中級生物奧林匹克競賽的核心主題與AQA、Edexcel、OCR AS/A級的教學大綱相一致。

1. Biological Molecules 

• Concepts of monomers, polymers, condensation & hydrolysis reactions 

• Monosaccharides, e.g.? and ? glucose, galactose, fructose, ribose 

• Di-/polysaccharides, e.g. sucrose, maltose, lactose, cellulose, starch (amylose, amylopectin) 

• Quantitative Benedict’s test, iodine test for starch 

• Glycerol, fatty acids (saturated and unsaturated), triglycerides, ester bond formation, phospholipids, emulsion test 

• Amino acids, levels of protein structure (including types of non-covalent bonds involved), peptide bond formation, Biuret test 

• Haemoglobin and collagen as examples of globular and fibrous proteins (detailed structure of collagen often omitted) 

• DNA and RNA structure and formation of phosphodiester bonds between nucleotides 

• Semi-conservative replication of DNA 

• Structure of ATP and basic role in cells 

• Enzymes: lock and key and induced fit models of action; effect of pH, temperature, enzyme/substrate concentration, inhibitors (competitive and non-competitive) (cofactors/coenzymes sometimes included) 

• Role of inorganic ions 

• Biologically important properties of water 

2. Cell Structure 

• Structure of eukaryotic cells, including: 

• Structure of prokaryotic cells 

• Cytoskeleton sometimes included – usually just actin and tubulin 

• Manipulating magnification for light and electron micrographs (usually including use of graticules) 

• Use of stains in light microscopy 

• Characteristics of light and electron microscopes 

• Cell cycle – the main stages of mitosis and meiosis 

• Structure of the cell membrane, including phospholipids, glycoproteins, glycolipids, membrane proteins, cholesterol in the fluid mosaic model 

• Membrane transport: active transport, facilitated diffusion, carrier and channel proteins, diffusion, osmosis (using water potential terminology) 

3. Immune System 

• Definition of antigen and structure and function of antibodies 

• Phagocytosis 

• Antigen presentation, stimulation of B cells, clonal selection and expansion, plasma cells 

• Role of T cells (normally highly simplified and restricted to helper T cells and cytotoxic T cells 

• Primary and secondary immune responses 

• Passive and active immunity 

• HIV as an example of a pathogen (other syllabuses may include other diseases such as cholera, measles, TB, flu) 

• Uses of monoclonal antibodies 

4. a. Exchange Surfaces 

• SA:Vol relationships for cells and organisms, features of exchange surfaces and the need for circulatory systems 

• Examples of gas exchange systems: human always included, often fish gills or insect trachea 

• Gas exchange in plants 

• Mechanism of ventilation in humans and structure of trachea epithelium 

• COPD and smoking 

4. b. Circulatory Systems 

• Structure of single and double circulatory systems (sometimes also open/closed) 

• Structure and function of haemoglobin, including Bohr effect and transport of CO2 (sometimes also fetal haemoglobin and myoglobin) 

• Structure of arteries, veins, capillaries 

• Structure of the mammalian heart, including valves 

• Electrical activity of the heart and role of AVN, SAN (sometimes ECG included) 

• Formation and composition of tissue fluid 

• CHD is on most syllabuses 

4. c. Plant Transport 

• Structure of xylem 

• Cohesion-tension theory 

• Structure of phloem 

• Mass flow hypothesis 

5. Molecular Genetics 

• Structure of chromosomes, DNA and genes 

• Role and structure of mRNA, tRNA and ribosomes 

• The genetic code, transcription and translation 

• Exons and introns and splicing of pre-mRNA 

• Mutations and the effect on proteins 

• Mutations as a source of genetic variation for natural selection 

6. Biodiversity 

• Hierarchical nature of taxonomic systems 

• Three domains versus 5 kingdom classifications 

• Idea of a phylogenetic classification 

• Random and systematic sampling 

• Simpson’s diversity index