent bonds.

20. Which of the following correctly illustrates a dipeptide and an amino acid in the optimal position to form a
tripeptide?

(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

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21. Figure 1 represents a nucleic acid fragment that is made up of four nucleotides linked together in a chain.

Figure 1. Nucleic acid fragment

Which of the following characteristics of Figure 1 best shows that the fragment is and not ?
(A) The to orientation of the nucleotide chain
(B) The identity of each nitrogenous base
(C) The charges on the phosphate groups
(D) The type of bond linking the nucleotides together

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22.

Figure 1. Nucleic acid segments

and are nucleic acids that can store biological information based on the sequence of their nucleotide
monomers. Figure 1 shows a short segment of each of the two types of nucleic acids.

Which of the following best describes a structural difference between and ?

contains four types of nitrogenous bases, whereas contains only two types of nitrogenous
(A)
bases.
(B) The backbone of contains deoxyribose, whereas the backbone of contains ribose.
A molecule is composed of two parallel strands with the same to directionality, whereas an
(C)
molecule is composed of only one to strand.
(D) Phosphate groups provide rigidity to , but is flexible and contains no phosphate groups.

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23. Read each question carefully. Write your response in the space provided for each part of each question. Answers
must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted lists, or diagrams alone are not acceptable and will not
be scored.

Many types of cancer are treated with a combination of therapies. In lung cancer, some tumors respond well to the
drug paclitaxel followed by radiation treatment. Paclitaxel is a chemical that disrupts mitosis. Instead of spindle
fibers originating from the two sides (poles) of the cell, paclitaxel-treated cells develop three poles and then divide
into three cells (tripolar division). Radiation therapy is more effective on tumor cells that have undergone tripolar
division than on cells that have undergone normal mitosis.

Researchers treated cancer cells in the lab with different concentrations of paclitaxel for hours. The researchers
then determined the average percent of mitotic cells that were tripolar. The results are shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1. EFFECT OF PACLITAXEL CONCENTRATION ON PERCENT OF MITOTIC CELLS THAT

WERE TRIPOLAR

Average Percent of Mitotic Cells that were Tripolar

Concentration of Paclitaxel ( )
( )

The gene encodes an enzyme that helps assemble the spindle fibers, which signals the cells to continue
through mitosis. When researchers analyzed the levels of protein in different types of cancer cells, they
found that cancer cells expressing high levels of protein had more tripolar divisions when treated with
paclitaxel, than did cancer cells expressing low levels of protein.

(a) 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.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(b) Using the template in the space provided for your response, construct an appropriately labeled graph that
represents the data shown in Table 1. Based on the data, determine the concentration(s) of paclitaxel that is (are)

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most effective in causing tripolar cell division.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(c) Based on the data, identify the lowest level of paclitaxel that will allow for at least of the cells to be
tripolar. From the start codon through the stop codon, the length of the fully processed is
nucleotides. Calculate the number of amino acids in the polypeptide chain coded for by the .

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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24. Read each question carefully. Write your response in the space provided for each part of each question. Answers
must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted lists, or diagrams alone are not acceptable and will not
be scored.

Atherosclerosis is a disease that results when certain cells and proteins of an individual’s body adhere to and
damage blood vessels, especially those around the heart. Researchers continue to look for improved ways to treat
individuals with the disease. Data obtained from earlier experiments suggested that it might be possible to reduce
damage to the blood vessels by increasing the expression of , an -binding protein in the muscle cells
that form the outer surface of the blood vessels. Additional data suggested that , a protein secreted by
certain white blood cells, might regulate expression of the gene.

To investigate the regulation of the gene by , a researcher added to vessel-lining muscle

cells growing in the lab. The researcher measured the amount of protein produced by the cells over a
period of hours in the presence of . The researcher then calculated the relative amount of present
at each time point compared with the amount of at Time , when was first added to the cells. Data
from three replicate experiments are shown in Table .

TABLE 1. RELATIVE AMOUNT OF PRODUCED BY CELLS

IN RESPONSE TO

Time in the Presence of (h) Relative Amount of Protein

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

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(b) Using the template in the space provided for your response, construct an appropriately labeled graph that
represents the data shown in Table . Determine whether there is a statistical difference in the amount of
protein produced by the cells after and hours in the presence of .

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Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(c) Based on the data for the -hour period, describe the effect of on gene expression.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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25. Read each question carefully. Write your response in the space provided for each part of each question.
Answers must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted lists, or diagrams alone are not
acceptable and will not be scored.

Increasing the efficiency of photosynthesis is one way to increase crop yield and help to feed human populations.
One enzyme vital to the Calvin-Benson cycle of photosynthesis is Rubisco. Rubisco catalyzes the fixation of
atmospheric into organic molecules so that the carbon atoms can be used to produce carbohydrates. Rubisco
is composed of two different types of polypeptide subunits: large subunits and small subunits. It is hypothesized
that another protein called Rubisco assembly factor ( ) is needed to help the polypeptide subunits fold
together to form a functional enzyme.

Researchers engineered three genetically modified strains of maize (corn). Strain was modified to produce
additional Rubisco polypeptides of both types in the cells. Strain was modified to produce additional
protein. Strain was modified to produce both additional Rubisco polypeptides and additional protein. The
Rubisco content of each of the maize strains studied is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Rubisco content in genetically modified and unmodified strains of maize. ( ) indicates unmodified
levels of Rubisco polypeptides and/or protein. ( ) indicates additional Rubisco polypeptides and/or
protein.

The researchers then grew plants of each strain at a light intensity of μ and a
temperature of . After days, the amount of Rubisco activity (as determined by the rate of carbon fixation)
in each modified strain was determined (Figure 2).

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Figure 2. Rubisco activity (in μ ) in genetically modified and unmodified strains of

maize. ( ) indicates unmodified levels of Rubisco polypeptides and/or protein. ( ) indicates additional
Rubisco polypeptides and/or protein.

Researchers also evaluated several characteristics of the plants of each strain: the height, the fresh mass of the
plants, and the mass of plants dehydrated in an oven (dry mass). The data are presented in Table 1.

TABLE 1. AVERAGE PLANT HEIGHT, FRESH MASS, AND DRY MASS OF FOUR STRAINS OF MAIZE

Average Plant Height ( Average Fresh Mass ( Average Dry Mass (

) ) )
Rubisco
Strain
Production
Production

Unmodified
Strain
Strain
Strain

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(a) The small subunit of Rubisco is made up of many monomers. Describe the general structure of one of these
monomers, including the characteristic that would allow it to interact with a negatively charged monomer in a
second Rubisco polypeptide.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(b) Identify the dependent variable in the experiment whose data are shown in Figure 1. Based on the data in
Table 1, identify the variable measured that best represents the net amount of carbon fixation that occurs in the
experimental plants. Based on the data in Table 1, describe the effect of additional Rubisco polypeptide
production and normal production on the dry mass of plants, indicating the strains you compare. Calculate
the percent mass of the fresh plants in strain that was due to water.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(c) Researchers engineer a strain of maize with a mutation that results in a decrease in the expression of .
Predict the most likely effect of this mutation on consumption in plants grown under the same
conditions as those of the experimental strains. Justify your prediction. In addition to binding , Rubisco can
bind when is not readily available. Once Rubisco binds to , an energetically wasteful cycle called
photorespiration must be completed before Rubisco can bind again. Predict the initial effect of a higher than
normal ratio in the atmosphere on the rate of carbon fixation in most plants.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(d) A mutation was found to be naturally occurring in switchgrass, a grass species related to maize. This mutation
leads to overexpression of . Using the experimental results shown in Figure 2, explain how the mutant
switchgrass could have increased fitness compared with nonmutant switchgrass. The small subunits of Rubisco are
encoded by a nuclear gene, while the large subunits of Rubisco are encoded by a chloroplast gene. A particular
maize plant with a mutation in the allele encoding the large subunit of Rubisco is crossed with a plant that
contains the normal allele. Explain how examination of the offspring will enable a researcher to determine
whether the mutant plant contributed the ovule or the pollen to the cross.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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26. Read each question carefully. Write your response in the space provided for each part of each question.
Answers must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted lists, or diagrams alone are not
acceptable and will not be scored.

Increasing the efficiency of photosynthesis is one way to increase crop yield and help to feed human populations.
One enzyme vital to the Calvin-Benson cycle of photosynthesis is Rubisco. Rubisco catalyzes the fixation of
atmospheric into organic molecules so that the carbon atoms can be used to produce carbohydrates. Rubisco
is composed of two different types of polypeptide subunits: large subunits and small subunits. It is hypothesized
that another protein called Rubisco assembly factor ( ) is needed to help the polypeptide subunits fold
together to form a functional enzyme.

Researchers engineered three genetically modified strains of maize (corn). Strain was modified to produce
additional Rubisco polypeptides of both types in the cells. Strain was modified to produce additional
protein. Strain was modified to produce both additional Rubisco polypeptides and additional protein. The
Rubisco content of each of the maize strains studied is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Rubisco content in genetically modified and unmodified strains of maize. ( ) indicates unmodified
levels of Rubisco polypeptides and/or protein. ( ) indicates additional Rubisco polypeptides and/or
protein.

The researchers then grew plants of each strain at a light intensity of μ and a
temperature of . After days, the amount of Rubisco activity (as determined by the rate of carbon fixation)
in each modified strain was determined (Figure 2).

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Figure 2. Rubisco activity (in μ ) in genetically modified and unmodified strains of

maize. ( ) indicates unmodified levels of Rubisco polypeptides and/or protein. ( ) indicates additional
Rubisco polypeptides and/or protein.

Researchers also evaluated several characteristics of the plants of each strain: the height, the fresh mass of the
plants, and the mass of plants dehydrated in an oven (dry mass). The data are presented in Table 1.

TABLE 1. AVERAGE PLANT HEIGHT, FRESH MASS, AND DRY MASS OF FOUR STRAINS OF MAIZE

Average Plant Height ( Average Fresh Mass ( Average Dry Mass (

) ) )
Rubisco
Strain
Production
Production

Unmodified
Strain
Strain
Strain

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(a) The small subunit of Rubisco is made up of many monomers. Describe the general structure of one of these
monomers, including the characteristic that would allow it to interact with a hydrophobic monomer in a second
Rubisco polypeptide.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(b) Identify the independent variable in the experiment whose data are shown in Figure 2. Identify a condition
that was kept constant throughout the researchers' experiment whose data are shown in Figure 2. Based on the data
in Table 1, describe the effect of additional production and normal Rubisco production on the height of
plants, indicating the strains you compare. Calculate the percent mass of the fresh plants in strain that was due
to water.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(c) Researchers engineer a strain of maize with a mutation that results in a decrease in the expression of .
Predict the most likely effect of this mutation on carbohydrate production in plants grown under the same
conditions as those of the experimental strains. Justify your prediction. In addition to binding , Rubisco can
bind . Once Rubisco binds to , an energetically wasteful cycle called photorespiration must be completed
before Rubisco can bind again. Predict the effect of an increase in atmospheric concentration on the
likelihood that photorespiration will occur.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(d) A rare double mutation was found to be naturally occurring in switchgrass, a grass species related to maize.
The mutations lead to the overexpression of both Rubisco polypeptides and . Based on the information
provided, explain how the fitness of the mutant switchgrass will compare with that of a mutant switchgrass
overexpressing alone. The small subunits of Rubisco are encoded by a nuclear gene while the large subunits
of Rubisco are encoded by a chloroplast gene. A particular maize plant has a mutation in the allele encoding the
large subunit of Rubisco. Pollen from this mutant plant is used in a cross with a plant that contains the normal
allele. Explain why the offspring resulting from this cross will not express this mutation.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

27. A researcher measured the temperature at which two different samples of double-stranded denature (separate
into single strands). Sample denatured at a significantly lower temperature than sample did. Based on the data,
the researcher claims that the in sample is composed of a higher percentage of guanine and cytosine than
the in sample is.

Which of the following best supports the researcher’s claim?

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The bonds between guanine and cytosine are covalent bonds, which require more energy to disrupt than
(A)
those between adenine and thymine.
Guanine-cytosine pairs denature at a higher temperature because they have more hydrogen bonds between
(B)
them than adenine-thymine pairs do.
Adenine-thymine pairs require less energy to separate because adenine and thymine are both single-ring
(C)
bases.
(D) Guanine-cytosine pairs require more energy to separate because one is a purine and one is a pyrimidine.

28. (b) Predict the effect of adding a noncompetitive inhibitor to the reaction mixture on the rate of reaction at a high
substrate concentration. Support your prediction by describing how a noncompetitive inhibitor affects the
structure and function of an enzyme.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

Directions: This short free-response question requires about 6 minutes to answer. The question is worth 3 points.
Read the question carefully and completely. Answers must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted
lists, or diagrams alone are not acceptable.

The graph above shows the initial rate of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction at different substrate concentrations in the
presence of a constant concentration of the enzyme.

(a) Connect the primary structure of the enzyme to its overall shape.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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Directions: This short free-response question requires about 6 minutes to answer. The question is worth 3 points. Read
the question carefully and completely. Answers must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted lists, or
diagrams alone are not acceptable.

The graph above shows the initial rate of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction at different substrate concentrations in the
presence of a constant concentration of the enzyme.

29. Connect the primary structure of the enzyme to its overall shape.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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High levels of certain plant nutrients in runoff can lead to rapid growth of algae (an algal bloom) in aquatic ecosystems. These alga
death and decomposition, which consumes large amounts of dissolved oxygen in the water and results in oxygen levels insufficient
process is known as eutrophication. The amount of algae present in a body of water can be estimated from the amount of chlorophy
studying eutrophication collected samples at different times of the year in a freshwater ecosystem. The samples were analyzed for t
concentration (Figure 1) as well as total phosphorus and chlorophyll a concentration (Figure 2).

Figure 1. Amount of chlorophyll a in relation to the amount of total nitrogen Figure 2. Amount of chlorophyll a in rela

30. Which of the following was the dependent variable in the researcher’s study?
(A) The concentration of chlorophyll a
(B) The concentration of total nitrogen and phosphorus
(C) The slope of the trend line showing the rate of change
(D) The variance of the data points from the trend line

31. Which of the following best explains how higher concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus contribute to
eutrophication?

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An increase in the population of algae results in more nitrogen and phosphorus in the water, causing severe
(A)
eutrophication.
Both bacteria and algae require nitrogen and phosphorus, so the algae must grow faster to compete with
(B)
bacteria.
Nitrogen and phosphorus stimulate oxidative phosphorylation, which consumes the available oxygen in the
(C)
water.
Algae require nitrogen and phosphorus to build macromolecules, so higher concentrations of these nutrients
(D)
can result in algal blooms.

32. Which of the following describes the relationship between the amount of chlorophyll a in a water sample and the
concentration of nitrogen in that sample?
(A) As the concentration of chlorophyll a increases, the concentration of nitrogen decreases.
(B) The concentrations of nitrogen and chlorophyll a are directly correlated.
(C) The concentrations of chlorophyll a and nitrogen increase throughout the year.
(D) There is no relationship between the concentrations of chlorophyll a and nitrogen.

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33. Read each question carefully. Write your response in the space provided for each part of each question. Answers
must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted lists, or diagrams alone are not acceptable and will not
be scored.

Researchers grew populations of identical Escherichia coli ( ) bacteria in a growth medium that contained
a low concentration of glucose and a high concentration of citrate, a substance that is not typically consumed by
. For thousands of generations, the bacteria used only glucose as an energy source and grew relatively
slowly and to a low density because of the low concentration of glucose. After about generations, one
population emerged that began to rapidly grow to a much higher density. The researchers hypothesized that the
bacteria evolved the ability to use citrate as an energy source and referred to them as . To test the hypothesis,
the researchers grew separate populations of the bacteria and bacteria from the original population ( )
in a growth medium that contained only citrate.

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

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(b) Identify the dependent variable measured in the experiments.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(c) Predict the results obtained by the researchers when they grew the and bacteria in the medium that
contained only citrate.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(d) The researchers claim that the mutation increases the fitness of the bacteria. Provide reasoning to
support the claim.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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34. The molecular structures of linoleic acid and palmitic acid, two naturally occurring substances, are shown in the
figure.

Based on the molecular structures shown in the figure, which molecule is likely to be solid at room temperature?
Linoleic acid, because the absence of carbon-carbon double bonds allows the molecules to pack closely
(A)
together.
Linoleic acid, because the presence of carbon-carbon double bonds prevents the molecules from packing
(B)
closely together.
Palmitic acid, because the absence of carbon-carbon double bonds allows the molecules to pack closely
(C)
together.
Palmitic acid, because the presence of carbon-carbon double bonds prevents the molecules from packing
(D)
closely together.

35. The following is a food web for a meadow habitat that occupies 25.6 km2. The primary producers’ biomass is
uniformly distributed throughout the habitat and totals 1,500 kg/km2.

Developers have approved a project that will permanently reduce the primary producers’ biomass by 50 percent and
remove all rabbits and deer.

Which of the following is the most likely result at the completion of the project?

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(A) The biomass of coyotes will be 6 kg, and the biomass of hawks will be 0.5 kg.
(B) The biomass of coyotes will be dramatically reduced.
(C) The coyotes will switch prey preferences and outcompete the hawks.
(D) There will be 50 percent fewer voles and 90 percent fewer hawks.

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36. Read each question carefully. Write your response in the space provided for each part of each question.
Answers must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted lists, or diagrams alone are not
acceptable and will not be scored.

Hemoglobin is an iron-containing protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs to cells
throughout the body. Hemoglobin is a protein complex that is composed of four polypeptide subunits. Typically,
two of the polypeptide subunits are encoded by the gene and are called alpha-globin subunits, while the
other two polypeptide subunits are encoded by the gene and are called beta-globin subunits. Each globin
subunit contains a single iron atom capable of binding oxygen.

Prior to birth and during early infancy, expression of the gene is low and, instead, cells produce a third
polypeptide called gamma-globin. During this time, the hemoglobin complex consists of two alpha-globin
subunits and two gamma-globin subunits and is referred to as fetal hemoglobin. Fetal hemoglobin is able to bind
oxygen more tightly than does the typical adult hemoglobin, which enables the fetus (unborn offspring) to remove
oxygen from the hemoglobin in the mother's blood. A model of the expression levels of all three types of globin
polypeptides during the weeks leading up to and following birth is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Model of globin expression in fetal and infant tissues

Mutations in the genes that encode globin subunits may affect the function of hemoglobin. Beta-thalassemia is an
inherited disorder that results from a variety of mutations to the gene that encodes the beta-globin subunit.
The incidence of beta-thalassemia in one particular family is shown in Figure 2.

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Figure 2. Incidence of beta-thalassemia in three generations of a family

The inability to produce functional beta-globin results in an imbalance of alpha- and beta-globin subunits. The
accumulation of free alpha-globin subunits causes red blood cells to lyse (burst) or undergo apoptosis (Figure 3).
The extra alpha-globin subunits are unable to correctly fold into a hemoglobin protein complex and instead form
structures called alpha-hemichromes. The alpha-hemichromes are unable to bind oxygen molecules and become
insoluble in the cytoplasm of the red blood cells. The alpha-hemichromes are then deposited in solid form on the
surface of the red blood cells, causing the red blood cells to lyse.

Figure 3. Model of globin synthesis and hemoglobin assembly and the effects of beta-thalassemia. Black arrows
with gray indicate steps in the normal hemoglobin assembly that are blocked by the mutation. Gray
arrows indicate steps that occur because of the mutation.

(a) Based on the pedigree shown in Figure 2, describe the alleles inherited by individual , including the
parent from which each allele came.

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Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(b) Explain how a change in the primary sequence of the amino acid chain in the beta-globin subunit could
interfere with the assembly of the entire hemoglobin complex. Carbon monoxide ( ) gas binds to the oxygen-
binding site of hemoglobin more tightly than binds. Explain why exposure to affects production.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(c) Alpha-globin subunits can interact with either beta-globin or gamma-globin subunits. Predict the effect of a
mutation that enables the continued expression of gamma-globin on the number of cells undergoing lysis in adults
who do not produce beta-globin. Justify your prediction.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(d) A researcher claims that the pattern of inheritance for beta-thalassemia is autosomal recessive. Use the
pedigree in Figure 2 to support the researcher's claim.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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37. Read each question carefully. Write your response in the space provided for each part of each question.
Answers must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted lists, or diagrams alone are not
acceptable and will not be scored.

Hemoglobin is an iron-containing protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs to cells
throughout the body. Hemoglobin is a protein complex that is composed of four polypeptide subunits. Typically,
two of the polypeptide subunits are encoded by the gene and are called alpha-globin subunits, while the
other two polypeptide subunits are encoded by the gene and are called beta-globin subunits. Each globin
subunit contains a single iron atom capable of binding oxygen.

Prior to birth and during early infancy, expression of the gene is low and, instead, cells produce a third
polypeptide called gamma-globin. During this time, the hemoglobin complex consists of two alpha-globin
subunits and two gamma-globin subunits and is referred to as fetal hemoglobin. Fetal hemoglobin is able to bind
oxygen more tightly than does the typical adult hemoglobin, which enables the fetus (unborn offspring) to remove
oxygen from the hemoglobin in the mother's blood. A model of the expression levels of all three types of globin
polypeptides during the weeks leading up to and following birth is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Model of globin expression in fetal and infant tissues

Mutations in the genes that encode globin subunits may affect the function of hemoglobin. Beta-thalassemia is an
inherited disorder that results from a variety of mutations to the gene that encodes the beta-globin subunit.
The incidence of beta-thalassemia in one particular family is shown in Figure 2.

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Figure 2. Incidence of beta-thalassemia in three generations of a family

The inability to produce functional beta-globin results in an imbalance of alpha- and beta-globin subunits. The
accumulation of free alpha-globin subunits causes red blood cells to lyse (burst) or undergo apoptosis (Figure 3).
The extra alpha-globin subunits are unable to correctly fold into a hemoglobin protein complex and instead form
structures called alpha-hemichromes. The alpha-hemichromes are unable to bind oxygen molecules and become
insoluble in the cytoplasm of the red blood cells. The alpha-hemichromes are then deposited in solid form on the
surface of the red blood cells, causing the red blood cells to lyse.

Figure 3. Model of globin synthesis and hemoglobin assembly and the effects of beta-thalassemia. Black arrows
with gray indicate steps in the normal hemoglobin assembly that are blocked by the mutation. Gray
arrows indicate steps that occur because of the mutation.

(a) Individual in Figure 2 undergoes genetic testing and it is determined that there is a chance that he will
pass along the mutant allele. Describe the alleles inherited by individual , including the parent from
which each allele came.

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Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(b) The binding of one oxygen molecule to one subunit of the hemoglobin protein complex facilitates the binding
of oxygen to the remaining three subunits. Explain how this could happen. Both adult and fetal hemoglobins bind
to more tightly than to . Explain why the hemoglobin of a one-week-old infant is able to bind more
tightly than the hemoglobin of an adult is able to bind .

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(c) Researchers investigating the effects of mutant beta-globin found that many individuals with beta-thalassemia
have a higher concentration of lactic acid in the blood than do individuals without the disease. Predict a possible
cause for the increase in lactic acid. Justify your prediction.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(d) When abnormal human hemoglobin genes are introduced into mice, the mice develop symptoms similar to
those of humans with the abnormal hemoglobin genes. Provide reasoning to support the claim that mutant human
genes can be expressed in mice to model human genetic conditions.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

Directions: This group of questions consists of five lettered headings followed by a list of phrases or sentences. For each
phrase or sentence, select the one heading to which it is most closely related. Each heading may be used once, more than
once, or not at all.

This group of questions refers to the following groups of biological compounds.

(A) Proteins
(B) Carbohydrates
(C) Nucleic acids
(D) Lipids
(E) Steroids

38. Used to carry the genetic code

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(A) Proteins
(B) Carbohydrates
(C) Nucleic acids
(D) Lipids
(E) Steroids

39. Water and ammonia interact to form hydrogen bonds, as represented in the figure.

Which statement best helps explain the formation of the hydrogen bond represented in the figure?
(A) The oxygen has a partial positive charge, and the nitrogen has a partial negative charge.
The nitrogen has a partial negative charge, and the hydrogen attached to the oxygen has a partial positive
(B)
charge.
The hydrogen attached to the oxygen has a partial negative charge, and the nitrogen also has a partial
(C)
negative charge.
The nitrogen has a partial positive charge, and the hydrogen attached to the oxygen also has a partial positive
(D)
charge.

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40. Read each question carefully. Write your response in the space provided for each part of each question. Answers
must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted lists, or diagrams alone are not acceptable and will not
be scored.

The diagram shows water molecules as solid ice at and as a liquid at .

(a) Describe why hydrogen bonds form between water molecules.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(b) Explain why the arrangement of water molecules is different in ice and water.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(c) To help explain surface tension, use a single water molecule in the template and draw arrows representing the
possible locations of hydrogen bonds formed by the molecule. The possible hydrogen bonds formed by a water
molecule below the surface are shown.

Template for Part (c)

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Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(d) The arrangement of the water molecules in ice causes the ice to float. Explain how ice floating on the surface
of a body of water affects the water in a way that is beneficial to the organisms in it.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

41. Which of the following best describes the hydrolysis of carbohydrates?

(A) The removal of a water molecule breaks a covalent bond between sugar monomers.
(B) The removal of a water molecule forms a covalent bond between sugar monomers.
(C) The addition of a water molecule breaks a covalent bond between sugar monomers.
(D) The addition of a water molecule forms a covalent bond between sugar monomers.

42. A common test for liver function involves sprinkling sulfur powder onto a sample of urine (mostly water with
dissolved bodily waste). Sulfur powder sprinkled on a sample from an individual with impaired liver function will
sink because the urine contains a high level of bile salts, while the sulfur powder sprinkled on normal urine samples
will float.

Which of the following best explains why bile salts cause the sulfur powder to sink?
(A) Bile salts decrease the surface tension of the urine sample.
(B) Bile salts increase the water potential of the urine.
(C) Bile salts increase the density of the urine sample.
(D) Bile salts decrease the strength of the covalent bonds within a water molecule.

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43. (b) Explain how membranes participate in THREE of the following biological processes:

• Muscle contraction
• Fertilization of an egg
• Chemiosmotic production of ATP
• Intercellular signaling

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

Directions: Answers must be in essay form. Outline form is not acceptable. Labeled diagrams may be used to
supplement discussion, but in no case will a diagram alone suffice. It is important that you read each question
completely before you begin.

Membranes are essential components of all cells.

(a) Identify THREE macromolecules that are components of the plasma membrane in a eukaryotic cell and
discuss the structure and function of each.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

Directions: Answers must be in essay form. Outline form is not acceptable. Labeled diagrams may be used to supplement
discussion, but in no case will a diagram alone suffice. It is important that you read each question completely before you
begin.

Membranes are essential components of all cells.

44. Identify THREE macromolecules that are components of the plasma membrane in a eukaryotic cell and discuss
the structure and function of each.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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45. The figure shows a model of the exchange of matter between the organisms that live together in an aquarium. The
model includes matter exchange between plants, fish, and bacteria. The bacteria are represented as rod-shaped
organisms living in the gravel at the bottom of the aquarium.

Which of the following statements best describes how molecules released by the fish become nutrients for the
plants?
The carbon dioxide molecules released by the fish are converted by the bacteria to oxygen atoms, which are
(A)
used by the plants to make water molecules.
The oxygen molecules released by the fish are converted by the bacteria to ammonia molecules, which are
(B)
used by the plants to make lipids and fatty acids.
The nitrites released by the fish are converted by the bacteria to carbon dioxide molecules, which are used by
(C)
the plants to make carbohydrates.
The ammonia molecules released by the fish are converted by the bacteria to nitrates, which are used by the
(D)
plants to make proteins and nucleic acids.

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46. A small protein is composed of 110 amino acids linked together in a chain. As shown in Figure 1, the first and last
five amino acids in the chain are hydrophobic (have nonpolar and uncharged -groups), whereas the remaining 100
amino acids are hydrophilic (have charged or polar -groups). The nature of the -group determines if the amino
acid is hydrophobic or hydrophilic.

A mutation results in the production of a version of the small protein that is only 105 amino acids long, as shown in
Figure 2. Five of the hydrophobic amino acids are missing from one end of the chain.

Which of the following best depicts the tertiary structures of the two proteins in water? The diagrams in the options
are not drawn to the same scale as those in Figure 1 and Figure 2.

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(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

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47.

Which of the following conclusions is most clearly supported by the representations of nucleic acid and nucleic
acid ?
(A) Nucleic acid contains only purines, whereas nucleic acid contains only pyrimidines.
(B) Nucleic acid contains the sugar ribose, whereas nucleic acid contains the sugar deoxyribose.
(C) Nucleic acid contains positively charged phosphate groups, whereas nucleic acid does not.
(D) Nucleic acid contains adenine-thymine base pairs, whereas nucleic acid does not.

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48. Students conducted a controlled experiment to investigate whether sawdust provides enough nutrients to support
plant growth. The students separated ten nearly identical sunflower seedlings into two groups. They grew the
seedlings in the first group in potting soil and the seedlings in the second group in sawdust composed mostly of
cellulose. After twenty days, the students recorded observations about the seedlings in each group. The students’
observations are presented in the table.

Mean Seedling
Treatment Group Observations
Height
Seedlings in potting The leaves have a dark green color and are normal in
soil size.
Seedlings in sawdust The leaves have a grayish color and are small in size.

The observed differences between the groups most likely resulted from differences in the ability of the seedlings to
produce which of the following monomers?

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(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

49. A feature of organic compounds NOT found in inorganic compounds is the presence of
(A) ionizing chemical groups
(B) electrons
(C) carbon atoms covalently bonded to each other
(D) oxygen
(E) hydrogen bonds

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50. Which of the following best explains why a cell’s plasma membrane is composed of two layers of phospholipids
rather than just a single layer?
Having two oppositely oriented layers of phospholipids allows only the hydrophilic heads to interact with
(A)
water inside and outside of the cell.
Having two oppositely oriented layers of phospholipids allows the hydrophilic heads to repel water both
(B)
inside and outside of the cells.
Having two identically oriented layers of phospholipids gives cells more protection from the exterior
(C)
environment than just a single layer would.
Having two identically oriented layers of phospholipids allows for the production of vacuoles while still
(D)
maintaining a protective barrier.

51.

Figure 1. An amino acid

The amino acid in Figure 1 is found in a region of a polypeptide that folds away from water. Which part of the
amino acid most likely contributes to the hydrophobic behavior of this region of the polypeptide?
(A) Amine ( ) group
(B) Carboxyl ( ) group
(C) Methyl ( ) group
(D) Hydrogen ( ) atom

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52. Figure 1 represents a common process that occurs in organisms.

Figure 1. Structural formula for a common biological reaction

Which of the following is an accurate description of the process shown in Figure 1 ?

(A) The linking of amino acids with an ionic bond as an initial step in the protein synthesis process
(B) The formation of a more complex carbohydrate with the covalent bonding of two simple sugars
(C) The hydrolysis of amino acids with the breaking of covalent bonds with the release of water
(D) The formation of a covalent peptide bond in a dehydration synthesis reaction

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53.

Figure 1. Formation of a peptide bond

Which of the following best describes the formation of the bond shown in Figure 1 ?
An ionic bond is formed between a carbon atom of one amino acid and the nitrogen atom of the other amino
(A)
acid.
An ionic bond is formed when the negative charge of an group is balanced by the positive charge of a
(B)
hydrogen ion.
(C) A covalent bond is formed between a carbon atom and a nitrogen atom along with the formation of .
(D) A covalent bond is formed that replaces the hydrogen bond between the group and the atom.

54. Which of the following best describes the process by which gas from the atmosphere is obtained by plants and used
to build lipids?
(A) Gas is fixed by plants as part of the sulfur cycle.
(B) Gas is fixed by plants as part of the nitrogen cycle.
(C) Gas is directly obtained by plants as part of the carbon cycle.
(D) Gas is directly obtained by plants as part of the magnesium cycle.

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55. The diagram shows how water can adhere to the xylem in the stems of plants, which contributes to water movement
in the plant. Which of the following best explains how water is able to move upward from the roots of a plant,
through its xylem in the stem, and out to the leaves?

Water is polar, and the walls of the xylem are nonpolar. Water molecules have the ability to form hydrogen
(A)
bonds with one another but not with the xylem walls.
Water is nonpolar, and the walls of the xylem are polar. Water molecules are able to form hydrogen bonds
(B)
with the xylem walls, and they are pulled up the xylem.
Water and the xylem are both nonpolar. Water molecules have the ability to form hydrogen bonds with one
(C)
another but not with the xylem walls.
Water and the xylem are both polar. Water molecules have the ability to form hydrogen bonds with each
(D)
other and with the walls of the xylem.

56. Which of the following best describes the structures of carbohydrates?

(A) They only occur as disaccharides.
(B) They occur as monomers, chains of monomers, and branched structures.
(C) They only occur as long and branched structures.
(D) They occur as chains of monomers that hydrogen bond with complementary chains of monomers.

57. Humans produce sweat as a cooling mechanism to maintain a stable internal temperature. Which of the following
best explains how the properties of water contribute to this physiological process?

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(A) The high specific heat capacity of water allows the body to absorb a large amount of excess heat energy.
The high heat of vaporization of water allows the body to remove excess heat through a phase change of
(B)
water from liquid to gas.
(C) The high surface tension of water contributes to the physical process by which water leaves the body.
The high melting temperature of water allows the body to remove excess heat through a phase change of
(D)
water from solid to liquid.

58. (c) Discuss the impact of one human activity on the water cycle.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(b) Water serves as a reactant and a product in the carbon cycle. Discuss the role of water in the carbon cycle.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

Directions: Answers must be in essay form. Outline form is not acceptable. Labeled diagrams may be used to
supplement discussion, but in no case will a diagram alone suffice. It is important that you read each question
completely before you begin.

Water is important for all living organisms. The functions of water are directly related to its physical properties.

(a) Describe how the properties of water contribute to TWO of the following.

• transpiration
• thermoregulation in endotherms
• plasma membrane structure

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

Directions: Answers must be in essay form. Outline form is not acceptable. Labeled diagrams may be used to supplement
discussion, but in no case will a diagram alone suffice. It is important that you read each question completely before you
begin.

Water is important for all living organisms. The functions of water are directly related to its physical properties.

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59. Describe how the properties of water contribute to TWO of the following.

• transpiration

• thermoregulation in endotherms

• plasma membrane structure

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

60. The synthesis of protein or carbohydrate polymers always produces which of the following as a byproduct?
(A) ATP
(B) Oxygen
(C) Carbon dioxide
(D) Urea
(E) Water

61. Polypeptides are continuously being formed and degraded. One of these processes is shown.

Figure 1. Polypeptide reaction

Which statement is the most accurate description of the reaction shown in Figure 1?

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(A) It represents monomers linked by dehydration synthesis.

(B) It represents a polypeptide chain that folds to form the tertiary structure.
(C) It represents a polypeptide chain that is denatured into the primary structure.
(D) It represents a polypeptide chain that is broken down through a hydrolysis reaction.
(c) The roles of proteins in membrane structure and transport of molecules across the membrane
62.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(b) The roles of DNA and RNA in protein synthesis

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

Directions: Answers must be in essay form. Outline form is not acceptable. Labeled diagrams may be used to
supplement discussion, but in no case will a diagram alone suffice. It is important that you read each question
completely before you begin.

Proteins–large complex molecules–are major building blocks of all living organisms. Discuss the following in
relation to proteins.

(a) The chemical composition and levels of structure of proteins

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

Directions: Answers must be in essay form. Outline form is not acceptable. Labeled diagrams may be used to supplement
discussion, but in no case will a diagram alone suffice. It is important that you read each question completely before you
begin.

Proteins–large complex molecules–are major building blocks of all living organisms. Discuss the following in relation to
proteins.

63. The chemical composition and levels of structure of proteins

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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64. Read each question carefully. Write your response in the space provided for each part of each question. Answers
must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted lists, or diagrams alone are not acceptable and will not
be scored.

Scientists studying transcription in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) created an experimental strain that produced
a modified polymerase containing a single amino acid substitution. The scientists determined the maximum
elongation rate during transcription with and without the modified polymerase enzyme (Figure ).

The compound amanitin, which is commonly found in toxic mushrooms, is a specific polymerase inhibitor.
Amanitin binds to the polymerase active site and inhibits transcription. In a second experiment, the
scientists treated the wild-type and experimental strains of S. cerevisiae with a μ solution of amanitin
and recorded the maximum elongation rate of the (Figure ). Error bars represent .

Figure . Maximum elongation rate under Figure . Maximum elongation rate in a μ

natural conditions amanitin solution

(a) Describe the three structural components of an nucleotide monomer. Explain the role of
polymerase during transcription.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(b) 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.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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

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Unit 1

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(d) 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 polymerase affected the shape of the active site on the
enzyme.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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65. Read each question carefully. Write your response in the space provided for each part of each question.
Answers must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted lists, or diagrams alone are not
acceptable and will not be scored.

Increasing the efficiency of photosynthesis is one way to increase crop yield and help to feed human populations.
One enzyme vital to the Calvin-Benson cycle of photosynthesis is Rubisco. Rubisco catalyzes the fixation of
atmospheric into organic molecules so that the carbon atoms can be used to produce carbohydrates. Rubisco
is composed of two different types of polypeptide subunits: large subunits and small subunits. It is hypothesized
that another protein called Rubisco assembly factor ( ) is needed to help the polypeptide subunits fold
together to form a functional enzyme.

Researchers engineered three genetically modified strains of maize (corn). Strain was modified to produce
additional Rubisco polypeptides of both types in the cells. Strain was modified to produce additional
protein. Strain was modified to produce both additional Rubisco polypeptides and additional protein. The
Rubisco content of each of the maize strains studied is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Rubisco content in genetically modified and unmodified strains of maize. ( ) indicates unmodified
levels of Rubisco polypeptides and/or protein. ( ) indicates additional Rubisco polypeptides and/or
protein.

The researchers then grew plants of each strain at a light intensity of μ and a
temperature of . After days, the amount of Rubisco activity (as determined by the rate of carbon fixation)
in each modified strain was determined (Figure 2).

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Figure 2. Rubisco activity (in μ ) in genetically modified and unmodified strains of

maize. ( ) indicates unmodified levels of Rubisco polypeptides and/or protein. ( ) indicates additional
Rubisco polypeptides and/or protein.

Researchers also evaluated several characteristics of the plants of each strain: the height, the fresh mass of the
plants, and the mass of plants dehydrated in an oven (dry mass). The data are presented in Table 1.

TABLE 1. AVERAGE PLANT HEIGHT, FRESH MASS, AND DRY MASS OF FOUR STRAINS OF MAIZE

Average Plant Height ( Average Fresh Mass ( Average Dry Mass (

Rubisco
Strain ) ) )
Production Production

Unmodified
Strain
Strain
Strain

(a) The small subunit of Rubisco is made up of many monomers. Describe the general structure of one of these
monomers, including the characteristic that would allow it to interact with a positively charged monomer in a
second Rubisco polypeptide.

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(b) Identify the dependent variable in the experiment whose data are shown in Figure 2. Identify the strain of
maize that served as the control group in the experiment whose data are shown in Figure 1. Based on the data in
Figure 2, describe the effect of additional production compared with the effect of additional Rubisco
polypeptide production on Rubisco activity. Calculate the percent of the fresh mass that was due to water in the
unmodified strain of maize.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(c) Researchers engineer a strain of maize with a mutation that results in a decrease in the expression of .
Predict the most likely effect of this mutation on consumption in plants grown under the same
conditions as those of the experimental strains. Justify your prediction. In addition to binding , Rubisco can
bind . Once Rubisco binds to , an energetically wasteful cycle called photorespiration must be completed
before Rubisco can bind again. Researchers discover a mutation that significantly increases the ability of
Rubisco to bind to . Predict the effect of this mutation on the dry mass of plants.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(d) Switchgrass is a grass species related to maize. A mutant strain of switchgrass has been found in which both
types of Rubisco polypeptides are overexpressed; expression is at normal levels. Using the experimental
results shown in Figure 2, explain how the fitness of the mutant switchgrass will compare with that of nonmutant
switchgrass. The small subunits of Rubisco are encoded by a nuclear gene while the large subunits of Rubisco are
encoded by a chloroplast gene. Explain how the alleles for EACH of the two Rubisco subunits are inherited in the
offspring of two plants that reproduce sexually.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

66.

The sequences for two short fragments of DNA are shown above. Which of the following is one way in which these
two segments would differ?
(A) Segment 1 would not code for mRNA because both strands have T, a base not found in RNA.
(B) Segment 1 would be more soluble in water than segment 2 because it has more phosphate groups.
Segment 1 would become denatured at a lower temperature than would segment 2 because A-T base pairs
(C)
have two hydrogen bonds whereas G-C base pairs have three.
(D) Segment 1 must be from a prokaryote because it has predominantly A-T base pairs.

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67. A culture of Spirogyra (an autotrophic alga) is maintained in a water solution containing dissolved carbon dioxide
and a source of phosphates but lacking nitrogen compounds. A researcher determines the rates of synthesis of
several organic compounds found in the Spirogyra before and after several weeks in the water solution. Which of
the following graphs best illustrates a likely result of the experiment?

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(A)

(B)

(C)

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(D)

68. Figure 1 is a diagram of water molecules at the air-water interface at the surface of a pond.

Figure 1. Alignment of water molecules at air-water interface

Based on Figure 1, which of the following best describes how the properties of water at an air-water interface
enable an insect to walk on the water's surface?
Covalent bonds between water molecules and the air above provide cohesion, which causes tiny bubbles to
(A)
form under the feet of the insect.
Ionic bonds between molecules at the surface of the water provide an electric charge, which attracts the feet
(B)
of the insect, keeping it on the surface.
Polar covalent bonds between molecules at the surface of the water provide adhesion, which supports the
(C)
weight of the insect.
Hydrogen bonds between molecules at the surface of the water provide surface tension, which allows the
(D)
water surface to deform but not break under the insect.

69. Which of the following best describes how amino acids affect the tertiary structure of a protein?
(A) The number of amino acids determines the tertiary structure of the protein.
The interactions of the different -groups with other -groups and with their environment determine the
(B)
tertiary structure of the protein.
The -group of the last amino acid that is added to a growing polypeptide chain determines the next amino
(C)
acid that is added to the chain.
The sequence of the amino acids in the polypeptide chain determines the protein’s primary structure but has
(D)
no effect on its tertiary structure.

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70. (d) Describe structural changes that can occur to a protein after translation to make it function properly.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(c) Identify differences between transcription and translation.

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(b) Identify similarities between transcription and translation.

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Directions: Answers must be in essay form. Outline form is not acceptable. Labeled diagrams may be used to
supplement discussion, but in no case will a diagram alone suffice. It is important that you read each question
completely before you begin.

Protein synthesis is vital for cell growth and metabolism.

(a) Describe transcription and translation.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

Directions: Answers must be in essay form. Outline form is not acceptable. Labeled diagrams may be used to supplement
discussion, but in no case will a diagram alone suffice. It is important that you read each question completely before you
begin

Protein synthesis is vital for cell growth and metabolism.

71. Describe structural changes that can occur to a protein after translation to make it function properly.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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72. Read each question carefully. Write your response in the space provided for each part of each question. Answers
must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted lists, or diagrams alone are not acceptable and will not
be scored.

A processed eukaryotic (lacking introns) is introduced into bacteria so that the bacteria can produce a
large quantity of the encoded polypeptide. Translation of the to produce a polypeptide involves the
binding of large and small ribosomal subunits to an . Each complete ribosome has three binding
sites that align with three sequential codons in the . Three steps in the process of translation elongation,
the addition of amino acids to a growing polypeptide chain, are illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 1. A schematic drawing of three steps in translation elongation. Sequential codons are numbered, and
represents amino acid.

(a) Describe why translation of an can start before transcription of the is complete in
prokaryotes but not in eukaryotes.

AP Biology Page 69 of 71
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(b) Referring to Figure 1, explain the process illustrated between Step 1 and Step 2.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(c) Fill in the boxes in the template to identify the nucleotide sequence, from to , of the anticodon
that will recognize codon 5 and the anticodon that will recognize codon 510 of the template and
to identify the amino acids that will be added at these two positions. A codon table is provided for reference.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(d) Referring to the figures provided, explain why the polypeptide produced when the transformed bacteria
translate the introduced eukaryotic provides evidence for the common ancestry of all living organisms.

Page 70 of 71 AP Biology
 Test Booklet

Unit 1

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

73. Ultraviolet ( ) radiation can damage by breaking weak bonds. Which of the following best explains how
this occurs?
radiation disrupts the double helix structure by breaking the covalent bonds between the nitrogenous
(A)
base pairs.
radiation disrupts the double helix structure by breaking the hydrogen bonds between the nitrogenous
(B)
base pairs.
radiation is able to break strands in two by breaking covalent bonds between the sugar-phosphate
(C)
backbone molecules.
radiation is able to break strands in two by breaking hydrogen bonds between the sugar-
(D)
phosphate backbone molecules.

74. A student analyzed a viral genome and found that the genome had the following nucleotide composition.

• 28% adenine

• 20% thymine

• 35% cytosine

• 17% guanine

Which of the following best describes the structure of the viral genome?
(A) Double-stranded DNA
(B) Single-stranded DNA
(C) Double-stranded RNA
(D) Single-stranded RNA

75. Which of the following is most directly responsible for water’s unique properties?
(A) It contains oxygen atoms.
(B) It contains hydrogen atoms.
(C) It is an ionic compound.
(D) It forms hydrogen bonds.
(E) It is nonpolar.

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