Skip to main content
A-LevelBiologyInfectious diseasesFeb/Mar 2024Paper 1 Q381 Mark

Antibiotic-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are a major problem when treating TB. A new antibiotic, teixobactin, could be very effective at killing M. tuberculosis with only a small risk that the bacteria will evolve teixobactin resistance. Penicillin and similar antibiotics bind to a single protein, but teixobactin binds to two lipids that are needed for the formation of the bacterial cell wall. Teixobactin binds to regions of the two lipids that do not vary across many different species of bacteria. Which statements help to explain why the use of teixobactin is thought to be less likely to lead to the evolution of antibiotic resistance than the use of many other antibiotics, such as penicillin? 1 A single mutation can result in bacteria that are resistant to penicillin and similar antibiotics but at least two mutations are required to produce teixobactin-resistant bacteria. 2 Mutations can affect the structure of proteins but cannot affect the structure of lipids because only proteins are made of amino acids. 3 The lack of variation across many species of bacteria in the two lipids that bind to teixobactin suggest that the particular structure of these lipids is essential for successful bacterial cell wall formation.

A1, 2 and 3
B1 and 2 only
C1 and 3 only
D2 and 3 only

✓ Correct Answer

The correct answer is C: 1 and 3 only

📋 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.

🔒

Unlock the Examiner's Analysis

Sign up for free to reveal the full examiner report, trap analysis, and mark scheme breakdown for this question.

Sign Up Free to Unlock →

Join thousands of Cambridge students already using Oracle Prep

About This A-Level Biology Question

Topic

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

Source

This question appeared in the Cambridge A-Level Biology Feb/Mar 2024 examination, Paper 1 Variant 2.

Practice on Oracle Prep

Oracle Prep provides AI-powered practice for all Cambridge O-Level and A-Level subjects. Our platform includes topic predictions with 87.7% accuracy, AI essay grading, and a comprehensive question bank spanning 25 years of past papers across 29 subjects.

Related Biology Questions

© 2026 Oracle Prep — The AI-Powered Cambridge Exam Engine