Biochemistry Flashcards
Purines
Adenine & Guanine
Pyrimidines
Cytosine & Thymine
Topoisomerase I
Cleaves 1 strand of DNA to change topology
Inhibited by Campothecin
Topoisomerase II
Cleaves both strands of DNA to change topology and relives positive supercoiling during replication
Inhibited by m-AMSA and Doxorubicin
Pseudogene
Sequences that resemble functional genes but no longer code for normal gene products
Processed pseudogene
Sequence of DNA that does not code for normal gene products, which likely arose from being reverse transcribed from RNA and incorporated into genomic DNA
Proviruses
Copies of retroviruses inserted into chromosomes
~8% of human genome derived from retroviruses
SINEs
Short, interspersed repeat elements
<500 bases
i.e. Alu repeats, ~10% of human genome
LINEs
Long interspersed repeat elements
>500 bp, constitute ~20% of genome
Complete LINEs encode a reverse transcriptase
Microsatellites
Arrays of 2-5bp nucleotide repeats, with a mean array size of 100 repeats; highly polymorphic
Minisatellites
10-50bp nucleotide repeats, present in tandem arrays extending from less than 10 to more than 100
Satellite sequence
Highly repetitive, short DNA sequences that form large clusters in chromosomes; size of repeat units varies greatly (5-100bp)
Nucleosome
Complex of 147bp of DNA with histone octamer (two each of H2A, H2B, H3, and H4); basic unit of chromatin fibers utilized to pack DNA more tightly
Origin of replication
Initiation site for DNA replication
Bloom’s syndrome
Deficiency of DNA helicase, associated with development of cancer
Werner’s syndrome
Premature aging disease caused by a defective helicase
SV40
Simian Virus 40, encodes for T-ag, which binds to SV40 origin and serves as DNA helicase; recruits proteins from host cells to replicate
Pol α primase
Initiates DNA synthesis by binding to DNA and binding a short segment of RNA to DNA, which will be used to synthesize daughter strand; only polymerase known to be associated with a primase
Pol ε
Synthesizes daughter strand of DNA using leading strand as a template
Pol δ
Synthesizes daughter strand of DNA using lagging strand as a template; fills in gaps between Okazaki fragments
PCNA
Proliferating cell nuclear antigen, clamps DNA polymerase onto DNA
RCF
Replication factor C, loads PCNA clamp onto DNA
RPA
Replication factor A, binds and stabilizes ssDNA during replication
DNA ligase
Covalently links Okazaki fragments after they are synthesized
DNA Polymerase γ
Synthesizes mtDNA
DNA Polymerase β
Involved in base excision repair
Catalytic triad
Catalytic machinery of serine proteases - charge-relay comprising side-chain functional groups of aspartic acid, histidine, and serine
Interact to enable alcohol group on serine to make it behave like an alkoxide
Makes serine a good nucleophile and stabilizes transition state
Steps of serine protease catalysis
- Binding of substrate
- Attack by serine
- Transition state
- Release of products
Gibbs free energy
Predicts spontaneity of a reaction - when ∆G <0, spontaneous; ∆G=0 at eqm
∆G = RT ln Q
∆Gº = ∆G + RT ln Keq
Acyclovir & zidovudine
Nucleotide analogues that lack 3’ OH for initiating nucleophilic attack, terminating chain elongation
Cdk
Cycling dependent kinase, regulate cell cycle by ensuring cellular checkpoints have been met
Li-Fraumeni syndrome
Inherited mutation of p53 (rather than spontaneous mutation) in the germ line tissue that predisposes affected individuals to develop cancer
Mut S
Enzyme that recognizes mismatches in DNA sequence
Mut L
Cofactor for Mut S
Mut H
Recognizes parental strand and cuts daughter strand containing mismatch, then resynthesizes DNA
RNA Polymerases I, II, and III
Pol I: makes rRNA
Pol II: binds to TATA box, synthesizes pre-mRNA
Pol III: synthesizes 5s rRNA
Steps of 5S rRNA synthesis
Bind TFIIIA and TFIIIC to promoter region in gene
Binding recruits TFIIIB
Pol III binds and RNA transcribed
Promoter
Region of DNA where TFs and RNA Pol bind, and where transcription is initiated
Function within a short distance (100-200bp) upstream of transcription initiation site
Position and orientation dependent
Enhancer
Short (50-1500bp) region of DNA where TFs bind, which can be located up to 1Mbp away from the gene it acts upon
Functional regardless of orientation
SWI/SNF
Nucleosome remodeling complex
Collagen types
Type I - Bone, skin, tendon
Type II - Cartilage
Type III - Reticulin (supporting mesh in soft tissues & skin)
Type IV - basement membrane
Steps of collagen synthesis
- Chain synthesis inside cell as preprocollagen
- Hydroxylation of lysine/proline residues
- Glycosylation of hydroxylysine residues
- Disulfide bond formation
- Triple-helix formation
- Secretion into the ECM
- Hydrolysis of propeptides
- Assembly into fibril
- Assembly into fiber and formation of cross-links
Enzymes of collagen synthesis
Lysyl hydroxylase/prolyl hydroxylase - hydroxylate lysine/proline residues after chain synthesis
Lysyl oxidase - oxidize N-terminal of lysine side chain to make allysine, thus allowing adjacent lysine to form covalent bonds between collagen fibrils
Osteogenesis imperfecta
Glycine to cysteine substitution in triple-helix region of collagen I, which prevents monomers of the triple helix from coming together
Results in brittle bones, that break in utero or shortly after birth
Eherls-Danlos syndrome
Disease characterized by hyperflexibility of joints and skin hyper-extensibility
Caused by either improper processing of collagen (due to lack of enzyme) or defects in collagen genes (autosomal dominant)
Prion diseases
Kuru, Creudzfeldt-Jacob disease - caused by misfolded prion protein Misfolded form (beta-sheets, insoluble) induces conformational change in normal form (alpha-helical)
Classes of enzymes:
1) Oxidoreductases
2) Transferases
3) Hydrolases
4) Lyases
5) Isomerases
6) Ligases
1) Oxidation-reduction
2) Transfer of a chemical group
3) Lysis by water
4) Cleavage not using water
5) Change of molecular configuration
6) Joining two compounds
Properties of serine proteases
Enzymes that have a catalytic triad consisting of aspartic acid, histidine, and serine (at positions 102, 57, and 195).
Substrate binds, is attacked by ser-OH; transition state is stabilized, and products are released
Examples: trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase
Essential features of substrate binding to enzymes
1) Active site usually in a crevice that is a small part of the enzyme
2) Substrate is bound by multiple weak interactions
3) Binding is specific
4) Substrate placed in correct orientation for manipulation
Michaelis-Menten kinetics
At low [S], velocity of the rxn is roughly proportional to [S].
With increasing [S], velocity changes until enzyme is saturated at v = Vmax
Equation: v = Vmax * ([S]/(Km + [S]))
Km = [S] at 1/2 Vmax
Lineweaver-Burk plots
Plot inverse of MM equation in order to more precisely determine Vmax
Equation: 1/v = (Km/Vmax)(1/[S]) + 1/Vmax
y-intercept: 1/Vmax
x-intercept: -1/Km
Gibbs free energy
Predicts spontaneity of chemical reactions
∆Gº = -RT ln K
∆G = ∆Gº + RT ln Q = RT ln (Q/K)
If ∆G0 nonspontaneous; ∆G=0 equilibrium
When Q>K, ∆G>0 and rxn is nonspontaneous
Correlation between Km and affinity of enzyme for substrate
Km loosely corresponds to the inverse of affinity of enzyme for substrate
If Km is small –> affinity is high
If Km is large –> affinity is low
Zymogen
Inactive enzyme precursor, undergoes proteolytic cleavage for activation
Thrombin: precursor, converting complex, localization
Precursor: Prothrombin
Converting complex: Factor V, Factor X, Ca2+, phospholipids
Localization: Prothrombin - membrane-bound (due to gamma-carboxylation of glutamate residues and calcium binding), cleaved and released
Gamma carboxylation of prothrombin
Process that enables calcium binding and thus anchoring of prothromin to cell membrane
Requires vitamin K
Warfarin
Vitamin K analog, inhibits gamma-carboxylation and thus reduces the amount of thrombin that can be made
α1-antitrypsin
Elastase inhibitor secreted by liver which is necessary for protection of lung tissue
Cigarette smoke oxidizes methionine residue critical for function, resulting in increased elastase activity and emphysema
Amino acids commonly phosphorylated
Serine, threonine, tyrosine
Phosphorylation changes the charge of the enzyme, changing its function
Competitive inhibitor
Reversible inhibitor of enzymes, binds to active site but cannot be acted upon by the enzyme
Do not alter Vmax - change apparent Km
Noncompetitive inhibitor
Allosteric inhibitors of enzymes; do not resemble substrate
Reduce Vmax – effectively reduce the amount of enzyme present
DIFP
Diiospropylfluorophosphate - irreversible inhibitor of serine proteases, especially acetylcholine esterase
Rb (gene and protein)
Tumor suppressor gene, protein binds E2F which regulates DNA transcription and cell cycle progression; when mutated E2F no longer bound and abnormal cell growth occurs
p53
Tumor suppressor that is mutated in ~50% of all cancers; acts on p21 gene which halts cell cycle. When mutated, cells replicate damaged DNA
Oncogene
Mutated copy of a cellular gene that has the potential to cause cancer
3 subclasses of signal transduction receptors
1) Membrane penetrating enzymes
2) Nuclear-localizing receptors
3) G-protein coupled receptors (7 membrane spanning domain proteins)
What enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of peptides on the C-terminal side of phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan?
Chymotrypsin.
What amino acids make up the catalytic triad in a serine protease?
Aspartate, histidine and serine.
Do enzymes change their structure after catalysis?
No. At the end of the reaction cycle they are the same as when they started.
When the Gibbs free energy (G) of a reaction is negative, that reaction is ______.
Spontaneous.
When the Gibbs free energy (G) of a reaction is positive, that reaction is ______.
Non-spontaneous.
When the Gibbs free energy (G) of a reaction is zero, that reaction is ______.
At equilibrium.
True or False. All exothermic reactions are spontaneous.
False. Delta G can be negative (indicating a spontaneous reaction) even when delta H is positive. This occurs when delta S (the change in entropy) is positive.
True or False. Reactions in the body are in equilibrium.
False.
How do enzymes affect the energy of reactions?
Enzymes lower the activation energy. They accelerate the rate of reactions, but do not change the potential energy of the substrates or products.
How does the activation energy affect the speed of a reaction?
In general, the larger the activation energy the slower the reaction.
Define catabolism.
Burning fuel to make ATP.
Define anabolism.
Burning energy (usually ATP) for biosynthetic processes, active transport and/or mechanical work.
How can one determine reaction velocity?
By measuring the amount of product formed per unit time.
What kinetic parameters can be extracted from a Michaelis-Menten kinetics graph?
Vmax, the maximum velocity of the catalyzed reaction, and Km, the substrate concentration required to achieve half the maximum velocity.
When is Km equal to the substrate concentration in a Michaelis-Menten Kinetics graph?
When the substrate concentration is at half of Vmax.
Delta G for ATP hydrolysis (ATP + H2O -> ADP + Pi) is -7.3 kcal/mole. How much energy is required to perform the reverse reaction?
+7.3 kcal/mole.
What is a cofactor?
Cofactors are typically small molecules that help promote catalysis. Many vitamins act as cofactors.
Which enzyme is deficient in individuals with methylmalonic acidemia?
Methylmalonyl mutase.
What is the cofactor for methylmalonyl mutase?
Vitamin B12.
What are the substrates and products of methylmalonyl mutase?
The enzyme converts methylmalonyl CoA to succinyl CoA.
True or False. Generally, the atoms in an enzyme that bind to a substrate are different than the atoms that participate in the catalysis of a reaction.
True.
What are the four steps, in order, of a reaction catalyzed by serine proteases?
- Binding of substrate, 2. attack by serine, 3. stabilization of transition state, and 4. release of products.
What is an oxyanion hole and what is its function?
It is a structural pocket in an enzyme that stabilizes an oxyanion (i.e. stabilizes the transition state).
The initial enzyme velocity proportional to what?
The amount of substrate.
The y-intercept in Lineweaver-Burk plots corresponds to what kinetic parameter?
+ 1/Vmax.
The x-intercept in Lineweaver-Burk plots corresponds to what kinetic parameter?
- 1/Km.
The slope in Lineweaver-Burk plots corresponds to what kinetic parameter?
Km/Vmax.
What can elevated enzyme activity in blood plasma indicate?
Tissue damage.
What is a zymogen?
An inactive enzyme precursor.
How are zymogens activated?
By proteolytic cleavage.
What is the prothrombin-converting complex and what are its components?
The prothrombin-converting complex cleaves prothrombin into its active form, thrombin. It contains calcium, phospholipids, and two coagulation proteins, Factor V and Factor X.
What do Factor V and Factor X do to thrombin?
Factor V cleaves prothrombin to prethrombin. Factor X cleaves prethrombin to thrombin.
What happens to the prethrombin segment between residues 15 and 20 after prethrombin is cleaved to thrombin?
In the active enzyme, residue 16 repositions itself. This results in the proper formation of the catalytic triad, which contains the active nucleophile residue, serine 195.
Where in the cell is the mature form of thrombin generated?
On the cell membrane surface.
What class of enzymes is involved in activating prothrombin and fibrinogen in the blood clotting cascade?
Serine proteases.
Prothrombin is modified by gamma-carboxylation of which amino acid residues at its N-terminus?
Glutamate.
Why is it important for prothrombin to be gamma-carboxylated?
It allows for calcium binding, which is required to anchor prothrombin to the cell membrane.
Which enzyme catalyzes the conversion of soluble fibrinogen to insoluble fibrin?
Thrombin.
Does gamma-carboxylation of thrombin regulate enzyme activity?
No. Although gamma-carboxylation is required for formation of the active enzyme for blood coagulation, it does not directly regulate enzyme activity.
Which cofactor is required for gamma-carboxylation of prothrombin?
Vitamin K.
Name a vitamin K analogue that is used to treat thrombosis (blood clots).
Warfarin.
Warfarin is a common anti-coagulant. How does it work?
It inhibits the gamma-carboxylation reaction of prothrombin, thereby reducing the number of prothrombin molecules on the cell surface. This reduces the amount of active thrombin that can be synthesized by a cell.
Heparin is a common anti-coagulant. How does it work?
It promotes the binding of antithrombin to thrombin, thereby reducing blood clotting.
How is thrombin inactivated?
Thrombin is inactivated when a protein named antithrombin binds to its active site.
What is the role of alpha1-antitrypsin in the lungs?
It inhibits neutrophil-produced elastase in the lungs.
What is the clinical consequence of alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency with regards to the lungs?
Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency may lead to lung destruction and emphysema.
How does cigarette smoking affect the activity of alpha1-antitrypsin?
Cigarette smoke oxidizes a methionine residue on alpha1-antitrypsin that is involved in binding elastase. Oxidation of this residue prevents inhibition of elastase. (Recall that elastin is the cross-linked protein that makes lung tissue spongy).
Which amino acids can typically be modified by enzymatic phosphorylation/dephosphorylation?
Serine, threonine and tyrosine.
How do competitive inhibitors block enzymatic activity?
They reversibly compete with the enzyme substrate for the active site. They usually resemble the substrate in structure, so they are able to fit into the active site but cannot be acted upon by the enzyme.