BIOL 1090 Flashcards
Who is credited with introducing the word cell into biology?
Robert Hooke
The cell theory states…
- The cell is the structural unit of life
- All organisms are composed of 1 or more cell types
- Cells can arise only by the division of a pre-existing cell
When was the cell theory developed?
- First two points in 1839 by Schleiden & Schwann
- Last point in 1855
What are the basic properties of cells?
- highly complex and organized
- Activity controlled by a genetic program
- Can reproduce - make copies of themselves
- Assimilate and utilize energy
- Carry out many chemical reactions - enzymes
- Engage in mechanical activities
- Respond to stimuli
- Capable of self-regulation
- They evolve
What are the two classes of cells on Earth?
Prokaryotic & Eukaryotic
Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic cells…
Prokaryotic - bacteria and structurally simpler
Eukaryotic - Protists, fungi, plants and animals. Structurally more complex
What distinguishes a prokaryotic from a eukaryotic cell?
The way the DNA is packaged
Cellular organization is very..
a) normal and conserved throughout evolution
b) complex and conserved throughout evolution
c) consistent and conserved throughout evolution
d) conserved and conserved throughout evolution
c) consistent and conserved throughout evolution
What is the usual size of range for a cell?
a) 10^-2 m
b) 10^-3 m
c) 10^-6 m
d) 10^-9 m
c) 10^-6 m
small wavelength indicates…
high energy
The living cell is very..
a) dynamic and exists in 4D
b) large and exists in 4D
c) dense and exists in 4D
d) exciting and exists in 4D
a)
What is an organelle?
- A membrane bound compartment with a characteristic content and a specific function
What is a compartment?
- A separate section or part of something
- An area in which something can be considered in isolation from other things
What does a compartment achieve?
- Compartmentalizes
- Sequesters
Compartmentalizes stands for..
divides a whole into separate parts or sections
Sequesters stands for..
keeps contents from mixing with others
How is a compartment formed?
- the boundary
- the contents
Biological membranes contain…
a hydrated lipid bilayer
Amphipathic means..
o Having both hydrophobic (non-polar) and hydrophilic (polar) regions
Membrane fluidity is determined by..
- The nature of lipids in membrane
- Temperature
How does unsaturated and saturated lipids affect fluidity?
unsaturated lipids increase fluidity while saturated lipids decrease fluidity
How does temperature affect fluidity?
warming increases fludity (liquid crystal) while cooling decreases fludity (crystalline gel)
Balance between ordered structure and disordered structure allows:
- Mechanical support and flexibility
- Dynamic interactions between membrane components
- Membrane assembly and modification
cholesterol regulates..
membrane fluidity
if cholesterol is added to a liquid crystal membrane, fluidity will..
decrease
If cholesterol is aded to a crystalline gel membrane, fluidity will..
increase
What do ‘Fluid’ and ‘Mosaic’ stand for?
Fluid - individual lipid molecules move
Mosaic - diverse ‘particles’ penetrate the lipid layer
what are the 3 classes of membrane proteins?
Integral - membrane proteins span the lipid bilayer
Lipid-anchored - proteins attach to a lipid in the bilayer
Peripheral - membrane proteins associate with a surfaces of the lipid bilayer
Biological membranes are..
Asymmertrical
two leaflets have distinct..
lipid composition
in many plasma membranes, the outer leaflet contains..
glycolipids and glycoproteins
Structure of biological membranes
- 6 nm thick
- stable
- flexible
- capable of self assembly
Membranes have different ________, in different _____, and within an individual ____
Functions, cells, cell
Different areas of the plasma membrane…
perform different functions
How are biological membranes dynamic?
- lipids move easily, laterally, within leaflet
- lipid movement to other leaflet is slow
- membrane proteins diffuse within the bilayer
How do membrane proteins diffuse within the bilayer?
- movement of proteins is restricted
- some proteins do not move
- rapid movement is spatially limited
- long range diffusion is slow
- biochemical modification can dramatically alter protein mobility in the membrane
Lipid rafts are..
- membrane micro-domains
- small areas of the plasma membrane that are enriched in certain types of lipids
- relatively rigid
- some membrane proteins accumulate in rafts
- may form ‘functional compartment’
The movement of substances across cell membranes
- lipid bilayers do not allow many compounds to pass through them freely
- small, uncharged molecules cross membranes relatively easily
- large, polar, charged compounds cannot easily cross lipid bilayers
- specific mechanisms exist for the controlled transport of many substances across membranes
What are the 4 basic mechanisms for moving molecules across membranes?
- simple diffusion
- diffusion through a channel
- facilitated diffusion
- active transport
What is simple diffusion?
- very small molecules
- uncharged
- down a concentration gradient
- O2, CO2, H2O (osmosis)
What is diffusion through a channel?
- small, charged molecules
- down a concentration gradient
- Na+, K+, Ca2+, Cl-
How are ion channels formed?
by integral membrane proteins that line an aq pore
ion channels are..
- selective, allowing only one type of ion to pass
- often gated (can be opened/closed)
What are the 3 types of gated channels and explain each
- Voltage-gated channels - (K+) channel responds to changes in charge across membrane
- Ligand-gated channels (acetylcholine) - channel responds to binding of specific molecule
- mechano-gated channels (cations channels in inner ear) - channel responds to physical force on membrane
What is facilitated diffusion?
- compound binds specifically to integral membrane protein called a facilitative transporter
- change in transporter conformation allows compound to be released in other side of membrane
- compound moves down a concentration gradient
What is active transport?
- compound binds specifically to integral protein called an active transporter
- change in transporter conformation allows compound to be released on other side of membrane
- compound moves against concentration gradient
- requires input of energy
What are the functions of biological membranes?
- cell boundary
- define/enclose compartments
- control movement of material into/out of cell
- allow response to external stimuli
- enable interactions between cells
- provide scaffold for biochemical activities
Early Endo-membrane work revealed…
- membranous vesicles
- extensive network of membranous canals and stack of sacs
Cisternae stands for
Sacs
End-membrane organelles are part of a _______ system in which materials are shuttled ____ and _____ from one part of the cell to another
- Dynamic
- Back
- Forth
How are organelles of the endo-membrane system functionally distinct from one another?
- contain a particular set of proteins
- perform a unique set of activities
- provides compartmentation and functional diversity
- conserved in eukaryotes
- dynamic structures
How do cells utilize several membrane trafficking pathways?
- Transport of macromolecules
- two main secretory (biosynthetic) pathways
- Endocytic pathway
What are the two main secretory pathways?
- constitutive - materials transported in secretory vesicles & continuously discharged into extracellular space
- Regulated - materials are stored as membrane-bound packages that are discharged only in response to a specific stimulus
What’s a cell free system?
- Do not contain whole cells
Describe the RER
- Presence of ribosomes bound to its cytosolic surface; network of flattened sacs continuous with the outer membrane of nuclear envelope
Describe the SER
- Lacks associated ribosomes; curved, higher tubular elements; smooth vesicles
What are the functions of the RER?
- Protein synthesis, modification and transport
- synthesis of membranes
- Protein folding (quality control)
What are the functions of the SER?
- synthesis of steroid hormones
- Detoxification of diverse organic compounds in liver cells
- Carbohydrate metabolism
- Sequestration of Ca2+ in muscle cells
In the _________, _________ synthesize polypeptides from ____
- Cytoplasm
- Ribosomes
- mRNA
Translation in the cytoplasm begins on free ribosomes, and is then completed in 1 of 2 ways, what are the two ways?
- Translation is completed on free ribosomes
- translation is completed by ribosomes attached to ER membrane (RER)
protein translation
- selected sites on DNA are transcribed into pre-mRNAs, which are processed into mRNAs
- mRNAs are trasnported out of nucleus
- go into the cytoplasm where they are translated into polypeptides by ribosomes that move along the mRNA
- polypeptides fold into their final conformation
How is the site of translation determined?
- ribosomes are targeted to the ER membrane by a ‘signal sequence’ in the protein being translated
- Protein contains ‘signal sequence’
o Located at its amino (5’)-terminus
o Contains several consecutive hydrophobic amino acids
- Protein contains ‘signal sequence’
- Signal sequence directs synthesis to ER
- Protein moves through channel into ER
o This is co-translational import - Protein moves through channel into ER
Translocon
- Groups of 2-4; hour glass-shaped protein-lined channel in RER membrane
- Ring of 6 hydrophobic amino acids at centre of pore/channel
- Pore can be plugged by a short helical plug
Co-translational import: synthesis of secretory proteins
- After translation and synthesis of signal sequence
o A signal recognition particle (SRP) binds to signal sequence - translation stops
o Targeting of translation complex to ER
♣ Translation complex = (SRP/ribosome/nascent polypeptide)
♣ SRP binds to SRP receptor
o SRP and SRP receptor are g proteins; hydrolyze GTP
o SRP is released and ribosome binds translocon; nascent polypeptide passes into ER lumen; signal peptide cleaved by signal peptodase; protein gets folded using ER chaperones (eg. BiP-binding protein); translocon closes; ribosomes released
Co-translation import of integral membrane proteins
- Transmembrane domain = stop-transfer sequence
o Positively charged amino acids next to the transmembrane segment are oriented toward the cytosol - Initially, translation the same as for secretory proteins
- Protein does not pass completely through translocon
- Nascent polypeptide contains “stop-transfer sequences” = hydrophobic transmembrane segment (TMD)
- Translocon opens laterally and inserts TMD of nascent polypeptide into lipid bilayer of ER membrane
o Translocon orients polypeptide with the positively charged residues (next to transmembrane domain) exposed to the cytosolic surface of ER membrane
Once the protein is fully synthesized and properly folded, 1 of 2 options is taken
- It is retained in the ER (if that is where the protein functions)
-Once in the ER, a protein is part of the biosynthetic/secretory endomembrane system and may ultimately become part of a compartment therein, or be secreted
o ER, Golgi, lysosome, plasma membrane
- It is retained in the ER (if that is where the protein functions)
- It is transported from the ER to the Golgi complex for further modification and delivery to distal parts of the biosynthetic/secretory pathway
- Transport from ER to Golgi complex
o Exit sites
♣ Membrane and ER lumen bud off to form transport vesicles
♣ ER-Glogi Intermediate Compartment (ERGIC)
• Region between ER and Golgi complex
• Transport vesicles fuse to form larger vesicles & interconnected tubules
o Vesicular-tubular clusters (VTCs)
• These then form the ‘cis-Golgi network’
Examples of vesicular transport
- ER Golgi
- Organelle PM
o Exocytosis
o Secretion of neurotransmitter - PM Organelle
- Organelle organelle
o Endocytosis - Material moves from ER to Golgi and then to the plasma membrane and other compartments
- [proximal distal]
Golgi Complex named after
Camillo Golgi - 1906 Nobel prize
Proteins are modified ‘step-wise’ as they traverse the Golgi
- N-linked oligosaccharides
o Synthesis begins in ER - Protein with N-linked oligosaccharides arrives from ER
- O-linked oligosaccharides
o Synthesis/modification entirely in Golgi - Modification of proteins in Golgi can also contribute to protein targeting
Modification of glycoproteins takes place in cisternae Golgi complex
- Steps in the glycosylation of a typical N-linked oligosaccharide in the Golgi complex
- As the oligosaccharide moves through the cis to trans stacks it gets modified though the action of integral membrane proteins whose active sites face the lumen of the Golgi cisternae
Structure of the Golgi complex
o Smooth, flattened, disk-like cisternae
♣ (~0.5 - 1 micron in diameter)
o ~ 8 (or fewer) cisternae/stack
♣ range from a few to several 1000 stacks per cell
o curve like a shallow bowl
o shows polarity
♣ cis - medial - trans cisternae
♣ cisternae are biochemically unique
o membrane supported by protein “skeleton” (actin, spectrin)
o scaffold linked to motor proteins that direct movement of vesicles into and out of the Golgi
Functions of the Golgi complex
- processing plant of the cell
- synthesis of complex polysaccharides
- modification of proteins and lipids
o glycosylation (glycoproteins and glycolipids) - transport and sorting of proteins
What is the advantage of having the different regions of the Golgi
- CGN acts as a sorting station
o Sorts whether proteins should continue on to the next Golgi station or be shipped back to the ER - TGN sorts protein into different types of vesicles
o Vesicles go to Plasma membrane or other intracellular destinations (e.g. lysosomes)
Fully processed proteins are exported from the trans cisterna, enter the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and are then sorted and delivered to their final destinations
- Endosomes
- Secretory granules
- Lysosomes
- Plasma membrane
Vesicular transport = trafficking
- Utilizes transport vesicles (coated vesicles) o ~50-100 nm in diameter o Have protein-based coat on surface o Coast has 2 functions ♣ Helps form the vesicle ♣ Helps select cargo • Material inside/on vesicle - Bud off donor compartment - Fuse with acceptor (or recipient) compartment
How do COPI and COPII proteins carry out functions (I) and (II)?
- COPI and COPII proteins assemble on the cytosolic surface of donor membranes at sites where budding takes place
Clathrin
- Coated vesicles move from TGN to other vesicles (lysosomes, endosomes, plant vacuoles)
- COPI - coated vesicles move in retrograde
- COPII- coated vesicles move in anterograde direction
Vesicular transport: overview
- Trafficking vesicles to a compartment
- COP proteins help from the Transport Vesicles
- Movement of vesicle
o uses cytoskeleton and motor proteins
o COP proteins specify direction of Vesicle movement
- Movement of vesicle
- Tethering vesicle to target compartment
o via proteins called Rabs
- Tethering vesicle to target compartment
- Docking of vesicle to target compartment
o Uses proteins called SNAREs - Fusion of vesicle and target membrane
Retrieval of resident ER proteins
- Amino acid sequence that directs protein back to ER is the ER retrieval signal
- Located at carboxy terminus of protein
- Soluble/luminal ER proteins contain KDEL (Lysine-Aspartic acid-glutamic acid-Leucine) retrieval signal
- KDEL receptors in membranes of CGN and cis Golgi bind to retrieval signal of ‘escaped’ proteins
- KDEL Receptors bind to COPI complex proteins and are incorporated into COPI vesicles
Escaped proteins reach the ER in (COPI-coated) retrograde transport vesicles
Vesicular Transport
- Trafficking vesicles to a particular compartment
o Movement of vesicle
♣ Uses cytoskeleton and motor proteins
o Tethering vesicle to target compartment
♣ Uses proteins called Rabs
o Docking of vesicle to target compartment
♣ Uses proteins called SNAREs
o Fusion of vesicle and target membrane
Clathrin Coated Vesicles: CCVs
- Clathrin forms a ‘triskelion’
- Composed - 3 heavy and 3 light chains
- Triskelions interact - polyhedral lattice, a basket like structure that surrounds a vesicle
- CCV
o Adaptor proteins between chlathrin lattice and the cytosolic face of the vesicle
o Selectively sort cargo at - TGN, cell membrane & endosomal compartments
COPI-coated vesicles..
move in retrograde direction