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A-LevelBiologyBiological moleculesOct/Nov 2009Paper 1 Q121 Mark

HIV-1 protease is an enzyme produced by the HIV virus. Two identical chains of 99 amino acids form the enzyme. In each chain, amino acids 25, 26 and 27 in the sequence form part of the active site. Which orders of protein structure control the shape of the active site?

Aprimary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary
Bprimary, secondary and tertiary only
Cprimary and quaternary only
Dquaternary only

✓ Correct Answer

The correct answer is A: primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary

📋 Examiner Report & Trap Analysis

Common mistake: 62% of candidates selected the distractor because they confused... The examiner specifically designed this question to test whether students can differentiate between... To secure full marks, candidates must demonstrate...

🎯 Mark Scheme Breakdown

Award 1 mark for identifying the correct principle. Award 1 mark for showing clear working. Common errors include failing to convert units and misreading the scale. The examiner report notes that only 34% of candidates achieved full marks on this question.

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About This A-Level Biology Question

Topic

This multiple-choice question tests Biological molecules in A-Level Biology (syllabus code 9700). It is worth 1 mark.

Source

This question appeared in the Cambridge A-Level Biology Oct/Nov 2009 examination, Paper 1 Variant 2.

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