Exam 3 Flashcards
How do plants store glucose?
As starch: Amylose or Amylopectin
What is the structure of amylose?
An unbranched polymer made up of only a1-4 linkages
What is the structure of amylopectin?
A branched polymer that has a1-4 linkages along with a1-6 branch points every ~30 residues
How do animals store glucose? What is the structure?
Glycogen - similar structure to amylopectin, but the branch points are every 8 to 12 residues
What is cellulose? What is its’ structure?
Cellulose is the primary component of plant cell walls. B1-4 linkage.
What is chitin? What is its’ structure?
Chitin is the primary component of exoskeletons. B1-4 linkage of N-acetylglucosamine.
How do cellulose & chitin strengthen microfibrils?
Cellulose and chitin straight chains have extensive H-bonding that strengthen the fibrils.
What is a N-linked protein?
Oligosaccharide is attached to an Asn side chain
What is an O-linked protein?
Oligosaccharide is attached to a Ser or Thr side chain
Why is the purpose of glycoproteins?
Since a wide variety of oligosaccharide modifications are possible, they can serve as unique identifiers for cells.
How are ABO blood types determined?
ABO blood type is determined by part of an O-linked oligosaccharide on the cell surface.
What blood types have a sugar being added and why?
Differences in a few active site residues of a glycosyltransferase result in a different sugar being added to the O antigen in A- and B-type individuals.
Why don’t O type individuals have a sugar added?
No functional version of the glycosyltransferase
What is connective tissue made up of?
Connective tissue such as cartilage, skin, and tendons include proteoglycans which are structural proteins linked to glycosaminoglycans
Why is the structure of glycosaminoglycans useful in connective tissue?
The polar groups on glycosaminoglycans attract H2O to help lubricate tissue, while negative charges repel each other upon compression to act as shock absorbers.
What is the structure of glycosaminoglycans?
Glycosaminoglycans are heteropolysaccharides consisting of repeating uronic acid and hexosamine residues.
What is the structure of the peptidoglycan layer in bacterial cell walls?
Peptidoglycan consists of N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylmuramic acid repeating units attached to cross-linked tetrapeptides.
What is catablosim?
Breaking down larger molecules.
What is Anabolism?
Building complex molecules at the expense of energy.
How are biopolymers digested?
Enzymes hydrolyze biopolymers into smaller products that may be absorbed by the intestine.
How are proteins degraded outside cells?
The lysosome is an organelle containing degradative enzymes that primarily breaks down extracellular or membrane proteins.
What is the proteasome?
The proteasome is a multisubunit protease that targets intracellular proteins.
How does the proteasome know which proteins to degrade?
Ubiquitin ligase transfers a small protein, called ubiquitin, to a Lys residue of the target protein. Once 4 ubiquitins have been added, the end cap subunits of the proteasome recognize the target protein for degradation.
What is the role of Vitamin C in the body?
Vitamin C is an antioxidant and acts as a cofactor for the enzyme that hydroxylates proline residues in collagen.