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.