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Date November 2017 Marks available 3 Reference code 17N.3.SL.TZ0.09
Level Standard level Paper Paper 3 Time zone TZ0 / no time zone
Command term Explain Question number 09 Adapted from N/A

Question

Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) was used as a vector in the development of a new process for Hepatitis B vaccine production.

[Source: Scholthof, K-B.G. 2000. Tobacco mosaic virus. The Plant Health Instructor. DOI: 10.1094/PHI-I-2000-1010-01. Updated 2005. © 2018 The American Phytopathological Society. All rights reserved.]

State the role of a vector in biotechnology.

[1]
a.

Explain how the Hepatitis B vaccine is produced using TMV.

[3]
b.

State the importance of marker genes in genetic modification.

[1]
c.

Markscheme

carries/transfers genetic material into a cell

a.

a. TMV contains RNA/is a retrovirus

b. gene of hepatitis B «virus» codes for antigen

    OR

    hepatitis B «virus» has a gene that induces an immune response

c. «antigen» fuses to capsid gene for TMV

d. two fused genes enter/infect the plant cells «using the virus as a vector»

e. mice fed with infected plants produce antibodies against hepatitis B

f. antibodies are extracted from mouse serum/blood

Allow other mammal

[Max 3 Marks]

b.

marker genes show the «target» gene has been inserted

c.

Examiners report

[N/A]
a.
[N/A]
b.
[N/A]
c.

Syllabus sections

Option B: Biotechnology and bioinformatics » Option B: Biotechnology and bioinformatics (Core topics) » B.2 Biotechnology in agriculture
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Option B: Biotechnology and bioinformatics » Option B: Biotechnology and bioinformatics (Core topics)
Option B: Biotechnology and bioinformatics

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