Lecture 1: Introduction to Biochemistry

Question 1

What is an enzyme?

Answer 1

An enzyme is a biological catalyst which can promote biochemical reactions in living systems

Question 2

What controls the synthesis of enzymes?

Answer 2

Controlled by gene expression. (Transcription, translations)

Question 3

What are genes?

Answer 3

Units of hereditary information encoded in the structure of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

Question 4

Of the elements of the periodic table what are living systems composed of.

Answer 4

Living systems are primarily composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. They also contain Sulfur and phosphorous in minimal amounts as well as ions (Na+ K+ Mg2+ Ca2+ Cl-)

These as well as trace elements are necessary for the existence of living systems.

Question 5

Who was able to simulate an abiotic primordial earth and show the origins of amino acid.

Answer 5

Stanley Miller (1953).
Showed that certain building blocks of complex bio molecules, such as amino acids could have been produced during abiotic earth conditions.

Question 6

What are the biological macromolecules necessary for living systems?

Answer 6

Nucleic acids,
Proteins
Polysaccharides
Lipids

Question 7

What is the monomer that makes up the biomolecule nucleic acids. (DNA AND RNA)
What is the monomer linked by?

Answer 7

Nucleotides linked together by phosphodiester bonds

Question 8

What is the monomer that composes the macromolecule polysaccharides.
How are they bonded together?

Answer 8

Monosaccharide bonded together by glycolyside bonds (ether)

Question 9

What is the monomer that makes up the macromolecule protein.
How are they bonded together?

Answer 9

Amino acids, Bonded by peptide bonds.

Question 10

What are lipids composed of?

Answer 10

Fatty acid molecules connected via ester bonds

(LIPIDS ARE NOT POLYMERIC)

Question 11

What was Koshlands essential attributes that distinguish living from non-living things

Answer 11

A program: a scheme for constitution and regeneration

Improvisation: Changing the program as surrounding change (evolution)

Compartmentalisation: can seperate itself from the environment via MEMBRANES

ENERGY: Ability to maintain order despite overall positive entropy

Regeneration: Repair from envrionmental hazards

Adaptability: Ability to respond to environmental changes

Seclusion: Operation of processes and pathways in isolation.

Question 12

What is the universal unit of life?

Answer 12

Cells

Question 13

What are the 3 fundamental cell types

Answer 13

Bacterial
Archael
Eukaryotic

Question 14

What is a prokaryotic vs a eukaryotic cell

Answer 14

A prokaryotic cell has no membrane bound organelles whilst a eukaryotic cell does have membrane bound organelles.

A eukaryotic cell is generally more complex than a prokaryotic cell.

Question 15

Of the 3 fundamental cell types, which ones fall under prokaryotic cells?

Answer 15

Bacterial and archael (however they are different in many aspects)

Question 16

Eukaryotic cells can be ________ and ___________

Answer 16

Unicellular and multicellular

Question 17

What is the study of bioinformatics?

Answer 17

Information science applied to biology:
Examples:
1. Mathematical analysis of DNA sequence data
2. in silico analysis of protein structure and function
3. Computer simulation of protein metabolic pathways

Question 18

What is the study of genetics?

Answer 18

Examines the location, expression and function of individual genes or small groups of genes.

Question 19

What is the study of genomics?

Answer 19

Genomics examines the entire genome and the totality of genetic information in an organism.
The mains goals are to:
1. Determine the total nucleotide sequence of an entire genome
2. Assess the expression and function of each gene
3. Understand evolutionary relationships of genes

Question 20

What defines the structure and function of biomelecules?

Answer 20

NONCOVALENT INTERACTIONS

Question 21

What is a noncovalent bond

Answer 21

A “weak” bond which is easy to break and reform making it useful for biochemical processes

Question 22

Explain how binding of a hormone is affected by noncovalent bonds.

Answer 22

A hormone will attatch itself to the binding pocket and show surfaces that will complement each other. This will cause the formation of non-covalent bonds.

Question 23

What are the 2 noncovalent interactions which can occur:

Answer 23

Charge-Charge interactions between two charged particles

Hydrogen bonding:

Question 24

Explain how water transitions from a liquid to a gas,

Answer 24

Through thermal energy the H-bonds are broken within the water molecules and it will form a gaseous state.

Question 25

Why is water considered suitable for “the medium of life”

Answer 25

Water contains a permanent dipole and and has 2 H bond donor sites and 2 H bond acceptor sites

It has a high heat capacity

Capable of solvating ionic compounds

Question 26

What would occur with the solvation of a hydrophilic substance:

Answer 26

Water - Loving substance

Will be able to compete with intermolecular H-bond donors and acceptors.

Question 27

What would occur with the solvation of a hydrophobic substance:

Answer 27

Solvent forms cage like structures around no polar molecule,

This will stabilise the protein structure by driving apolar groups together.

Question 28

What would occur with the solvation of an amphipatic substance:

Answer 28

Amphipatic has both a hydrophobic and hydrophilic part to its molecular structure:

Will form a Micelle which is a formed mono layer around the molecule.