BIOCHEMISTRY Flashcards
(263 cards)
DNA exists in the condensed, ________ form in order to fit into the nucleus.
Chromatin
How are nucleosome formed?
Negatively charged DNA loops twice around positively charged histone octamer to form nucleosome “bead.”
What are Histones rich in? and how do they stabilize the chromatin fiber?
Histones are rich in the amino
acids lysine and arginine. H1 binds to the nucleosome and to “linker DNA,” thereby stabilizing the chromatin fiber.
In mitosis, DNA condenses to form _______
Chromosomes
During which phase are DNA and histone synthesized?
In mitosis, DNA condenses to form chromosomes. DNA and histone synthesis occur during S phase.
____is the only histone that is not in the nucleosome core.
H1
Nucleosome core
histones
H2A, H2B, H3, H4
each ×2
Heterocromatin
HeteroChromatin = Highly Condensed.Condensed, transcriptionally inactive, sterically
inaccessible.
Euchromatin
Eu = true, “truly transcribed.”Less condensed, transcriptionally active, sterically accessible.
DNA methylation
CpG Methylation Makes DNA Mute. Template strand cytosine and adenine are methylated in DNA replication, which allows
mismatch repair enzymes to distinguish between old and new strands in prokaryotes. DNA methylation at CpG islands represses transcription.
Histone methylation
Histone Methylation Mostly Makes DNA Mute Usually reversibly represses DNA transcription, but can activate it in some cases.
Histone acetylation
Histone Acetylation makes DNA Active. Relaxes DNA coiling, allowing for transcription
Nucleotides
PURines (A, G)—2 rings.
PYrimidines (C, T, U)—1 ring.
PURe As Gold.
CUT the PY (pie).
Amino acids necessary for purine
synthesis
Glycine
Aspartate
Glutamine
Deamination of cytosine makes
uracil
Difference between nucleotides and nucleosides
NucleoSide = base + (deoxy)ribose (Sugar).
NucleoTides = base + (deoxy)ribose + phosphaTe; linked by 3′-5′ phosphodiester
bond.
Lesch-Nyhan
syndrome
Defective purine salvage due to absent HGPRT(see below),
which converts hypoxanthine to IMP and guanine to GMP. Results in excess uric acid production and de novo purine synthesis. X-linked recessive. Findings: intellectual disability, self-mutilation, aggression, hyperuricemia, gout, dystonia.Treatment: allopurinol or febuxostat (2nd line).
HGPRT: Hyperuricemia Gout Pissed off (aggression, self-mutilation) Retardation (intellectual disability) DysTonia
Adenosine deaminase
deficiency
Excess ATP and dATP imbalances nucleotide pool via feedback inhibition of ribonucleotide
reductase prevents DNA synthesis and thus lymphocyte count.
One of the major causes of autosomal recessive
SCID.
A 6-year-old male child evaluated for treatment of lip lacerations associated with self-mutilating behavior. The parents reported that from infancy the child had been very quite and did not elicit response to many stimuli, though cerebral palsy and mental retardation was not noted. The child had no complain of pain. The patient had chewed most of the fingers leaving a small stump of 1-2 cm. What would you suspect?
LNS- Lesch-Nyhan
syndrome
A 6 years old girl presented with repeated episodes of respiratory infections since the age of 2 years. Frequency of such attacks were variable. However, minimum two such episodes were noticed per month. After observing the patient for a month it was noticed that she was more susceptible infections, particularly those of the skin, respiratory system, and gastrointestinal tract
What would you suspect?
ADA- Adenosine deaminase
deficiency
Genetic code features: Unambiguous
Each codon specifies only 1 amino acid.
Genetic code features: Degenerate/
redundant and exceptions
Most amino acids are coded by multiple codons. Exceptions: methionine and tryptophan encoded by only 1 codon (AUG and UGG, respectively).
Genetic code features: Commaless,
nonoverlapping and exceptions
Read from a fixed starting point as a continuous
sequence of bases. Exceptions: some viruses.
Genetic code features: Commaless,
nonoverlapping and exceptions
Read from a fixed starting point as a continuous
sequence of bases. Exceptions: some viruses.