MGD Flashcards
Name 2 uncharged amino acids
Possible answers: phenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophan, glycine, alanine, pro line, valine, leucine, isoleucine and methionine
What stereoisomer (L or D) of amino acids are naturally found in proteins?
L
Name a negatively charged amino acid
Possible answers: aspartate and glutamate
Name a positively charged amino acid
Possible answers: lysine, arginine and histidine
Name 2 polar amino acids
Possible answers: serine, threonine, cysteine, asparagine and glutamine
What are the key features of peptide bond?
CO and NH bond in trans orientation
Cant rotate due to double bond characteristics
What are the difference between a globular and fibrous protein?
Globular: water soluble, compact and highly folded. Usually has a regulatory or enzymatic function
Fibrous: water insoluble, elongated, repeating units. Usually has a structural function
Define the isoelectric point
The pH at which a protein has no overall net charge
Define a zwitterion
A neutral ion with the positive NH3+ and negative COO- ends. Formed at the isoelectric point
What is the primary structure of a protein and what bonds are involved in its formation?
The linear amino acid sequence of a polypeptide. Covalent (peptide) bonds
What is a secondary sequence of an amino acid, what bonds are involved in its formation and what are the 2 common types?
The local special arrangement of the polypeptide backbone.
Hydrogen bonds.
Alpha helix and beta pleated sheets.
What is the tertiary structure of a polypeptide and what bonds are involved in its formation?
The overall 3 dimensional structure.
Hydrogen, van der waals, hydrophobic, covalent and ionic
How many amino acids are there in 1 turn of an alpha helix?
3.6
If a protein has an isoelectric point of 5.0 and is placed in an electric field at physiological pH would it move towards the positive or negative electrode?
Positive
What can denature a protein?
Heat, pH and detergent
What is the pitch of an alpha helix?
0.54nm
How large is a eukaryotic and a prokaryotic cell?
Eukaryotic:10-100 micrometers
Prokaryotic: 1 micrometer
What are the differences between a prokaryote and a eukaryote?
Prokaryotes have no nucleus, membrane bound organelles or cytoskeleton. They reproduce asexually and divide by binary fission as opposed to mitosis/meiosis. They have smaller ribosomes.
Which residues are strong helix formers?
Alanine and leucine because they are small and hydrophobic
Name two helix breakers and explain why they are helix breakers
Proline - the rotation around the N-C bond is impossible
Glycine - the tiny R group supports other conformations
In beta strands, what is the distance between each amino acid?
0.35nm
How is a beta sheet formed?
The beta strands run anti parallel to each other and H bonds form between them to stabilise the structure
What is a domain?
Part of a polypeptide chain that folds into a distinct shape. Usually has a specific functional role
What is a motif?
Folding pattern that contains 1 or more types of secondary structure
What residue are disulphide bonds formed between?
Cysteine
What shape would a graph showing the binding of oxygen to myoglobin exhibit?
Hyperbolic
What shape would a graph showing the binding of oxygen to haemoglobin exhibit?
Sigmoidal
Why does haemoglobin have a sigmoidal shape?
Cooperative binding - the binding of oxygen to one of the haem groups increases the affinity of oxygen to the other ones.
Why is the sigmoidal curve of haemoglobin significant?
Because it means that oxygen is easily picked up in the lungs and then easily given up at the tissues
What effect does BPG have on oxygen binding, which direction will the curve shift and why is this significant?
BPG decreases the affinity for oxygen binding. The curve will shift to the right. It is significant because more BPG is produced in higher altitudes which promotes oxygen release at tissues
How do H+ ions and CO2 affect the affinity haemoglobin has for oxygen, which direction will the curve shift and why is this significant?
Reduce the affinity. Shift to the right. Because metabolically active tissues produce both substances and will need more oxygen. This couples supply and demand. Known as the Bohr effect.
Why is carbon monoxide poisonous?
It binds more strongly and irreversibly to haemoglobin than oxygen
How do the subunits of foetal haemoglobin differ from the regular form, what effect does this have and why is it significant?
It has 2 gamma sub units instead of the 2 beta ones. This increases the affinity for oxygen. This means that the foetus can get oxygen from the mothers blood
What are Thalassaemias?
A condition where there is an imbalance between the number of alpha and beta sub units
What are the differences between alpha and beta thalassaemias?
Beta: decreased or absent beta sub units. Alpha chains can’t form stable tetramers. Symptoms onset after birth
Alpha: decreased or absent alpha subunits. Different levels of severity but beta chains can form stable tetramers with increased affinity for oxygen. Onset before birth
Define Vmax
The maximal rate when all enzyme active sites are saturated with substrate
Define Km
The substrate concentration that gives half the Vmax value
Does a low Km value represent a high or low affinity for the substrate?
High
What are the differences between competitive and non competitive inhibition?
Competitive binds at active site and effects Km but not Vmax.
Non competitive binds at a secondary site and effects Vmax but not Km
What is one unit of an enzyme?
The amount of enzyme that catalyses the conversion of 1 micro mole of substrate per minute.
What is a zymogen?
An inactive precursor of a proteolytic enzyme
What are the 5 main regulatory mechanisms that control enzyme activity
Allosteric, substrate/product concentration, proteolytic, covalent modification and enzyme amount
How would an allosteric activator affect an enzyme?
It would make the R state more stable. This shifts the curve to the left
What type of enzyme catalyses the attachment of a phosphate group? What catalyses its removal? What amino acids are phosphate groups added to?
Kinase attaches. Phosphotase removes. Can be attached to serine, threonine and tyrosine.
Give 2 examples of covalent modification of an enzyme
Attaching one of the following to a protein via an amino acid: phosphoryl, acetyl, adenyl, uridyl, methyl or ribosyl
What is proteolytic activation and why is it used?
Activating a protein by removing part of the chain. This is useful, especially for proteases (enzymes that break peptide bonds), because it allows for them to be transported without causing any damage
How can the amount of enzyme be changed?
Increase its production by increasing the rate of transcription. Increase its degradation - tag it for destruction by adding a molecule known as a ubiquitin
Define feedback inhibition and give an example
End product of a pathway inhibits its own rate of synthesis e.g. ATP inhibits catabolic pathways. Glucose 6-phosphate inhibits hexokinase.