Molecular biology semester 2 Flashcards
What is the definition of an organelle?
Any discrete intracellular space specialised for a specific function. They can be membrane bound or not membrane bound.
After synthesis where are organelles transported to?
The ER.
Peroxisomes, endosomes and lysosomes contain a membrane, true or false?
True. They are membrane bound.
Are microtubules, chromosomes and microfillament classed as organelles?
Yes. They are all non membrane bound organelles.
Where are most proteins synthesised?
The cytoplasm.
What is targeting?
When newly synthesised proteins are delivered to a particular membrane of an organelle from the cytosol.
What is translocation?
When an organelle is transported across the membrane.
What is sorting?
When an organelle is transported from one membrane bound compartment to another.
Although sorting normally involves transportation between compartments, where can it happen in the same compartment?
The ER.
Who came up with the signal sequence hypothesis?
Gunther Blobel.
<p>What is a signal sequence?</p>
<p>A relatively short amino acid sequence that directs a protein to a specific location within a cell.</p>
Does translocation require an energy source?
Yes.
Protein folding usually occurs in the cytosol, apart from when?
When channels are too narrow for the folds protein to fit through.
What organelle was used to establish the signal sequence hypothesis?
The ER.
In the ER what is translocation coupled to?
Translation.
When cells where radioactively labelled and homogenised the radioactive labels were contained showing coupling of translation and translocation at the ER. What happened when a detergent was also added?
The radioactivity had not been contained meaning it was not imported.
What did Ceaser Milstein discover in regards to the length of proteins translocated?
He showed that proteins made in vitro were longer than the ones recovered from the ER. This showed that the signal sequence was cleaved.
Ceaser Milstein showed that proteins made in vitro could still be imported into the ER. True or false?
False. He showed that fully synthesised proteins could not enter the ER.
<p>What is a major piece of evidence for co translational import regarding ribosomes?</p>
<p>They (and newly synthesised proteins) can be found associated at the ER around the point of translation.</p>
Can protein important to the ER happen in vitro when microsomes are not present?
No.
What end of the signal peptide is synthesised first, hence also enters the ER first?
The N terminus.
The signal peptide has a core of __________ which are often proceeded by _________ .
6-12 hydrophobic amino acids
Several positive amino acids.
What is the SRP?
The recognises the signal sequence by acting as a receptor. It is a recognition particle and is not found on the membrane.
What subunit in SRP recognises the signal sequence?
P54.
When the SRP binds to the signal does translation stop?
Yes.
Once the SRP is bound to the signal where can the ribosome complex dock and how?
The ribosome complex can dock to the ER membrane due to complementation between the attached SRP recognition particle and the SRP receptor on the ER membrane.
What stabilises SRP binding to it’s receptor on the ER membrane?
GTP.
What is the membrane bound SRP associator associated with?
The channel in the ER.
Does the GTP hydrolyse allowing release of SRP before or after translation has been completed?
Before. Once the pore has open and the nascent transcript is through the pore it does not need to be present and can be used again.
What is the driving force of translocation?
Translation.
Is the signal sequence cleaved before or after the pore has closed?
Before.
What releases the SRP from it’s receptor?
Hydrolysis of GTP. This happens as soon as the nascent polypeptide is in the channel as it is no longer needed.
What percentage of proteins need to be localised?
50%
What end of a transcript is inserted into a type one channel?
NH3+ end.
What causes translation to stop in a type one channel?
The stop anchor sequence as it prevents further translation.
What stops the stop anchor sequence in type one channels?
Hydrophobic residues.
Once the nascent polypeptide has been stopped by the stop anchor sequence in type one channels what way does the pore open to allow translation to continue?
Sideways.
Once translation has resumed in type one channels is translocation also resumed?
No.
What is the only channel type to have an internal stop anchor sequence?
Type 1.
What way is the N Terminus orientated in type 2 channels?
Towards the cytosol.
How does the signal anchor sequence insert into a type 2 membrane?
Spontaneously. It is recognised by the SRP receptor and delivered to the translocon.
Why is it believed that the N terminus is orientated to the cytosol in type 2 channels?
As there is a positively charged N terminal on the signal anchor sequence.
Is there a signal sequence in type 3 channels?
No as can never be imported co translationally.
Where is the positive end pointing in a type 3 channel?
Towards the cystol.
For a protein to be imported post translationally what state does it need to be in?
Unfolded. This is done by chaperons.
Why is ATP needed to insert a protein post-translationally?
As translocation is no longer acting as the driving force.
What is HSP70 and what is it’s role in the translocation of protons?
It is a heat shock protein. It binds to the unfolded polypeptide in the lumen to stop it diffusing back out.
What does HSP70 recognise in order to bind to the unfolded polypeptide?
Hydrophobic residues which would not normally be exposed.
What leads to the conformational change of HSP70 allowing it to bind, close and refold the protein?
ATP hydrolysis.
What causes HSP70 to open?
Bound ADP present after ATP hydrolysis.
How long is the mitochondrial signal sequence?
20-25 amino acids long.
What does the mitochondrial signal sequence consist of?
An amphiphilic helix.
Can post translational import occur in the ER, mitochondria or both?
Both.
Does post translational import in the mitochondria require ATP?
Yes.
What has to be close together for post translational import to occur in the mitochondria?
The membranes of the mitochondria.
What blocks the import of chimeric DHFR?
MTX drug.
Chimeric DHFR can not enter the lumen when the drug MTX is present. What can bind to DHFR so this can be visualised?
An antibody attached to gold particles.
How many signal pathways target proteins to sub mitochondrial compartments?
Multiple.
What does the peroxisomal targeting signal contain at the carboxyl terminus?
Leucine, serine and lysine.
What can some proteins form in cytoplasm?
Oligomers. This allows the assembly of prosethic groups.
What is Hyperoxaluria type 1?
A heredity kidney stone disease.
Accumulation of what causes Hyperoxaluria?
Calcium oxulate.
What do parents lack in Hyperoxaluria type 1?
AGT- alanine/glyoxylate amino transferase.
What does a mutation of proline- Leucine cause?
The generation of a amphiphilic helix at the N terminus causing a MTC.
What point mutation is needed for someone to have Hyperoxaluria type 1?
GLY170ARG
If someone only has a proline-leucine mutation will the signal be targeted to the peroxisome or the mitochondria?
The peroxisome. To be targeted at the mitochondria you also need the GLY170ARG mutation .
What does GLY170ARG delay?
Dimerisation of the protein meaning it can enter the mitochondria.
What does a class A secretion mutation result in?
Accumulation in the cystol.
What does a class B secretion mutation result in?
Accumulation in the RER.
What does a class C secretion mutation result in?
The accumulation of ER Golgi transport vesicles.
What does a class D secretion mutation result in?
Accumulation in the Golgi.
What does a class E secretion mutation result in?
Accumulation of secretory vesicles.
What defective function causes a class A secretory mutation?
Transport into the ER is defective.
What defective function causes a class B secretory mutation?
Vesicle budding from the RER is defective.
What defective function causes a class C secretory mutation?
Transport of Golgi vesicles is defected.
What defective function causes a class D secretory mutation?
A defect in Golgi secretory vesicle transport.
What defective function causes a class E secretory mutation?
A defect in transporting secretory vesicles to the cell surface.
What allows you to see which part of the secretory pathway is blocked?
Double mutants.
Video microscopy showed that the temperature sensitive mutant of the VSV-G protein could stay in the ER at what temperature and why?
40 degrees, as it would have be unfolded.
When coat proteins bind to the receptors what do they do?
They oligomerise with themselves.
What do coat proteins do to allow cargo molecule into the vesicle?
They recruit receptors.
What do transporting terminates on vesicles allow?
Targeting.
Are sorting signals long or short peptide signals?
Short.
Can signal sequences be modified with tags?
Yes.
What does oligomerisation of coat proteins cause the membrane to do?
Bend.
Why can’t proteins leave vesicles once they have bound?
There are receptors in the vesicle.
What is coat assembly under control of?
GTPase.
What does sar1-GDP bind to?
SEC12.
When GDP exchanges for GTP what anchors to the ER membrane?
SER1.
What does SER1 bound to GTP drive?
Polymerisation of soluble coat factors.
What do coat proteins recognise?
Sorting signals in cargo receptors.
What does polymerisation of soluble coat factors, caused by SER1 eventually cause?
Budding.
What initiates uncoating?
GTP hydrolysis.
Does uncoating happen before or after budding?
After. It happens before docking and fusion of the vesicle to the membrane.
What are snare proteins required for?
Specificity and mechanism for fusion.
What two types of snare proteins are there?
Vesicle (V) and target membrane (T).
Is the complex formed between T and V snares tight or loose?
Very tight.
Where Rab-GTP found?
On the vesicle.
What type of specificity does the rab have to it’s effector?
Dual specificity.
What type of complex does the snare protein form?
A four helical bundle.
What is disassembly of the snare complex dependant on?
ATP.
When GTP hydrolyses what does rab do?
It dissociates.
What assembles the snare complex?
NSF and alpha SNAP.
Where is the rab effector found?
The target membrane.
Apart from unfolding snares what else does NFS have to do to them?
Unfold them as the complex is very tight.
What is the forward pathway also called?
The anterograde pathway.
How many subunits of clathrin assemble a coat protein?
3.
Are different coats and signals are needed to transport snares back?
Yes.
What happens to the proteins when they enter the Golgi?
Glycosalation.
In retrograde transport what is found at the COOH terminus?
KDEL to bind the specific receptor to the Golgi stack to help incorporation into a retrograde vesicle.
What two models show transport through the Golgi?
Cisternal maturation model
Stationary cisternae model
What is the cis/early Golgi form from in the Cisternal model?
Multiple ER vesicles.
When the middle Golgi looses it’s enzymes what are these replaced by in the Cisternal model?
Enzymes from the late Golgi.
Are proteins transported in the in the Cisternal model?
No, the organelles change.
What happens at the end Cisternal model?
The network breaks up and is transported back to the plasma membrane.
Does the stationary cisternal model work for the retrograde transport or the anterograde pathway?
Retrograde transport.
What model for Golgi transport is favoured?
The cisternal maturation model.
How does transport happen between stacks in the stationary cisternal model?
By vesicles.
What happens to the enzymes in the stationary cisternal model?
They are retained in that compartment or retrieved from a later compartment.
What is the default pathway when there is no specific signal?
Constitutive secretory pathway.
How many secretory pathways are involved in trafficking from the trans golgi network?
2 secretory, 1 to the lysosomes and 1 to the endosomes.
What can late endosomes change to?
Lysosomes.
For late endosomes to change to lysosomes what specific modification is needed. Is this recognised be an enzyme by the transfer of what?
Phosphorylated glcNac moving to the carbon 6 atom to make mannose 6 phosphate.
In transport to the lysosomes what is added to the cis golgi initially?
Man6P.
After being added to the cis golgi, where is mannose 6 phosphate then added too?
The trans golgi.
Where is the mannose 6 phosphate incorporated into the clathrin coated protein?
The trans golgi.
After budding the coat dissembles. What causes this?
A very low pH.
Does the coated or uncoated vesicle fuse with the late endosome?
Uncoated.
When the late endosome fuses with the lysosomes what two things need to happen?
The receptor needs to be released and dephosphorylation needs to occur.
Receptors are released from the late endosome and they are recycled. However this is not a very efficient process meaning some of the receptors end up where?
The plasma membrane.
What occasionally happens to the phosphorylated lysosomal proteins?
They occasionally secreted but are picked up again by endocytosis which then take them back to the endosomes.
What sort of deformations are caused by I cell disease?
Skeletal, psychomotor and mental.
What do lysosomes contain large exclusions of in someone who suffers from I cell disease?
Glycolipids and glycoaminoglycans.
How many acid hydrolyses does someone with I cell disease lack?
8.
What can not form probably in I cell disease?
Mannose 6 phosphate.
What is macropinocytosis an example of?
Endocytosis.
Apart from being clathrin mediated, what other molecule can mediate endocytosis?
Caveolin.
What can clathrin coat adaptors bind?
AD1 and AD2.
Does clathrin bind directly to the cargo?
No.
Why does dynamin form an extensive spiral structure?
It allows it to pinch of the vesicle.
A mutation in what causes Familial Hypercholestrolaemia?
A mutation in LDL receptor.
Apart from atheromas plaque, what else can Familial Hypercholestrolaemia cause?
Xanthomas- fatty acid deposition in skin and tendons.
What 5 processes are blocked in someone who has Familial Hypercholestrolaemia?
- Null alleles.
- Signal for endocytosis meaning internalisation can not happen.
- Recycling of alleles.
- Binding of defective alleles.
- Transport if deficient alleles.
What does an amplification protein cause?
A normal protein to be expressed at the wrong time.
What causes a chimeric protein with an altered functionto form?
When a gene fuses with another gene, possibly as a result of a chromosome breaking then rearranging.
What do epigenetic modifications cause?
Gene silencing.
What cancer is common in Japan?
Stomach cancer. Although breast cancer is rare.
Deamination of cytosine into what is an example of spontaneous DNA damage?
Uridine.
What can breakage of bond between the purines and deoxyribose result in?
Random base insertions.
Deamination methyl cytosine into what is an example of spontaneous DNA damage?
Thymidine.
What type of compounds can cause bladder cancer when they are inhaled?
Rubber.
When iodine 131 enters the body where does it concentrate itself?
The thyroid gland.
When DNA is damaged on one side and is repaired it can result in what forming?
A thymidine a diner, held together my covalent cross links. This can stop normal base pairing and block DNAP resulting in DNA not being correctly repaired.
Why are double stranded DNA breaks not easily repairable?
There is no template. This can cause recombination and inactivation of essential genes.
What is the role of p53?
It surveys the DNA for damage and allows repairs to any damage found.
How can thymidine dimers be repaired?
The whole stretch of DNA is removed, resynthesis occurs and the opposite strand is used as a template.
What type of DNA damage can be directly removed without breaking the phosphate backbone?
O-6 methyl guanine.
What can p53 delay?
DNA replication.
If p53 detects damage that is to severe to fix what happens?
Apoptosis.
What type of signals generate growth factors?
Mitogenic growth signals.
There are four major families of growth factors. Two are found in all cell cultures, what are they?
EGF (Epidermal growth factor) and FGF ( Fibroblast growth factor).
What does the extracelluar matrix support?
Epithelial cells so they connect with their neighbours and the basement.
What three things can occur to make the cell autonomous to growth signals?
- More GF can be produced.
- Receptors to GF can have more activity.
- Through the modulation of posh ways less GF can be needed to bring about a response.
Cancers can not produce their own growth signal. True or false?
False. Many cancers can.
Cells that produce growth factors are not stimulated by it. What type of mechanism does this cause?
Feedback.
The Glioblast PDGF factors are over expressed and in a different isoform to that of a normal cell. What type of cancer does this cause?
Brain cancer.
When receptors become activated by growth factors what do they become?
Tyrosine kinases.
Receptors are activated as tyrosine kinases. What process does this allow to happen on tyrosine residues?
Autophosphorylation.
Receptors can also be serine kinases as well as tyrosine kinases. Tyrosine kinases can autophosphroylate, can this happen in serine kinases?
No. However they can phosphorylate other proteins.
Tyrosine residues are also able to do this.
What can phosphorylated proteins activate to modify gene expression?
Transcription factors.
What are EGF-R and Erb-B examples of?
Receptors.
What receptors are unregulated in stomach, brain and breast tumours?
EGF-R (receptor for EGF) and Erb-B (receptor for heregulin).
Overexpression of what receptor can result in ligand independent signalling?
HER2/neu
Over expression of HER2/neu causes what type of cancer?
Stomach and brain.
What is an intigrin?
An extracelluar matrix receptor. These anchor cells to the extracelluar matrix.
What happens if intergrins fail to bin to the extracelluar matrix?
Motility is impaired and apoptosis may occur.
What point mutation makes receptors always active?
Val-Gln point mutation.
Receptors can become always active by being structurally altered. This is causes by extracelluar matrix proteins being stimulates causing intergrins to relax and allowing extra space to divide. What domain to the receptors then lack?
Cytoplasmic.
When receptors are structurally altered what do they become?
Ligand dependant.
When GF receptors are activated and pro growth intigrins are present, what pathway is often activated?
SOS-Ras-Raf-MAP kinase pathway.
What percentage of tumours have a mutated RAS protein?
25%
When Ras is mutated can mitogenic signals be produced without upstream activation of the pathway?
Yes.
What normally binds to Ras to produce a conformational change?
GTP.
Mutated Ras looses GTP activity. This means GTP is permanently associated with Ras. What does this result in?
Ras becomes permanently active.
Ras can also interact with p53. This cause growth signals to automatically stimulate what?
Survival signals- protecting the cell from apoptosis.
What is NF1?
Another factor that is able to mediate a live or die response, it is similar to Ras.
Cells need to respond to antipoliferative signals. What do these signals do?
Stop growth.
What do antipoliferative signals depend on?
Soluble or immobilised inhibitors on nearby cells. When these inhibitors activate the signals circuits are formed.
What methods can block proliferation?
Cells can differentiate or become quiescent.
Can terminally differentiated cells or quiescent cells re enter the cell cycle?
Quiescent as these cells are in G0 phase. Terminally differentiated cells have had a change in morphology and can not do this.
What is TCFB an example off?
An antigrowth factor.
Is TCFB more or less active in tumours?
Less active.
TCFB is an antigrowth factor that causes a mutation in what?
The TCFB receptor.
When the TCFB receptor is mutated, what proteins are produced and what do they do?
p15, p21 and p27. They are proteins which inhibit the cell cycle. These also inhibit the formation of the CDK/cyclin complex.
What do SMADS produce?
Antigrowth signals.
Mutations in what cause less antigrowth signals in tumours?
SMADS.
TCFB is an antigrowth factor which causes mutations in its receptor which in turn produces proteins that can inhibit the cell cycle. It can also supress another gene which regulates G1 machinery. What gene is this?
cymc gene.
TCFB is less active in tumours. This is caused by single point mutations which can also do what?
Cause a loss of p15 and mutations in the smad and rb protein.
A decreased sensitivity to p15 can be due to a mutation in what?
CDK14.
What does rb stand for?
Retinoblastoma protein.
Rb binds _____ preventing it from acting as a transcription factor thus reducing gene expression in the G1-S stage of the cell cycle.
E2F.
How is E2F released from rb?
Rb becomes phosphorylated by cyclin dependant kinases. This causes the release of E2F allowing it to act as a transcription factor, allowing progression through the cell cycle.
When is the activity of CDK2, CDK4 and Cyclin D increased?
When the cell cycle is active. CDK2 helps rb maintain its phosphorylated state.
E2F can act as a transcription factor on two major classes. What does this result in?
- Products essential for DNA synthesis become present.
eg thymide kinase and dihydrotolarate reductase. - The phosphorylation state of rb is maintained.
There is a 70% reduction in rb activity in which type of cancer?
Cervical cancer caused by the HPV virus.
The HPV virus can cause cervical cancer partially by reducing rb activity. It also produces a protein which can bind to p53. What viral protein is this?
E6.
When E6 is bound to p53 what is promoted?
Apoptosis. This also degrades p53.
The HPV virus can produce the E6 protein which can inactive p53. It can also produce the E7 protein. What does this do?
E7 can bind to rb preventing it from binding to E2F.
What can cell adhesion molecules produce?
Antigrowth signals.
Probably acting through rb, what can cancer cells turn of the expression of?
Cell adhesion molecules meaning less antigrowth signals are produced.
The antigrowth signals directed to rb and the cell cycle are _______ in most human tumours.
Blocked.
What can turning of the expression of antigrowth signals promote the expression off?
Progrowth signals.
What does the c-myc gene encode for?
The transcription factor myc.
What can some tumour cells avoid?
Terminal differentiation.
When myc is bound to max is the cell dividing or has it differentiated?
It is still growing/ dividing. Overproduction of myc happens in tumour cells to avoid terminal differentiation.
When max is bound to mad is the cell dividing or has it differentiated ?
The cell has differentiated.
Overexpression of c-myc gene favours the myc max complex. Does this have any effect on the mad max complex?
Yes. It means the mad max complex is formed less as less max is available. This means less cells terminally differentiate.
Apoptosis and necrosis are the same thing. True or False?
False. Necrosis is the process which occurs when the cell is poisoned.
What happens in apoptosis?
- The nuclear envelope breaks down.
2. The DNA forms fragments.
How long does apoptosis take?
30-120 minutes.
What two things initiate the apoptosis cascade?
Death factors and surface receptors.
FAS and TNFA are receptors. What do they bind?
Death factors.
TNF and FASL are examples of what?
Death factors.
Signals for apoptosis are generated inside and outside of the cell. Do FAS and TNFA pick up all these signals?
No they are only triggered by outside signals.
Some proteins promote apoptosis. Are there also proteins within the cell that prevent apoptosis?
Yes.
Apart form the binding of death factors via outside signals what else can trigger apoptosis?
- p53
- DNA damage.
- Lack of oncre gene action (oncre genes promote growth).
- Cytochome C present in the cystol (when it should be present in the mitochondria.)
What is IGF1 an example of?
A survival factor.
What is BCL2?
It is regulatory protein which can promote or prevent apoptosis.
What regulates cytochrome C release?
BCL2.
What does p53 upregulated when it comes into contact with damaged DNA.
Bax.
Cytc and death receptors are both involved in different cascades to cause apoptosis. Which one of the two triggers capase 9 and other capases?
Cytc triggers capase 9 with in turn triggers other capases to cause cell death
Death factors trigger capase 8 which directly causes the final breakdown of the cells.
Some tumours are hormone dependant. What happens when the hormones are removed from these tumours?
They undergo massive apoptosis.
Apoptosis is switched of by oncre gene over expression. True or False?
False. This would normally trigger apoptosis allowing the constant removal of mutant cells. For a cancer to develop it has to avoid the apoptotic machinery.
What percentage of B cell lymphomas had a mutation in the myc oncre gene?
50%. These also had a mutated BCL2 gene.
How can overexpression of BCL2 be forced meaning the rate of apoptosis is lowered.
Adding survival factors such as IGF1.
Inactivation of what will cause tumour cells to become larger?
p53.
It is possible for a cell to abolish the FAS death signal. What decoy is used to allow this to happen?
A non signalling decoy receptor for a FAS ligand is upregulated.
How many times can a cell divide before it dies?
60-70 times.
If rb and P53 are disabled the cell will keep on growing. Before a cell with limitless replication poteinal arises, what happens to the rest of the cells in the colony?
There is a mass crisis of cell deaths where only 1 cell in 10^7 divide.
What does the massive crisis of cell death to cells with limitless replication explain in regards to tumour size?
Why the tumour can not exceed the number of body cells. This is because of the widespread apoptosis present. The size of the tumour hence greatly underestimates the number of divisions required to make the tumour.
What may be a barrier to cancer development, in regards to cell number?
The generational limit of normal somatic cells. It made no sense that tumour cells were immortal.
Telomeres contain 250-1500 copies of which sequence?
TTAGGG.
After each cell division how much DNA is lost from the end of every chromosome?
50-100 bp of telomeric DNA.
Where does telomere maintenance occur most?
In malignant cells.
What does terlomerase add to the ends of the telomeric DNA?
Hexanucleotide repeats.
What does keeping the telomeres above the length of the critical threshold mean?
That the cell has the potential for unlimited multiplication.
What does ‘angiogenesis’ translate to?
The birth of new blood vessels.
Angiogenesis is normally established in early development apart from when?
After surgery/ injury. It is why scars are red.
How close do cells in a tissue need to be to a blood vessel?
100um.
A what size will a cancer cell recruit signals to recruit surrounding tissue and vascular cells causing the formation of a new blood vessel.
2mm.
What are the two types of angiogenic signals?
Positive and negative.
What three growth factors are involved in positive angiogenesis?
VEGF, FGF1 and FCF2.
What is involved in negative angiogenesis?
Thrombosin 1.
This is also able to bind to the transmembrane receptor CD36 on epithelial cells.
Activation of what gene may upregulate VEGF?
The ras oncre gene.
What postivley regulates thrombosin 1?
p53.
How do tumours activate angiogenesis?
By up regulating inducers and down regulating inhibitors.
Where does the stage of tissue invasion and metastasis come in tumour development?
It is one of the final stages.
Cancer cells need to be anchored to the basement membrane and to other cells. What happens if they become unanchored?
A similar process to apoptosis.