Molecular Biology Wk 1

Question 1

What are the most fundamental properties of cells

Answer 1

• cells are highly complex and organised
• cells posses a genetic program and the means to use it
• cells are capable of producing more of themselves
• cells acquire and utilise energy
• cells carry out a variety of chemical reactions
• cells engage in mechanical activities
• cells are able to respond to stimuli
• cells are capable of self regulation
• cells evolve

Question 2

(Cells are highly complex and organised)

Name the 4 categories in the hierarchy

Answer 2

Cellular level
Organismal level
Populational level
Ecosystem level

Question 3

What is the basic property of cells

Answer 3

Life and cells are the smallest unit to exhibit this property

Question 4

Describe the cellular level

Answer 4

Atom
Molecule
Macromolecule
Organelle
Cell

Question 5

Describe the organismal level

Answer 5

Tissue
Organ
Organ system
Organism
This is known as cellular organisation

Question 6

Describe populational level

Answer 6

Population
Species
Community

Question 7

Describe the ecosystem level

Answer 7

Ecosystem
Biosphere (for example earth)

Question 8

(Cells possess a genetic program and the means to use it)
Describe

Answer 8

Organism are built according to information encoded in a collection of genes, which are constructed of DNA

This is done through gene expression - so the activation of a gene in order to make a protein that can then take part in various biological processes

Question 9

Functions of genes

Answer 9

Construct cellular structures
Directions of running cellular activities
Program for making more of themselves

Question 10

(Cells are capable of producing more of themselves)
Cells reproduce by … a process in which the contents of a … cell are distributed into two … cells

Answer 10

Division
Mother
Daughter

Question 11

Do the daughter cells have approx the same volume

Answer 11

Yes

Question 12

What do some cases include?

Answer 12

As the human oocyte undergoes division, one of the cells can retain nearly all of the cytoplasm (only having half of the genetic material)

Question 13

(Cells acquire and utilize energy)
Describe this

Answer 13

• Cells expend an enormous amount of energy by breaking down and making macromolecules
• This continual turnover maintains the integrity of cell components

Question 14

(Cells carry out a variety of chemical reactions)
All chemical changes that take place in cells require…

Answer 14

Enzymes

Question 15

What is the sum total in a cell?

Answer 15

The sum total of chemical reactions in a cell represents the cells metabolism

Question 16

What is metabolism?

Answer 16

Chemical process that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life

Question 17

(Cells engage in mechanical activities)
Describe this

Answer 17

These mechanical activities are based on dynamic, mechanical changes within cells, many of which are initiated by changes in the shape of ‘motor’ proteins

Question 18

(Cells are able to respond to stimuli)
What do cell receptors possess?

Answer 18

Hormones, growth factors and extra cellular materials and substances of other cells

Question 19

Function of cells receptors

Answer 19

Provide pathways through which the external stimuli can evoke specific responses in target cells.

Cells may respond to specific stimuli by altering their metabolic activities, moving from one place to another, or even committing suicide

Question 20

(Cells are capable of self regulation)
Why is it important?

Answer 20

Maintaining a complex, ordered state requires constant regulation.

The importance of regulatory mechanisms becomes most evident when they break down

Question 21

(Cells evolve)
Describe this

Answer 21

Cells have evolved from a single, common ancestral cell that lived more than a billion yrs ago
LUCA- LAST UNIVERSAL COMMON ANCESTOR

Question 22

Name the two different classes of cells

Answer 22

Prokaryotic - bacteria
Eukaryotic- protists, fungi, plants and animals (they have nucleus and membrane bound organelles)- plasma membrane, cytoplasm and nucleus

Question 23

What is population

Answer 23

The number of organisms of the same species that live in a particular geographic area at the same time

Question 24

What is a community

Answer 24

An interacting group of various species in a shared area

Question 25

What is an ecosystem

Answer 25

A community of biotic - living organisms and abiotic- non living factors living together in a particular habitat

Question 26

What is the difference between meiosis and mitosis

Answer 26

Mitosis
Involves the division of body cells
The division of the cell only occurs once in mitosis
Two daughter cells are produced
Daughter cells are diploid (two complete sets of chromosomes) and they are genetically identical

Meiosis
Involves sex cells
Division of the cell occurs twice
Four daughter cells are produced after meiosis
The cells in meiosis are haploid (only contain a single set of chromosomes) and the cells are genetically diverse

Question 27

Why is ATP the most important source of energy

Answer 27

Due to the phosphate groups that link through the phosphodiester bonds

Releases energy by breaking off one of its three phosphate groups becoming ADP

Question 28

Cells acquire and utilise energy

Answer 28

Anabolic - are those that require energy to synthesise larger molecules

Catabolic pathways are those that generate energy by breaking down larger molecules

Question 29

Cells are able to respond to stimuli - receptors….

Answer 29

A receptor is a protein

Cell surface receptor recognises large hydrophobic molecules and hydrophilic molecules

Question 30

What are the function of peroxisomes

Answer 30

Take part in diverse oxidative reactions and play important roles in lipid metabolism, detoxification and signalling , processing of reactive oxygen species

Question 31

What type of ribosomes do prokaryotes have

Answer 31

70 s

Question 32

What is cell biology

Answer 32

Study of cells
And their behaviour, function, structure