Chapter 1: The Cell as a Unit of Health and Disease Flashcards
SNPs and the causative genetic factor are said to be in what?
Linkage disequilibrium
Most of the genetic variations/polymorphisms associated with disease are found where in the genome?
Non-protein coding regions
What are SNPs and they are almost always what?
- Single nucleotide polymorphisms
- Almost always biallelic (only two choices exist, such as A or T)
What type of chromatin is lightly staining and lightly packed, is it active or inactive?
- Euchromatin
- Transcriptionally active
What type of chromatin is dark staining and tightly packed, is it active or inactive?
- Heterochromatin
- Transcriptionally inactive
Heritable changes in gene expression that are not caused by alteration in DNA sequence is the definition of?
Epigenetics
Which AA’s of Histones can be methylated?
Lysines and Arginines
Which Histone is the linker protein and its function?
- H1
- Stabilizes the overall chromatin architecture
DNA methylation results in what?
Transcriptional silencing
Which AA’s of histones are acetylated and by what enzyme?
What does this do?
- LYSINE residues
- Histone acetyl transferase (HAT)
- Open up the chromatin and increase transcription
Histone phosphorylation results in what and what residue is modified?
- Serine residue
- Depending on residue may be opened up for transcription or made inactive
Epigenetic alterations are reversible and what are two ways they have already been treated therapeutically?
- HDAC inhibitors
- DNA methylation inhibitors
What is the primary function of miRNA and how are they related to gene expression?
- Modulate the translation of target mRNAs into their corresponding proteins
- Post-transcriptional silencing of gene expression that is highly conserved and present in all eukaryotes
Describe the process of gene silencing starting with primary miRNA.
Through what mechanisms may gene silencing occur?
Pri-miRNA –> pre-miRNA –> cleaved by DICER –> dsmiRNA -> mature ss-miRNA which associates with RISC -> binds target mRNA
- Binding of miRNA + RISC complex to target mRNA, the mRNA is either degraded (perfect match) or repressed (imperfect match)
All mRNA’s contain a ________ that determines the specificity of miRNA binding and gene silencing (what sequence)
All mRNA’s contain a 3’ seed sequence in their untranslated region (UTR) that determines the specificity of miRNA binding and gene silencing
What are the short RNA sequences introduced into cells experimentally that act as substrates for DICER + interact with the RISC complex analagous to endogenous miRNAs?
Why are they useful in the lab?
- Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs)
- Useful to knockdown target genes in the lab and as a potential therapeutic strategy (i.e., knockdown oncogenes in neoplastic transformations)
How do lncRNAs modulate gene expression; what is the best known example of an lncRNA?
- Bind chromatin and restrict RNA polymerase access = gene silencing
- XIST, which is transcribed from X chromosome and plays a role in physiologic X chromosome inactivation
What are the 4 ways lncRNA’s can affect DNA?
1) Gene activation
2) Gene suppression
3) Promote chromatin methylation and acetylation
4) Assemble protein complexes
In what cell types is the SER abundant in?
Used for what processes?
- Gonads and liver
- Steroid hormone and lipoprotein synthesis
- Modification of hydrophobic compounds (i.e., drugs) into water-soluble molecules for excretion!
After denatured proteins are chewed up by proteosomes, some of the peptides are presented by what?
MHC class I
Antigen presentation in the context of intracellular pathogens (i.e., virally infected cells) requires what 2 things?
- Proteosomal degradation
- Loading in to MHC class I
Peroxisomes have a specialized role in; what do they produce?
- Specialized role in breakdown of fatty acids
- Produce hydrogen peroxide
Which lipid of the plasma membrane is a marker for apoptosis and how does this work; what is the other important function of this lipid?
- Phosphatidylserine
- Normally found on inner face, however, when it flips to extracellular face it serves as “eat me” signal for phagocytes
- Serves as cofactor for platelets in the clotting of blood
What lipid can be phosphorylated and serve as electrostatic scaffold for intracellular proteins?
Can also be what?
- Phosphatidylinositol
- Hydrolyzed by PLC to generate DAG and IP3
What is responsible for pumping polar compounds (chemotherapeutic drugs) OUT of cells and may render cancer cells resistant to treatment?
MDR protein
If a protein does not contain a signal sequence, where does translation occur?
Free ribosomes in the cytosol
What are the lipids found attached to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane?
- Phosphatidylcholine
- Sphingomyelin/Glycolipids
What may serve as an anchor for proteins to the extracellular leaflet of the plasma membrane?
Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)
In caveolae-mediated endocytosis noncoated PM invaginations are associated with what?
They are implicated with the regulation of transmembrane signaling via the internalization of what?
- GPI-linked molecules, cAMP binding proteins, SRC-family kinases and the folate receptor
- Internalization of receptors and integrins
- Can also be used to bring in folate
How does a small, polar molecule like alcohol cross membranes?
What are other examples of molecules that use this method?
- Passive membrane diffusion
- O2 , CO2 (gases), and hydrophobic molecules (steroids)
- Polar molecules smaller than 75 Da (water, ethanol, urea)
What protein is a transporter ATPase that pumps polar compounds (i.e., chemotherapeutic drugs) out of cells and may render cancer cells resistant to treatment?
Multidrug resistant (MDR) protein
What is the major uptake mechanism for LDL and transferrin and why are they taken up into the cell?
Defects in LDL uptake lead to?
- Receptor-mediated endocytosis
- LDL and transferrin then release their cargo (cholesterol and iron) in the lysosome
- Defect in receptor-mediated transport of LDL responsible for familial hypercholesterolemia
What is the movement of endocytosed vesicles between the apical and basolateral compartments of the cell called; what is an important example of this process?
- Transcytosis
- Allows for transfer of large amounts of intact proteins across epithelial barriers
- Ingested Ab’s in maternal milk across intestinal epithelia
What cell-cell or cell-matrix interaction/process is involved in leukocyte extravasation?
- Tight junctions
- Transcytosis (called diapedesis)
Actin is formed from what and why is this protein significant?
- Globular protein G-actin
- Most abundant cytosolic protein in cells
What is the function of F-actin in muscle cells and non-muscle cells?
- Muscle cells, binds to actin, and moves it along, driven by ATP-hydrolysis
- Non-muscle cells, assembles into well-organized bundles/networks that control cells shape and movement
What is the function of Intermediate filaments and describe their properties?
- Tensile strength, allow cells to bear mechanical stress
- Rope-like and found mostly in the polymerized form and do not actively reorganize lik actin and microtubules do.
The major component of skin and hair, keratin, is composed of what?
Keratin = intermediate filament
There are multiple types of intermediate filaments depending on the cell type, list 6 of them.
1) Lamin A, B, and C (nuclear lamina of all cells)
2) Vimentin: mesenchymal cells (fibroblasts, endothelium)
3) Desmin (muscle cells, the scaffold on which actin and myosin contract)
4) Neurofilaments (axons of neurons, imparting strength and rigidity)
5) Glial fibrillary acidic protein (glial cells around neurons)
6) Cytokeratins (subdivided into acidic (type I) and neutral/basic (type II))
What are cytokeratins and how are they divided?
Can be used as?
- Type of intermediate filament, with at least 30 different varieties
- Subdivided into acidic (type I) and basic/neutral (type II)
- Different types in different cells, can be used as cell markers
Describe the structure of Microtubules
- Noncovalently polymerized dimers of α- and β-tubulin arranged in dynamic hollow tubes with defined polarity
- The ends are designated “+” or “-“
Where is the “-“ end of microtubules found and what about the “+” end?
- The “-“ end is typically embedded in a microtubule organizing center (MTOC or centrosome) near the nucleus where it is associated with paired centrioles
- The “+” end elongates or recedes in response to various stimuli by the addition or subtraction of tubulin dimers
Within cells microtubules can also serve as connecting cables for molecular motor proteins that use ATP to move vesicles, organelles, or other molecules along microtubules, what are these motor proteins and in which direction does each move?
- Kinesins are for anterograde transport
- Dyneins for retrograde transport
What is the function of microtubules/molecular motor proteins during mitosis and what other functions have they adapted to perform?
- Sister chromatid separation during mitosis
- Adapted to form motile cilia (i.e., bronchial epithelium) or flagella (sperm)
Occluding junctions (tight junctions) have what function and what transmembrane proteins make up these complexes?
- Seal cells together to create a continous barrier, restricting paracellular movement of ions and other molecules
- Occludin, claudin, zonulin, and catenin
*These junctions are dynamic structures that can dissociate and reform as required to facilitate epithelial proliferation or inflammatory cells migration (EXAM Q)
Cadherins are associated with what cell-cell interaction?
Integrins?
- Cadherins associated w/ Desmosomes
- Integrins associated w/ Hemidesmosomes
What are the cadherins of spot desmosomes vs. belt desmosomes; what is each linked to?
- Spot desmosomes, the cadherins are desmogleins and desmocollins (linked to IC intermediate filaments)
- Belt desmosomes, the cadherins are called E-cadherins (linked to IC actin microfilaments)
What are the large macromolecular complexes that can be localized at hemidesmosomes and include proteins that can generate intracellular signals when cells are subjected to increased shear stress?
Focal Adhesion Complexes
What organelle is responsible for sequestering intracellular calcium?
What is it called in muscle cells?
- SER
- Sarcoplasmic reticulum (in myocytes)
What is the relationship of the permeability of gap junctions to intracellular pH and Ca2+?
- Permeability reduced by lowered pH or increased Ca2+
The ER lumen is topologically equivalent to what?
Extracellular enviornment
Repeated exposure to compounds that are metabolized by the SER (i.e., phenobarbitol catabolism by the CYP450 system) can lead to what?
Reactive SER hyperplasia
The CFTR protein mutation causes the absence of which single AA and leads to what?
- Phe508
- Misfolding, ER retention, and degradation of the CFTR protein
- Excess accumulation of misfolded proteins, exceeding capacity of the ER to edit and degrade them leads to ER stress response (unfolded protein response) that triggers cell death through apoptosis
What is the function of the cis Golgi network and the trans Golgi network?
- Cis golgi network recycles protein back to the ER
- Trans golgi network sorts proteins and lipids and dispatches them to other organelles (including the PM) or to secretory vesicles for extracellular release
Where is the Golgi complex especially prominent?
- Cells specialized for SECRETION
- Goblet cells of the intestine
- Bronchial epithelium (secreting polysaccharide rich mucus)
- Plasma cells (secreting large amounts of Ab’s)
Lysosomal enzymes (acid hydrolases) are initially synthesized in the ER (like all proteins) and then tagged with what in the golgi so they can be sent to the lysosome?
- Mannose-6-phosphate
- Delivered via trans-Golgi vesicles that exprress M6P receptors
Describe the steps of fluid-phase pinocytosise/receptor-mediated endocytosis used for lysosomal degradation.
- Plasma membrane wraps around material forms early endosome, the first acidic compartment encountered
- Then becomes the late endosome, where proteolytic enzymes begin digestion; late endosomes mature into lysosomes
Large denatured protein complexes and damaged (or senescent) organelles are shuttled into lysosome using what process?
- Autophagy
- Double membrane of ER encircles material and forms an autophagosome, which can then fuse with a lysosome
Autophagy is a characteristic sign of _______; what is the hallmark?
- Characteristic sign of atrophy
- Hallmark is decreased protein synthesis
How are microorganisms and/or large fragments of martix and debris able to be degraded by a lysosome?
- Professional phagocytes (macrophages or neutrophils) = phagocytosis
- Material is engulfed to form a phagosome that then fuses with lysosome
What process is being described?
Lysosomes fuse with endosomes/phagosomes to facilitate degradation of internalized contents
Heterophagy