SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF BASIC SCIENCES

PMBI130 A LEVEL BIOLOGY I

PRE - MID SEMESTER PROGRESS TEST

30th SEPTEMBER, 2022

11:30 – 13:30 HOURS

TIME ALLOWED: 00: 40 HOURS PLUS 5 MINUTES READING TIME

Instructions to Candidates:
1. Check that you have the correct examination paper in front of you.

2. There are Eight (7) questions in this test paper. Answer all questions in
SECTIONS A, B and C.

3. ALL questions must be answered on neat A – 4 paper

4. Begin answering each question on a new page.

5. No books, files, cell phones or other electronic aids are permitted in this exam.
However, a scientific calculator is permitted.
There shall be no communication between students during the examination.
Any students caught doing so will be disqualified.

Suggested solutions/answers
SECTION A
1. A
2. D
3. B
4. A
5. A
6. C
7. D
8. E
9. B
10. B

SECTION B
Question 2
1. A5
2. B4
3. C1
4. D2
5. E3

QUESTION 3
1. A3
2. B5
3. C1
4. D2
5. E4

QUESTION 4
1. A5
2. B4
3. C2
4. D3
5. E1
QUESTION 5
1. A4
2. B3
3. C2
4. D5
5. E1

SECTION C
Question 6
(a) Write down differences with respect to: type of sugar, bases, strand and size of each of
the nucleic acids. Explain in narrative/essay/composition type.
(b) You could begin by describing the general structures of purines and pyrimidines and then
proceed on to show how they are paired through hydrogen bonding always.

Question 7
(a) The molecules that reduce the rate of enzyme reactions are called inhibitors. An inhibitor
binds to an enzyme and blocks its activity.

(b) In competitive inhibition, the inhibitor structurally resembles the substrate for a given
enzyme and competes with the substrate for binding at the active site of the enzyme. In
non-competitive inhibition, the inhibitor binds at a site distinct from the usual active site,
and can bind to either the free enzyme or the enzyme – substrate complex.

(c) Prosthetic group in enzymology refers to a type of helper molecules or cofactors that assist
enzymes in their catalytic functions. For instance, flavine adenine dinucleotide (FAD)
assists several enzymes to function normally in the respiratory chain.

END OF SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS.