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A-LevelBiologySelection and evolution9700/41 · Oct/Nov 2025 · Q411 Marks

The wolf, Canis lupus, lives in North America. Wolves may have a grey or a black coat colour. The colour of an individual wolf depends on the DNA it inherits at the CPD103 gene locus. • Wolves inherit two copies of CPD103, one from each parent. • Wolves that inherit one copy of the black form of the CPD103 gene have a black coat. (a) State the term used to describe: • an organism that has two copies of each gene • a form of a gene • a form of a gene that gives a phenotypic effect in a heterozygote. In addition to producing black coat colour, the protein coded for by the CPD103 gene also defends against infectious lung disease. Canine distemper virus (CDV) causes serious lung disease in wolves. Wolves that have been previously infected by CDV have antibodies against CDV (anti-CDV antibodies) in their blood. (b) CDV can be passed from domestic dogs to wolves. • Domestic dogs are more numerous in the southern part of the area occupied by wolves. • Domestic dogs are less numerous in the northern part of the area occupied by wolves. • The relative frequency of black wolves compared to grey wolves increases from the north to the south of the area they occupy. Explain how natural selection causes this trend in the distribution of black wolves. (c) Several different populations of wolves were compared. [Figure 4.1] shows the relationship between the percentage of wolves in a population that have anti-CDV antibodies in their blood and the percentage of wolves in that population that are black. The line of best fit was calculated after comparing the different populations of wolves. With reference to Fig. 4.1, state the relationship between the percentage of wolves with anti-CDV antibodies and wolf coat colour, and suggest reasons for this relationship.

  1. (a)State the term used to describe: • an organism that has two copies of each gene • a form of a gene • a form of a gene that gives a phenotypic effect in a heterozygote.[3]
  2. (b)CDV can be passed from domestic dogs to wolves. • Domestic dogs are more numerous in the southern part of the area occupied by wolves. • Domestic dogs are less numerous in the northern part of the area occupied by wolves. • The relative frequency of black wolves compared to grey wolves increases from the north to the south of the area they occupy. Explain how natural selection causes this trend in the distribution of black wolves.[4]
  3. (c)With reference to Fig. 4.1, state the relationship between the percentage of wolves with anti-CDV antibodies and wolf coat colour, and suggest reasons for this relationship.[4]

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Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2025). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

  1. [1] (a) 1 diploid ;
  2. [1] 2 allele ;
  3. [1] 3 dominant (allele) ;
  4. [4] (b) any four from: 1 CDV acts as a selection pressure ; 2 DNA/allele, for black (coat) gives resistance to CDV or DNA/allele, for black (coat), gives (selective) advantage / is selected for, if / when, CDV is common / dogs are common; in the south (context must be established at least once): 3 more CDV (infection) in wolves ; 4 black wolves, more likely to survive / have selective advantage / are selected for; ORA greys 5 black wolves more likely to, breed / reproduce ; ORA greys 6 pass on / increase the frequency of, allele for black coat ; ORA grey
  5. [1] (c) 1 positive (linear) correlation / positive relationship / direct relationship / directly proportional or as % with (anti-CDV) antibodies increases the % of black wolves increases ;
  6. [3] plus any three from: 2 wolves that survive CDV will, later / as a result, have antibodies ; 3 high % of antibodies show population with high level of CDV ; 4 in population with high % antibodies, grey wolves have died / more black wolves are left ; 5 gene / DNA / allele / protein, that gives black coat, helps survival / gives resistance to CDV/defends against CDV ; 6 AVP;

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About this question

Topic
Selection and evolution, A-Level Biology (syllabus 9700). Structured question, 11 marks.
Source
A-Level Biology, Oct/Nov 2025 Paper 4 Variant 1, question 4.

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