Development of Biochemistry Flashcards
Biochemistry spans approximately how many years?
400 years
In what year was the term “biochemistry” first used?
1882
Who is considered the Father of Biochemistry?
Carl Neuberg
Carl Neuberg proposed the term “biochemistry” in what year?
1903
Who proved that organic compounds can be created artificially?
Friedrich Wohler
Friedrich Wohler synthesized urea from inorganic compounds using ___?
ammonium cyanate
Friedrich Wohler’s study was followed by _____?
Chemical studies of respiration, fermentation, and the qualitative analysis of naturally occurring substances
What year did Friedrich Wohler complete his study of urea?
1828
What was Carl Neuberg’s nationality and occupation?
German chemist
Who coined the term “enzyme”?
Wilhelm Kuhne
“Enzyme” comes from what Greek term?
in leaven
An enzyme is considered as what type of protein?
Catalyst
What is the function of catalysts?
To speed up chemical processes
Pepsin is an example of what molecule?
Enzyme
This term was used to refer to non-living substances.
Enzyme
Saliva breaks down food in our mouth due to the presence of what enzyme?
Amylase/ptyalin
In enzymes, the suffix “ase” means ___?
break down
Mateo ate a bowl of ice cream and felt his stomach begin to hurt after a while. Mateo’s body lacks what specific enzyme?
Lactase
What enzyme breaks down sucrose?
Sucrase
What enzyme breaks down sucrose?
Sucrase
True or False: Eduard Buchner discovered that sugar cannot be fermented if there are no living yeast cells in the mixture.
FALSE. Sugar can still be fermented despite the absence of living yeast cells.
Who studied the ability of yeast extracts to ferment sugar?
Eduard Buchner
What year did Eduard Buchner’s study take place?
1897
It is the process in which sugars are transformed into new products through chemical reactions
Fermentation
True or False: Adding more sugar before fermenting wine will result in a higher alcohol level.
TRUE. Fermentation is the transformation of sugars, therefore more sugar to transform into alcohol = higher alcohol content.
True or False: Adding more sugar before fermenting wine will result in a higher alcohol level.
TRUE. Fermentation is the transformation of sugars, therefore more sugar to transform into alcohol = higher alcohol content.
What are some products created through fermentation?
Alcohol, dairy products (cheese, yogurt), kimchi, vinegar
Who proved that the enzyme urease was a pure protein?
James B. Sumner
How did James B. Sumner conduct his study?
He crystallized enzymes like any other organic compound.
James B. Sumner conducted his study on urease and later what other enzyme?
catalase
True or False: James B. Sumner proved that catalase was a pure protein in 1926, and did the same with urease in 1937.
FALSE. Urease was proven first in 1926, followed by catalase in 1937.
Urease breaks down what compound?
Urea
What is the function of catalase in the body?
It protects body cells and tissues by breaking down hydrogen peroxide
Catalase is an enzyme. What specific chemical reaction does it catalyze?
The breakdown of hydrogen peroxide.
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is broken down by catalase into what two elements?
Water (H2O) and oxygen (O2)
True or False: Hydrogen peroxide is harmful to the body.
True, this is why it is needed to be broken down by catalase.
Who showed DNA to be the agent of genetic transformation?
Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty
What was James Dewey Watson’s significant contribution to biochemistry?
He described the structure of DNA.
When did Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty conduct their study?
1944
In particular, what shape is the structure of DNA?
Double helical
Give some examples of new techniques used in biochemistry that have been developed since the mid-20th century.
Chromatography, XRAY diffraction, NMR spectroscopy, radio isotopic labelling, electron microscopy, molecular dynamic simulations
Who is credited with discovering the citric acid cycle?
Hans Krebs
What does NMR stand for?
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Hans Krebs discovered a number of different biochemical cycles with the help of ___?
Hans Kornberg
Krebs and Kornberg discovered which biochemical cycles?
Urea cycle, citric acid cycle, and glycoxylate cycle
The Krebs cycle (named after Hans Krebs) is also known as ____?
Citric acid cycle or tricarboxylic cycle
Why is it called the citric acid cycle?
Because citric acid is the first product of the cycle.
