Biochem

Question 1

What is a polymer?

Answer 1

A string of monomers, connected to each other by condensation (dehydration synthesis, in the case of most organic molecules)

Question 2

How are polymers broken up?

Answer 2

Hydrolosis

Question 3

Carbohydrates are…

Answer 3

Sugars. Glucose is the most basic one, but it (and other sugars) can link to each other to form disaccharides and polysaccharides.

Question 4

Which kind of sugar to humans use?

Answer 4

Glycogen

Question 5

Which kind of sugar do plants use for structure?

Answer 5

Cellulose, which is different from starch because it is a polymer of beta glucose, whereas starch is a polymer of alpha glucose

Question 6

Which kind of sugar to plants use for energy storage

Answer 6

Usually, amylose. Generally, plants use starches.

Question 7

What is a protein?

Answer 7

A polymer of polypeptides

Question 8

What are polypeptides?

Answer 8

Polymers of amino acids (the amino acids are joined by peptide bonds)

Question 9

What is the primary structure of a protein?

Answer 9

It’s amino acid sequence

Question 10

What is the secondary structure of a protein?

Answer 10

The way that the polypeptides fold: either in an alpha-helix or a beta-pleated sheet.

Question 11

What is the tertiary structure of a protein?

Answer 11

The folding of the strings of polypeptides. It is maintained through hydrogen or ionic bonds between the amino acids. The strongest are the bonds of cysteine amino acids, which form disulfide bridges.

Question 12

What is the quaternary structure of a protein?

Answer 12

They way that different polypeptide chains interact with one another

Question 13

What is denaturation of proteins? What causes denaturation?

Answer 13

Denaturation is the loss of structure of a protein (this usually causes he protein to also lose it’s function). Things that can cause it are: strong acids and bases, which disrupt ionic bonds; heavy metals, which form strong bonds with the R groups and reduce the charge of the protein; heat/radiation, which disrupts the bonds bc it increases the energy; and detergents and solvents, which disrupt hydrogen bonds

Question 14

What are triglycerides?

Answer 14

Triglycerides are glycerol heads with three fatty acid tails. They can be saturated or unsaturated.

Question 15

What is a saturated fat?

Answer 15

A triglyceride in which the fatty acid tails are saturated with hydrogen; there is no double bonding between carbons

Question 16

What is an unsaturated fat?

Answer 16

A triglyceride in which the fatty acid tails are not saturated with hydrogens; there is double bonding between carbons

Question 17

What are omega-3s and why are they special?

Answer 17

Omega-3s are fats that are unsaturated at a specific place. They are special because humans can’t synthesize them in our bodies

Question 18

What are phospholipids?

Answer 18

Phospholipids are similar to triglycerides. There is a glycerol, but only two fatty acid tails. There is a phosphate group head. The phosphate groups are polar (and therefore hydrophilic) while the tails are nonpolar (and therefore hydrophobic) this makes phospholipids make bi-layers.

Question 19

Are lipids polymers?

Answer 19

No!

Question 20

What factors affect enzyme function and how?

Answer 20

Temperature: its good at the optimum temp, but above that the enzymes become denatured
PH: Below or above the optimum PH can denature the enzyme because it changes the interactions between amino acids
Substrate concentration: to a point, will increase the rate, but then it will plateau

Question 21

What are the different ways to inhibit enzymes and how do they work?

Answer 21

Competitive inhibition works by having a different molecule steal the substrate’s place in the active site. Allosteric inhibition works either by having a molecule bind to the allosteric site and cover the active site, or by having the molecule bind to the allosteric site and change the shape of the enzyme

Question 22

How much energy does the hydrolysis of ATP to ADP produce?

Answer 22

7.3 kcal/mol

Question 23

Why is carbon special?

Answer 23

Carbon can bond with a bunch of different elements because it has only four electrons in it’s valence shell. (In Hank Green’s words, “carbon is a tramp”)