A-LevelBiologyGenetic technology9700/42 · Feb/Mar 2022 · Q58 Marks

Factor VIII can be made as a recombinant human protein.

(a)(i)Name the disease that is treated using recombinant human factor VIII.[1]
(a)(ii)Before recombinant human factor VIII was available, this disease was treated with factor VIII from donated blood. Give two advantages of using recombinant human factor VIII, instead of factor VIII from donated blood, to treat this disease.[2]
(b)(i)The gene that codes for human factor VIII can be synthesised from messenger RNA purified from human liver cells. (i) Name the enzyme that uses messenger RNA as a template to produce complementary DNA.[1]
(b)(ii)Outline two sources, other than messenger RNA, from which genes can be obtained for genetic engineering.[2]
(c)The gene that codes for human factor VIII can be transferred into mammalian cells in tissue culture. Explain why a promoter also needs to be transferred into the mammalian cells so that human factor VIII can be synthesised.[2]

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Feb/Mar 2022). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[1] haemophilia (A) ;
[2] any two from: accept ora throughout 1 large / unlimited, supply; 2 no risk of infection; 3 no / fewer, ethical issues; 4 less chance of, rejection / immune response / allergic response / side effects ; 5 cheap/quick, to produce; 6 no need to wait for donor;
[1] reverse transcriptase ;
[2] 1 genes cut from (donor) DNA ; 2 genes synthesised (chemically) from nucleotides ;
[2] any two from: 1 required, for gene expression / to start transcription ; 2 (so) transcription factor can bind (to promoter)-; 3 so RNA polymerase can bind (to promoter);

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