Biochemistry Flashcards
What amino acids are histones rich in?
Where are the different histones?
Arginine and lysine (HAL)
H1 is outside the core and is responsible for further condensing the DNA
H2A, H2B, H3 and H4 are in the core
Effect of DNA methylation
Example?
occurs at cytosine-guanine dinucleotide repeats (CpGs) in thee promoter region of genes – silencing transcription
(CpG Methylation Makes DNA Mute)
Fragile X syndrome
Effect of histone methylation
Usually reversibly represses DNA transcription but can activate it in some case depending on methylation location
(Histone Methylation Mostly Makes DNA Mute)
Effect of histone acetylation
Example disorder?
relaxes DNA coiling and allows for transcription (Histone Acetylation makes DNA Active)
o Huntington’s disease causes increased deacteylation of histones and silences genes necessary for histone survival
Which amino acids are necessary for purine synthesis? For pyrimidine synthesis?
Purine: (GAG) Glycine, Aspartate, Glutamine
Pyrimidine: Glutamine and aspartate
Role of exonuclease in DNA replication?
Proofreading each added nucleotide in a 3’ to 5’ direction
Role of DNA pol III vs DNA pol I
DNA pol III adds DNA from the RNA primer
DNA pol I removes the RNA primers and replaces them with DNA
Missense mutation: mechanism and example
nucleotide substitution that results in a changed amino acid
Ex. Sickle Cell Anemia (Val replaces Glu)
Nonsense mutation
nucleotide substitution results in a stop codon and results in a nonfunctional protein
(Stop the nonsense)
What type of a mutation is seen in Duchenne muscular dystrophy?
Frameshift mutation: deletion or insertion resulting in misreading all downstream nucleotides
Where is the mutation in B thalassemia?
mutation at a splice site causes a retained intron in mRNA
Lac operon
genetic response to an environmental change
Glucose is the preferred metabolic substrate of E coli, but when it is absent, the lac operon switches on and can use lactose for metabolism – lactose binds to the repressor and prevents it from binding to the Operon – allows for the transcription and translation of B galactosidase and permease
One mRNA codes for multiple proteins (“polycistronic”)
Mutation in sickle cell anemia
Point mutation: missense mutation (Val for Glu)
Nucleotide excision repair: mechanism and example disorder
involves the removal of a group of nucleotides from a DNA strand using Endonuclease. DNA polymerase and ligase fill and reseal the gap.
Defective in xeroderma pigmentosum
Mismatch repair: mechanism and example disorder
the removal of mismatched nucleotides from a newly synthesized strand by exonuclease
Defective in Lynch syndrome
Base excision repair: mechanism
base-specific glycoslyase removes the damaged base and creates an AP site (apurinic or apyrimidinic site). AP endonuclease removes the 5’ site and lyase removes the 3’ site. DNA polymerase and ligase fill and reseal the gap.
What type of mutation is seen in ataxia telangiectasia?
Nonhomologous end joining repair: brings together 2 ends of DNA fragments to repair double stranded breaks (this is defective in ataxia telangiectasia)
RNA polymerase I
RNA polymerase II
RNA polymerase III
I –> makes rRNA
II –> makes mRNA
III –> makes tRNA
These are found in eukaryotes, in prokaryotes there is one RNA polymerase for all three functions
What happens when you ingest deathcap mushrooms?
a-amanitin found in death cap muschrooms inhibits RNA pol II and prevents synthesis of mRNA
mRNA = mushroom
Heterochromatin vs Euchromatin
Heterochromatin: condensed, transcriptionally inactive, usually found in periphery of nucleus (ie Barr body)
Euchromatin: less condensed, transcriptionally active
tRNA structure: what part attaches to the amino acid?
the 3’ end which is always CAA
Can Carry Amino acids
Smooth ER: function and example of cells with well developed organelle
site of steroid synthesis and detoxification of drugs and poisons
Liver hepatocytes and steroid-hormone producing cells have well developed sER
Rough ER: function and example of cells with well developed organelles
Site of synthesis of secretory proteins
Mucus-secreting goblet cells of the small intestine and antibody secreting plasma cells are rich in rER
Peroxisomes: function and consequences of defect
involved in catabolism of very long chain fatty acids (via B-oxidation), branched chain fatty acids (via a-oxidation), amino acids, and ethanol
When peroxisomes are absent or nonfunctional, these substances accumulate within tissues → commonly leads to neurologic defects from improper CNS myelination
Proteasomes: function and consequences of defect
protein complex that degrades damaged or ubiquitin-tagged proteins.
Defects in the ubiquitin-proteasome system have been implicated in some cases of Parkinson disease
Patient presents with bleeding gums, gingivitis, coiled hairs, petechiae and impaired wound healing. They admit to a poor diet without fruits or veggies.
Scurvy- Vitamin C Deficiency
Impairment of hydroxylation of proline and lysine in collagen synthesis (requires vitamin C)
Functions of vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
- Collagen hydroxylation
2. Conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine (cofactor for dopamine hydroxylase)
Steps of collagen synthesis
- Pro a-chain backbone made up of Gly-X-Y
- Hydroxylation of proline and lysine residues (requires vitamin C)
- Glycosylation (add sugar to backbone)
- Triple helix formation (procollagen)
- Exocytosis
- Cleavage of procollagen C and N terminals (tropocollagen)
- Formation of lysine-hydroxylysine cross links to make collagen fiber
What causes wrinkles of aging?
Due to dec collagen and elastin production
Variable expressivity
phenotype varies among individuals with the same genotype (ex. Neurofibromatosis type I)
Incomplete penetrance
not all individuals with the mutant genotype show the mutant phenotype (ex, BRCA1 gene mutation)
Pleiotropy
one gene contributes to multiple phenotypic effects (ex. PKU manifests with light skin, intellectual disability, and musty body odor)
Anticipation
increased severity or earlier onet of disease in succeeding generations (ex. Huntington’s)
Mosaicism
presence of genetically distinct cell lines in the same individual (Ex. McCune Albright Syndrome, some forms of Down Syndrome)
Locus heterogeneity:
mutations at different loci can produce a similar phenotype (ex. Albinism)
Allelic heterogeneity:
different mutations at the same locus can produce the same phenotype (ex. B Thalassemia)
Heteroplasmy
presence of both normal and mutated mitochrondial DNA, resulting in variable expression in mitochrondrially inherited disease
Uniparental disomy
offspring receives 2 copies of a chromosome from one parent and no copies from the other parent
(consider this when there is an individual manifesting a recessive disorder when only one parent is a carrier)
Imprinting
when only one allele is active and the other is inactive due to methylation – with one allele inactivated, deletion of the active allele leads to disease
Prader-Willi syndrome
maternal imprinting – gene from mom is silent and paternal gene is deleted/mutated.
Results in hyperphagia, obesity, intellectual disability, hypogonadism, and hypotonia
Angelman syndrome
paternal imprinting – gene from dad is silent and maternal gene is deleted/mutated
Results in inappropriate laughter (“happy puppet”), seizures, ataxia, and severe intellectual disability
Vitamin deficiency: swollen gums, anemia, poor wound healing, perifollicular hemorrhages, corkscrew hair
Vitamin C
Vitamin deficiency: night blindness and dry skin, corneal degeneration, bito spots on conjunctiva
Vitamin A
Vitamin deficiency: neurologic problems (ataxia, dysathria, lower limb arreflexia, peripheral neuropathy) as well as hemolytic anemia
Vitamin E – neurologic problems are due to posterior column and spinocerebellar tract demyelination
Closely resembles Friedrich Ataxia
Appears similar to B12 deficiency but has no megaloblastic anemia
Which vitamins are produced by enteric bacteria?
Vitamine K and folate
What does a beefy red tongue suggest?
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency, folate deficiency or iron deficiency
Patient presents with vomiting, rice water stool, and garlic breath. What do you suspect? What is the antidote?
Arsenic poisoning
- Arsenic inhibits lipoic acid (part of pyruvate dehydrogenase)
Treat with Dimercaprol (chelating agent)