Blake_Biochem_22_Intro to Metabolism

Question 1

How does Creatine Phosphate function in cellular energy transformation?

Answer 1

Transfers Phosphate groups to ADP to make ATP

Question 2

Which qualities of carbon fuels store more free energy?

Answer 2

The lower the oxidation state (the more reduced)

=> less Oxygens (electron acceptor)

=> higher saturation (more Hydrogens (electron donor))

Question 3

What are the two ways that energy is extracted from carbon-oxidation energy?

What is the ultimate result of these two paths?

Answer 3

• to create a compound with high phosphoryl-transfer potential
• to create an ion gradient
• the formation of ATP

Question 4

Energy from foodstuffs is extracted in three (broad) steps:

Answer 4

• Degredatioin and absorption (no energy is extracted)
• Most sugars and fatty acids are converted to Acetyl CoA (some ATP is produced (eg Glycolosis))
• Acetyl CoA is used in aerobic reation - (most ATP is produced here)

Question 5

What are the two most common recurring Motifs in Metabolic pathways?

Answer 5

• Nicotinamide derived
  
  • NAD⁺, NADH
  • NADP⁺, NADPH
• Flavin -derived
  
  • FAD, FADH₂

Question 6

How do activated carriers affect metabolism?

Answer 6

they transfer groups from between metabolically active molecules

Question 7

Metabolic processes are regulated in three principal ways:

Answer 7

• Controlling the amounts of enzymes
  
  • Transcription/Signaling
• Controlling catalytic activity
  
  • feedback inhibition - conformation/modification
• Controlling the Accessibility of substrates
  
  • compartmentalization of pathways

Question 8

Pros and Cons of X-Ray Crystallography

Answer 8

• Pros
  
  • No size limit
  • size and atomic radii are apparent
• Cons
  
  • Extremely slow process (often >2 years)

Question 9

Pros and Cons of NMR

Answer 9

• Pros
  
  • Fast
  • can see proteins in solution
• Cons
  
  • size is limitted