Read through the following list of concepts and note any that you couldn’t confidently discuss with a parent or friend:
Unit 3: Area of study 1: Bio-macromolecules, Photosynthesis, Respiration and Enzymes
- Monomers and polymers of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids
- Structure of proteins (including enzymes and hormones) and how they are formed
- Structure of cell membrane and how molecules are transported through the membrane
- Characteristics of enzymes (optimum range and effects of temperature and pH)
- Light-dependent and light independent stages of photosynthesis
- Glycolysis, Kreb’s cycle and electron transport stages of respiration (aerobic and anaerobic respiration)
- Vaccines and rational drug design
Unit 3: Area of Study 2: Homeostasis, Nervous and Hormonal Systems, Disease and Immunity
- Positive and negative feedback cycles that contribute to body manitenance
- Structure and function of neurones, neurotransmitters
- Hormones – lipid and water soluble proteins and signalling molecules.
- Plant hormones (auxins, gibberellins, ethylene, cytokinins, abscisic acid, florigen)
- Pathogens
- Adaptive immunity, Lines of defence, cell-mediated immunity (B and T cells), clonal selection theory, apoptosis
- Structure and function of antibodies, natural and passive immunity, natural and induced (artificial) immunity
Unit 4: Area of Study 1: Heredity, Genes, Chromosomes and Manipulating DNA
- Chromosomes, genes and alleles
- Meiosis, gametes, karyotypes, autosomes and sex chromosomes
- Variation due to random pairing and crossing-over
- Dominant and recessive alleles, family pedigrees
- Genetic code – G and C; A and T (or U) in DNA (and RNA)
- Transcription and translation (DNA to protein)
- Restriction enzymes, Polymerase Chain Reaction, DNA probes, ligase and vectors
- DNA profiling and gel electrophoresis
Unit 4: Area of Study 2: Populations, Evolution, Hominins and Human Intervention in Evolution
- Population genetics and allele frequencies (Hardy-Weinberg principle)
- Mitochondrial DNA – inherited through maternal line
- Darwin’s theory of natural selection
- Geological time periods and radioactive dating
- Evidence for evolution – Fossil record and biogeography
- Molecular clock and patterns of evolution (divergent, convergent, parallel and co-evolution)
- Comparing skulls of Australopithecus afarensis and A. boisei; Homo habilis, H. erectus, H. heidelbergensis, H. neanderthalensis and H. sapiens
- Evolution of man – Biological, cultural and technological evolution
- Artificial selection (selective breeding), cloning and genetically modified organisms, transgenic plants – (Artificial selection of crab carapaces, genetically modified salmon and Origins of modern food crops)
- Technology in human reproduction – stem cells, IVF, embryo transfers, designer babies.
