Outline, with an example, the process of exocytosis.

Translation occurs in living cells. Explain how translation is carried out, from the initiation stage onwards.

vesicles carry material to plasma membrane;
vesicle fuses with membrane;
(by joining of) phospholipid bilayers;
aided by the fluidity of the membrane;
material released/expelled from the cell;
membrane flattens;
name of example e.g. exocytosis of neurotransmitter / exocrine secretion/endocrine secretion / hormone secretion / release of cortical granules;
outline of example: (in the presence of calcium), neurotransmitter vesicles release their contents into the synapse / hormones released from one cell have an effect on another cell etc.;
Accept these points if clearly made in an annotated diagram. [4 max] if no example given.

translation involves initiation, elongation/translocation and termination;
mRNA binds to the small sub-unit of the ribosome;
ribosome slides along mRNA to the start codon;
anticodon of tRNA pairs with codon on mRNA:
complementary base pairing (between codon and anticodon);
(anticodon of) tRNA with methionine pairs with start codon / AUG is the start codon;
second tRNA pairs with next codon;
peptide bond forms between amino acids;
ribosome moves along the mRNA by one codon;
movement in 5' to 3' direction;
tRNA that has lost its amino acid detaches;
another tRNA pairs with the next codon/moves into A site;
tRNA activating enzymes;
link amino acids to specific tRNA;
stop codon (eventually) reached;

There were some very good answers to this section which included all possible marking points, but far too many only knew one fact, that it expelled material form a cell. A large number of candidates summarized intracellular vesicle traffic which again suggests that candidates have memorized mark schemes rather than applying what they know to novel questions. In this question, the details of a specific example were rarely included.

It was surprising that so many managed to omit the basic facts on codon/anticodon binding by complementary base pairing. Some explained DNA replication and transcription instead.  Answers were in general, poorer on this topic than they have been in the past which suggests that teachers are not spending adequate time on this topic.