Please check the examination details below before entering your candidate information
Candidate surname Other names
Centre Number Candidate Number
Pearson Edexcel Level 3 GCE
Monday 11 May 2026
Morning (Time: 1 hour 30 minutes) Paper
reference 8BI0/01
Biology B
Advanced Subsidiary
PAPER 1: Core Cellular Biology and Microbiology
You must have: Total Marks
Scientific calculator, HB pencil, ruler
Instructions
•• Use black ink or ball‑point pen.
Fill in the boxes at the top of this page with your name,
centre number and candidate number.
•• Answer all questions.
Answer the questions in the spaces provided
– there may be more space than you need.
Information
•• The total mark for this paper is 80.
The marks for each question are shown in brackets
– use this as a guide as to how much time to spend on each question.
• Into question(s) marked with an asterisk (*), marks will be awarded for your ability
structure your answer logically, showing how the points that you make are
related or follow on from each other where appropriate.
Advice
•• Read each question carefully before you start to answer it.
Try to answer every question.
• Check your answers if you have time at the end.
Turn over
P79080A
©2026 Pearson Education Ltd.
P:1/1/1/1/1/
*P79080A0128*
, Answer ALL questions.
Some questions must be answered with a cross in a box . If you change your mind about an
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
answer, put a line through the box and then mark your new answer with a cross .
1 Diabetes is a condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high.
Diabetes may be caused by mutations in the gene coding for insulin.
(a) The diagram shows the sequence of bases in part of the DNA template
(antisense) strand coding for insulin and the mRNA molecule formed during
protein synthesis.
DNA template strand A T G C G C C T C
mRNA
(i) Complete the diagram to show the sequence of bases in this mRNA.
(1)
(ii) Name this stage of protein synthesis.
(1)
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ ................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(b) In 2019, 9.3% of the world’s population had diabetes. This was a total of
463 million people.
(i) Calculate the total number of people in the world in 2019.
Give your answer in standard form.
(1)
Answer ........................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2
*P79080A0228*
, (ii) It is estimated that by 2030, 783 million people could have diabetes.
Calculate how many more people will have diabetes in 2030 than in 2019.
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Give your answer in standard form to three significant figures.
(1)
Answer ........................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(c) The diagram shows the base sequence in another part of the insulin gene and in
the same part with a mutation.
Base sequence C T G C C C C T G C T G G C G
Mutated sequence C T G C A C C C T G C T G G C
(i) State which type of mutation has taken place in this base sequence.
(1)
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ ................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(ii) Give a reason for your answer.
Use the information in the diagram to support your answer.
(1)
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ ................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ ................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ ................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(Total for Question 1 = 6 marks)
3
*P79080A0328* Turn over
, 2 The cell cycle is divided into three main stages: interphase, mitosis and cytokinesis.
(a) The photograph shows cells in a root tip.
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
cell S
cell R
(Source: © Scenics & Science/Alamy Stock Photo)
(i) Which row of the table shows the stage of mitosis in cell R and cell S?
(1)
Cell R Cell S
A anaphase metaphase
B anaphase telophase
C prophase metaphase
D prophase telophase
(ii) The mitotic index is calculated by dividing the number of cells in mitosis by
the total number of cells.
Calculate the mitotic index for this part of the root tip.
(1)
Answer ........................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
*P79080A0428*
Candidate surname Other names
Centre Number Candidate Number
Pearson Edexcel Level 3 GCE
Monday 11 May 2026
Morning (Time: 1 hour 30 minutes) Paper
reference 8BI0/01
Biology B
Advanced Subsidiary
PAPER 1: Core Cellular Biology and Microbiology
You must have: Total Marks
Scientific calculator, HB pencil, ruler
Instructions
•• Use black ink or ball‑point pen.
Fill in the boxes at the top of this page with your name,
centre number and candidate number.
•• Answer all questions.
Answer the questions in the spaces provided
– there may be more space than you need.
Information
•• The total mark for this paper is 80.
The marks for each question are shown in brackets
– use this as a guide as to how much time to spend on each question.
• Into question(s) marked with an asterisk (*), marks will be awarded for your ability
structure your answer logically, showing how the points that you make are
related or follow on from each other where appropriate.
Advice
•• Read each question carefully before you start to answer it.
Try to answer every question.
• Check your answers if you have time at the end.
Turn over
P79080A
©2026 Pearson Education Ltd.
P:1/1/1/1/1/
*P79080A0128*
, Answer ALL questions.
Some questions must be answered with a cross in a box . If you change your mind about an
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
answer, put a line through the box and then mark your new answer with a cross .
1 Diabetes is a condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high.
Diabetes may be caused by mutations in the gene coding for insulin.
(a) The diagram shows the sequence of bases in part of the DNA template
(antisense) strand coding for insulin and the mRNA molecule formed during
protein synthesis.
DNA template strand A T G C G C C T C
mRNA
(i) Complete the diagram to show the sequence of bases in this mRNA.
(1)
(ii) Name this stage of protein synthesis.
(1)
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ ................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(b) In 2019, 9.3% of the world’s population had diabetes. This was a total of
463 million people.
(i) Calculate the total number of people in the world in 2019.
Give your answer in standard form.
(1)
Answer ........................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2
*P79080A0228*
, (ii) It is estimated that by 2030, 783 million people could have diabetes.
Calculate how many more people will have diabetes in 2030 than in 2019.
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Give your answer in standard form to three significant figures.
(1)
Answer ........................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(c) The diagram shows the base sequence in another part of the insulin gene and in
the same part with a mutation.
Base sequence C T G C C C C T G C T G G C G
Mutated sequence C T G C A C C C T G C T G G C
(i) State which type of mutation has taken place in this base sequence.
(1)
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ ................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(ii) Give a reason for your answer.
Use the information in the diagram to support your answer.
(1)
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ ................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ ................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ ................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(Total for Question 1 = 6 marks)
3
*P79080A0328* Turn over
, 2 The cell cycle is divided into three main stages: interphase, mitosis and cytokinesis.
(a) The photograph shows cells in a root tip.
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
cell S
cell R
(Source: © Scenics & Science/Alamy Stock Photo)
(i) Which row of the table shows the stage of mitosis in cell R and cell S?
(1)
Cell R Cell S
A anaphase metaphase
B anaphase telophase
C prophase metaphase
D prophase telophase
(ii) The mitotic index is calculated by dividing the number of cells in mitosis by
the total number of cells.
Calculate the mitotic index for this part of the root tip.
(1)
Answer ........................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
*P79080A0428*
