Membranes Flashcards
What causes cystic fibrosis?
Defects in a chloride channel. This is caused by issues with endoplasmic reticulum due to incorrect folding.
What are 3 uses of epigenetic gene editing selection of new crop varieties?
- increased photosynthesis efficiency
- crop yield
- resistance to pests and disease
What is the benefit of sub-cellular molecules being compartmentalisation?
Allows for areas to be optimised for a particular function.
What type of cells allow for electrical insulation (think axon)?
Shwann cell
What disease can defects with myelination lead to?
Multiple sclerosis
What is the role of plasma membrane?
Provides cell boundary & prevent movement of materials in to & out of the cell
What is the role of organelle membrane?
Divide cytoplasm into compartment
What are the fundamental properties of membranes?
- barrier
- flexible
- selectively permeable
- only certain molecules can pass into & out of cells
What are the main components of the membrane?
- lipids
- proteins
- carbohydrates
What are the 2 types of movements that phospholipids carry out?
- rotate
- exchange
What type of movement rarely happens in phospholipids?
Flip-flop
Why is the flip flop movement rarely adopted by phospholipids?
As its not energetically favourable
Describe the amphipathic parts of a phospholipid
- Polar head-group
- Hydrophobic tail
Why would there be a kink in the phospholipid?
If there was an unsaturated double bond
Why does an unsaturated double bond cause a kink in phospholipids?
because it changes the bond angle
Are unsaturated double bonds usually cis or trans?
Cis
What is the difference between cis and trans phospholipid bonding?
Trans - Hydrogen bond to carbon on opposite sizes
Cis -Hydrogen bond to carbon on the same sizes
How does the number of double bonds in the fatty acid chain of phospholipids determine fluidity?
the greater the number of double bonds, the less tightly packed the molecules are, and therefore the greater the fluidity.
Do cold-blooded or warm blooded have more double bonds?
Cold-blooded animal membrane
What are the 4 types of major membrane phospholipids?
- Phosphatidyl ethanolamine
- Phosphatidyl serine
- Phosphatidyl choline
- Phosphatidyl myelin
Why is Phosphatidyl serine different to the other phospholipid membranes?
it is negatively charged
What are the 3 parts of cholesterol?
- polar head
- rigid steroid ring structure
- non-polar hydrocarbon tail
What is the purpose of cholesterol?
Prevent the membrane from becoming crystalline. Regulates fluidity
What is a micelle?
Another formation/different type of packing of lipid molecules
What is a bilayer?
More biologically relevant - fatty acid tails points inwards away from the aqueous environment.
Why is the fact that phospholipids form a spherical shape due to their chemical makeup biologically useful?
If the cell is broken the membrane wants to repair itself