Proteins 1 Flashcards
What are the major steps of protein synthesis?
DNA to RNA (transcription)
RNA to protein (translation)
What is transcription?
The first step of gene expression where a particular section of DNA is copied onto RNA
What is translation?
The process where ribosomes synthesis proteins
What does a diagram of DNA look like?
What kind of bonds link the two bases of two DNA backbones?
Hydrogen bonds
What is the backbone of DNA called?
Deoxyribose-phosphate backbone
What are the four bases present in DNA?
Adenine (A)
Cytosine (C)
Thysine (T)
Guanine (G)
What is the base pairing of DNA?
Adenine pairs with thymine
Cytosine pairs with guanine
What is the double helix?
The double stranded molecule that DNA exists as
What does the general structure of an amino acid look like?
What are the sections of an amino acid?
Amino group
Side chain
Carboylic acid group
Does each amino acid have a unique side chain?
Yes
What is physiological pH?
7.4
What happens to an amino acid at physiological pH?
The carboxyl group dissosiates forming a negatively charged carboxylate ion (-COO^-) and the amino group is protonated (-NH3^-)
What does dissociate mean?
Molecule splits
What does protonated mean?
Transfer a proton to a molecule
What does the dissociation of amino acids at physiological pH allow them to do?
Amino acids join together with a peptide bond with the loss of 1 molecule of water
What does the reaction of two amino acids joining together look like?
Where does translation occur?
In the ribosome
What determines the properties of an amino acid/protein?
The side chain
What are different side chain properties
Aliphatic (organic compounds where carbon atoms form open rings, not aromatic rings)
Aromatic
Sulphur containing
Basic
Acidic
Uncharged polar
Other (such as proline)
What do non polar side chains not do?
Bind or give of protons
Participate in hydrogen or ionic bonds
Non polar side chains can be thought of as being hydrophobic, what interactions do they promote?
In aqueous solution (polar environment) they cluster in the interior to give 3D structure
In hydrophobic environments they are on the outside interacting with the lipid environment