Biochemistry Flashcards

1
Q

What is oxidation?

A

Loss of electrons

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2
Q

What is reduction?

A

Gain of electrons

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3
Q

What is the most oxidisable state of carbon?

A
Alkane 
Alcohol
Aldehyde
Carboxylic acid
Carbon Dioxide
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4
Q

What are some functions of biomolecules?

A
Information storage
Structural
Energy generation
Energy currency/storage
Recognition/communication/specificity
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5
Q

What are the four major classes of biomolecules?

A

Peptides and proteins
Lipids
Nucleic acids
Carbohydrates

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6
Q

What is the first law of thermodynamics?

A

Energy is neither created nor destroyed

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7
Q

What is the second law on thermodynamics?

A

When energy is converted from one form to another, some of that energy becomes unavailable to do work

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8
Q

What changes are involved in reactions?

A

Enthalpy

Entropy

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9
Q

What is enthalpy?

A

Heat content

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10
Q

What is entropy?

A

Randomness, disorder

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11
Q

What is the equation for free energy change?

A

(energy of the products) – (energy of the reactants)

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12
Q

What is an exergonic reaction?

A

total free energy of the product(s) is less than the total free energy of the reactant(s)
Delta G is NEGATIVE

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13
Q

What is an endergonic reaction?

A

otal free energy of the product(s) is more than the total free energy of the reactant(s)

Delta G is POSITIVE

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14
Q

What is delta G?

A

Change in free energy under standard conditions

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15
Q

What reactions can occur spontaneously?

A

Exergonic reactions

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16
Q

Describe the stability of ATP?

A

negative charges close together in ATP put a strain (electrostatic repulsion) on the molecule that makes it less stable than ADP

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17
Q

Do cells store ATP?

A

No not really, constantly regenerated

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18
Q

Define metabolism?

A

all the reactions taking place in the body, divided into catabolism and anabolism

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19
Q

Describe glycolysis?

A

Initial breakdown of glucose for the generation of ATP

Early steps use two ATP molecules

Later steps generate four ATP molecules

Net gain of two ATP molecules per glucose molecule

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20
Q

Describe gluconeogenesis?

A

Making new glucose from non-carbohydrate precursors, e.g. pyruvate

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21
Q

What are control points in metabolic pathways?

A

Reactions with large delta G values

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22
Q

How is flux through control points controlled?

A

Altering the activity of the enzyme

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23
Q

What is significant about the structure of water?

A

Water is polar;

  • electrons are shared unequally
  • depends on electronegativity of atoms

Water molecule is bent

  • forms a dipole
  • tetrahedral shape
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24
Q

Which substances dissolve in water?

A

Ionic and polar substances

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25
Q

What is a hydrogen bond?

A

Covalent bond between hydrogen and a more electronegative atom

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26
Q

Are hydrogen bonds stronger than covalent bonds?

A

Individually they are weaker, can be strong collectively

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27
Q

What is the hydrophobic effect?

A

Oil and water don’t mix

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28
Q

Define amphipathic?

A

Hydrophilic and hydrophobic

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29
Q

Describe the structure of amphipathic molecules?

A

Polar (hydrophilic) head

Non-polar (hydrophobic) tail

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30
Q

What do amphipathic molecules form in water?

A

Micelles

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31
Q

What lipids are found in cell membranes?

A
  • structural (lipid bilayer)

- precursors of signalling molecules (DAG, IP3)

32
Q

What is the roll of proteins in cell membranes?

A

confer selectivity
involved in recognition
and more

33
Q

What does D and L polypeptides refer to?

A

stereochemistry of amino acids
D and L forms are
sterioisomers: non-superimposable mirror images

34
Q

What do all amino acids contain?

A
-a-carbon group bonded to;
>an amino group (-NH2)
>a carboxyl group (-COOH)
>a hydrogen (-H)
>a side chain (-R)
35
Q

What is the exception to the stereoisomer rule?

A

Glycine

36
Q

How are peptide bonds formed?

A

by hydrolysis

37
Q

Describe peptide bonds

A
  • Partial double bond character
  • Planar
  • Strong and rigid
38
Q

Describe an acid

A

Can donate a protein

39
Q

Describe a base

A

Can accept a proton

40
Q

What is pH?

A

Measurement of home many protons in a solution?

41
Q

What is a buffer?

A

Solution to control the pH of a reaction mixture

42
Q

What does a titration curve plot?

A

pH as a function of base added to an acid

43
Q

What is a zwitterion?

A

Amino acids without charged side groups (no net charge)

44
Q

How can proteins act as buffers?

A

Several of the amino acid side chains can be ionised

45
Q

What can cause the ionisation of a protein?

A

A change in pH

46
Q

Describe primary protein structure?

A

the sequence of amino acid residues

47
Q

Describe secondary protein structures?

A

the localised conformation of the polypeptide backbone

48
Q

Describe tertiary protein structure?

A

the three-dimensional structure of an entire polypeptide, including all its side chains

49
Q

Describe quaternary protein structure?

A

the spatial arrangement of polypeptide chains in a protein with multiple subunits

50
Q

How can polypeptides rotate?

A

Rotate around the angles between

  • the a carbon and the amino group
  • the a carbon and the carboxyl group
51
Q

What are the three types of secondary protein structure?

A

Alpha helix
Beta strands
triple helix

52
Q

Where is the collagen triple helix found?

A

Component of bone and connective tissue

53
Q

Are collagen triple helices water soluble?

A

No

54
Q

What bonds are involved in a collagen triple helix?

A

Repeating sequence of X-Y-Gly in all strands
>X = any amino acid
>Y = proline or hydroxyproline
>also contains hydroxylysine

Inter-chain H-bonds (no
intra-chain)
>involving hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline

Covalent inter- and intra-molecular bonds

55
Q

What changes in collagen structure with age?

A

Covalent cross linking increases

56
Q

What is the basis of scurvy?

A

The enzyme which hydroxylates proline requires ascorbic acid (vitamin C)

This results in weakened collagen

57
Q

What are the two forms of tertiary structure?

A

Fibrous proteins

Globular proteins

58
Q

Describe the structure of fibrous proteins?

A

polypeptide chains organized approximately parallel along a single axis
>consist of long fibers or large sheets
>tend to be mechanically strong
>insoluble in water and dilute salt solutions

59
Q

Give examples of fibrous proteins

A

Keratin of hair and wool

Collagen of connective tissue including cartilage, bones, teeth, skin, blood vessels

60
Q

Describe the structure of globular proteins?

A

folded to a more or less spherical shape
>soluble in water and salt solutions
>polar side chains are on the outside and interact with the aqueous environment by hydrogen bonding and ion-dipole interactions
>nonpolar side chains are buried inside
nearly all have substantial sections of alpha-helix and beta-sheet

61
Q

Give examples of globular proteins?

A

Myoglobin

Haemoglobin

62
Q

What forces stabilise tertiary structure?

A

-Covalent disulphide bonds
-Electrostatic interactions = salt bridges
-Hydrophobic interactions
-Hydrogen bonds
>backbone
>side chain
-Complex formation with metal ions

63
Q

Where are polar side groups usually locates on proteins?

A

The outside

64
Q

What hydrophobic interactions are present within proteins?

A

> Weaker attraction between water and hydrocarbon
Weaker attraction between hydrocarbon and hydrocarbon (van der Waals interactions)
Strong organizing influence – the hydrophobic effect

Amino acids with hydrophobic side-chains tend to cluster in the centre of globular proteins

65
Q

How does substitution of amino acids alter protein structure?

A

By changing the physiological pH you change interactions and bond formation

66
Q

Describe the physiological changes involved in sickle cell anaemia

A

Single nucleotide sequence change in coding region of the B chain of haemoglobin A, resulting in altered protein (valine instead of glutamic acid)

67
Q

What can misfolding of polypeptide chains cause?

A

Alzheimer’s, parkinson’s, CJD

68
Q

What is the folding of polypeptide chains aided by?

A

Chaperones

69
Q

What is mad cow disease caused by?

A

Caused by infection

70
Q

What is cruetzfeldt-jacob disease caused by?

A

Spontaneous or inherited mutations

71
Q

What are prion proteins?

A

Normal components of the brain

72
Q

What types of physical condition or chemical agent sill disrupt the various protein structures?

A
-Heat
(increase in vibrations)
-Extremes of pH
(electrostatic interactions interrupted)
-Detergents, urea, guanidine hydrochloride
(disrupt hydrophobic interactions)
-Thiol agents, reducing agents
(reduce and thereby disrupt disuplhide bonds)
73
Q

Describe the structure of myoglobin?

A

Globular
-contains a haem group
> which contains an iron iron (prosthetic groups)

74
Q

What is the haem in myoglobin responsible for?

A

Binding oxygen

Storing oxygen in muscle

75
Q

Describe the structure of haemoglobin?

A
  • Four subunits
  • two a and two B
  • each contains a haem group
76
Q

What does binding of one oxygen to haemoglobin do?

A

Changes the affinity of the other subunits