Ch. 3

Question 1

Define anabolism

Answer 1

Set of metabolic processes that builds molecules utilizing energy

Question 2

Define catabolism

Answer 2

Set of metabolic processes that breaks down molecules to make energy

Question 3

Define enzyme

Answer 3

Protein that catalyzes a chemical reaction in which covalent bonds are made or broken

Question 4

Define catalyst

Answer 4

Compound that facilitates a chemical reaction without being modified by the reaction (for example, enzymes)

Question 5

Define transcription factor

Answer 5

Protein that controls the rate of DNA transcription

Question 6

Define signal transduction

Answer 6

The translation of a signal from one chemical form into another

Question 7

Define receptor

Answer 7

Protein that binds non-covalently with specific molecules and initiates a change in membrane permeability or cell metabolism

Question 8

Define ligand-gated channel

Answer 8

Membrane protein that opens to allow diffusion of a solute as a result of binding by a specific signaling molecule (the ligand) to a receptor site on the channel protein

Question 9

Define genome

Answer 9

The full set of genetic material of an organism

Question 10

Define top-down

Answer 10

Order of questions in which one begins with asking about animal function and ends with asking about genes

Question 11

Define bottom-up

Answer 11

Order of questions in which one begins with asking about genes and ends with asking about animal function

Question 12

Define gene deletion/knockout

Answer 12

Targeted removal or inactivation of a specific gene within an organism’s genome

Question 13

Define CRISPR

Answer 13

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats - utilization of Cas9 enzyme to cleave target DNA and add or delete a target gene

Question 14

Define proteomics

Answer 14

Study of proteins

Question 15

Define metabolomics

Answer 15

Study of chemical processes of metabolism

Question 16

Define transcriptomics

Answer 16

Study of RNA genome produced through transcription

Question 17

Why do icefish have white, ghostlike blood?

Answer 17

Icefish don’t produce hemoglobin in their blood, and hemoglobin provides red color as well as carrying oxygen

Question 18

Describe how icefish differ via genomics.

Answer 18

The icefish genome doesn’t code for hemoglobin.

Question 19

Why would it be advantageous for icefish to lose their hemoglobin gene?

Answer 19

Since colder water carries more oxygen molecules, there’s no need for the hemoglobin protein. The cost of protein synthesis is ATP-costly, so it’s advantageous to stop the production of hemoglobin altogether.

Question 20

Why is there a transitional state in Antarctic fish heart coloration?

Answer 20

Red-blooded fish carry both hemoglobin and myoglobin. One species of icefish carries only myoglobin, and another species of icefish carries neither.

Question 21

Explain the pattern of detoxification mRNA concentration in the malaria mosquito.

Answer 21

These mRNA are increased at night and decreased during the day. Since they feed at night, mosquitos don’t need to constantly produce detox proteins.