Explanation:
Down syndrome is not caused by a trisomy of sex chromosomes (choice B). The other statements are correct. Down syndrome is caused by trisomy 21 (choice A). It is caused by a trisomy of autosomes (choice C) because chromosome 21 is an autosome. Down syndrome is caused by an incorrect number of chromosomes (choice D).

Explanation​:
Crossing over (Choice A), random orientation (Choice C) and separation of homologous chromosomes (Choice D) all occur during meiosis. The formation of two identical cells (Choice B) happens in mitosis, not meiosis.

Explanation​:
Choice C is a correct definition of a gene. Chromosomes are made of DNA and protein (Choice A), while genes are only made of DNA. When DNA is at various levels of supercoiling, it is wrapped around histone proteins. However, the presence of histones is not part of the definition of a gene (Choice B). Genes control some characteristics, but some characteristics are also affected by the environment (Choice D).

Explanation:
A base substitution is when one nucleotide randomly replaces another in a sequence causing a single nucleotide polymorphism. This can result in a shorter polypeptide being translated (Statement I) due to the base change causing a stop codon to appear earlier in the DNA/mRNA sequence. It can also cause an altered polypeptide chain to be translated (Statement II) if the base substitution causes a different amino acid to be translated. It can also have no effect on the polypeptide that is translated (Statement III), as the genetic code is degenerate, meaning many codons code for the same amino acid. Choice D is therefore correct.

Choices A, B and C are incorrect, as they do not include all three statements.

Explanation​:
The solution used to bathe organs to be used in a transplant should have an osmolarity equal to that of the organ to be transplanted and so the solution is isotonic compared to the organ’s tissues.

A solution with an osmolarity higher than that of the organ to be transplanted (Choice A) would cause tissue cells to shrivel, while a solution with an osmolarity lower than that of the organ to be transplanted (Choice B) would cause organ cells to burst. There are no described protocols that indicate that the solution should be mixed with cells from the organ to be transplanted (Choice D).

Explanation​:
Choice D is correct because transpiration is the loss of water from the stomata of a plant, it is not a stage of plant reproduction. Choices A, C and D are incorrect because pollination, fertilisation and seed dispersal are all stages of plant reproduction.

Explanation​:
Choice B is correct because pollination is the transfer of pollen from an anther to a stigma. Choice A is incorrect because the fusion of a male and female gamete is fertilization. Choice C is incorrect because the transfer of seeds away from the parent plant is dispersal. Choice D is incorrect because pollination can occur without a pollinator. Some plants are wind-pollinated.

Explanation:
Choice D is correct because food is stored in the cotyledon(s). Choice A is incorrect because the function of the radicle is to develop into the root of the seedling. Choice B is incorrect because the function of the plumule is to develop into the shoot of the seedling. Choice C is incorrect because the testa is the outer covering of the seed.

Explanation:
At fertilisation, two gametes, which are haploid, fuse together to produce a diploid cell. Gametes of a fruit fly have a haploid number of 4, so fertilisation produces a cell with 8 chromosomes (choice A). Choice B is incorrect because 4 is the haploid number. Choice C is incorrect because fruit fly somatic cells have 8 chromosomes and fertilised egg cells have 8 chromosomes. Choice D is incorrect because 16 is twice the diploid number of fruit flies.

Explanation​:

Taq polymerase was isolated from bacteria found in the hot springs at Yellowstone National Park, USA. This enzyme is able to withstand high temperatures used for PCR assays.
All other choices (Choice A, C and D) describe bacteria living in colder locations compared to hot springs which strongly suggests that enzymes present in these bacteria would not be adapted to higher temperatures.

Explanation​:
Choice A is correct because if the heart were placed in a hypotonic solution (as opposed to isotonic) water would diffuse into the cardiac muscles.

Choice B is incorrect because there would be no net movement into the tissues of the heart in an isotonic solution, not a hypotonic or hypertonic solution. Choice C is incorrect because even if it is placed in a solution other than an isotonic solution, it cannot dry out as it is still bathed in a watery solution. Choice D is incorrect as the tonicity of the solution the heart is stored in has no effect on whether the recipient’s immune system identifies the heart as foreign which would lead to rejection of the heart by the immune system.

Explanation​:
Choice A is incorrect as autosomes are chromosomes that are not the sex chromosomes and so do not determine biological sex. Choice B is incorrect as linked genes are genes that are found on the same chromosome. Choice C is incorrect as a gene locus is the position of a gene on a chromosome.

Explanation:
The fossil record provides evidence of evolution, as the sequence in which fossils appear matches the sequence that they would be expected to evolve. Homologous structures provide evidence of evolution as they provide evidence that organisms shared a common ancestor. Speciation provides evidence of evolution as when populations become reproductively isolated, then natural selection can act differently on those populations, resulting in the formation of new species. Choice C is correct. Choices A and D are incorrect as the organisms becoming more complex does not necessarily correlate with evolution. Choice B is incorrect, as the increasing size of organisms does not necessarily correlate with evolution.

Explanation​:
Peptide bonds form between amino acids as a result of condensation reactions. Statement II (Choice C) is correct because dipeptides are composed of two amino acids held together by a peptide bond and proteins (Statement III) are composed of one or more polypeptides, which are chains of amino acids held together by peptide bonds. Choice A, B and D are incorrect as individual amino acids (Statement I) do not possess peptide bonds.

Explanation​:
Statement III is not true, as homologous chromosomes often have different alleles (forms of genes), so are generally not identical to each other.

Statements I and II are true, as homologous chromosomes are pairs of chromosomes that have their centromeres and genes at the same positions. Therefore, Choice C is correct.

Explanation​:
The four stages of mitosis are prophase, where chromosomes supercoil and become visible; Metaphase, where chromosomes line up at the equator of the cell; anaphase, where sister chromatids are pulled apart and telophase, where the nuclear envelope reforms and two new daughter nuclei are formed.

Statement I is incorrect as sister chromatids are not pulled apart during metaphase. They are pulled apart during anaphase.
Choice B is incorrect as both statements II and III are correct and should be included.

Explanation​:
Telophase is the last phase of mitosis and does not cause mutations (Choice C). Single base substitutions cause a change in the base sequence of DNA, which is a mutation (Choice A). Carcinogens (Choice B) and high energy radiation (Choice D) are mutagens which means they can cause changes in the base sequence of DNA.

Explanation​:
A mRNA strand contains four nitrogenous bases: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and uracil (U). It does not contain thymine (T) (Choice C and Choice D).

Most mRNA strands which code for polypeptides begin with the $\text{‘}$START$\text{’}$ codon AUG and end with a `STOP$\text{’}$ codon, UAG, UAA or UGA (Choice A). Choice B has a $\text{‘}$STOP$\text{’}$ codon at the beginning which would terminate translation before it begins.

Explanation​:
Choice C is correct, as the 9th nucleotide in the sequence (C) has been deleted from the original sequence.

Choice A is incorrect as it is the exact same sequence as the original sequence. Choice B is incorrect as it represents an insertion mutation, an adenine has been inserted in the 7th position. Choice D is incorrect as it represents a base substitution mutation, as G has replaced a T in the 14th position.

Explanation​:
Mitosis forms two genetically identical daughter cells with the same number of diploid chromosomes as the parent cell.

18 (Choice B) is incorrect as it is the haploid number of chromosomes. 72 (Choice C) is incorrect as it is twice the diploid number of chromosomes. 9 (Choice D) is incorrect as it is a quarter of the diploid number and an odd number.

Explanation​:
mRNA, also known as messenger RNA, carries the genetic information needed for protein synthesis (Choice B).

Ribosomal RNA is found in ribosomes. This RNA contributes to the structure of the ribosome and does not code for proteins (Choice A).

ATP (Choice C) is a molecule made out of a nucleotide (adenosine tri-phosphate), while nucleic acid is made out of many nucleotides.

tRNA (Choice D), also known as transfer RNA, brings amino acids to the ribosomes and does not code for proteins.

Explanation​:
The question states that heterozygous individuals have the banded pattern on their hairs, which means that the agouti trait is dominant. Two heterozygous parents will produce offspring with the dominant and recessive characteristics in the ratio of 3:1 (Choice B). The offspring of a heterozygous individual and a homozygous agouti individual will all receive at least one dominant allele, so they would all be agouti (Choice A). The offspring of at least one parent that is homozygous for agouti will all have the agouti characteristic (Choices C and D).

Explanation​:
Photosynthesis (Choice B) is the process by which carbon dioxide in the air is converted to carbon compounds in green plants.

Respiration releases carbon dioxide (Choice A), and decomposition by decomposers (Choice C) also releases carbon dioxide. Transpiration is the process by which water is drawn up the stem of a plant to the leaves where it evaporates (Choice D) and is not involved directly in the carbon cycle.

Explanation:
Facilitated diffusion and osmosis are both passive means of transport and therefore do not require energy.

Active transport (Choice A) requires energy expenditure. Facilitated diffusion is a passive form of transport but active transport requires energy (Choice B). Facilitated diffusion (Choice D) does not require energy expenditure but this answer choice does not include osmosis.

Explanation​:
PCR is used to amplify samples of DNA so they can be used for analysis.

PCR replicates DNA but does not show that replication is semi-conservative (Choice A).

PCR does not determine the base sequence of DNA. It produces copies of short sections of DNA that can then be further analyzed (Choice B).

Taq polymerase is an enzyme used in PCR but no Taq DNA is incorporated. (Choice D).