Proteins and Enzymes Flashcards
What is an enzyme?
Globular proteins which reduce the activation energy of a chemical reaction by binding directly to one or more substrates
What do we mean by a catalyst?
A biological catalyst is something that speeds up a chemical reaction by reducing activation energy without being used up.
What is a globular protein?
A compact globe with hydrophobic bits on the inside and hydrophilic bits on the outside - therefore is soluble
They have a unique tertiary structure giving them a specific active site.
What is the general structure of an amino acid?
Amino group on the left, CH and a variable group in the middle, carboxylic acid group on the right hand side.
How are amino acids joined together?
Condensation reaction: a peptide (covalent) bond is formed and a water molecule is produced.
How is a dipeptide broken?
A water molecule is used to break the peptide bond in a hydrolysis reaction
What is a chain of amino acids called?
A polypeptide
What are polypeptides and proteins synthesised on?
The ribosomes on the rough endoplasmic reticulum
What is the primary structure of proteins?
The order of the amino acids
What is the primary structure of proteins held together by?
Peptide bonds
What is the secondary structure of a protein and what are the names of the two main structures?
Areas of initial folding
Two mains: alpha helices and beta pleated sheet
What holds the secondary structure of protein together?
Hydrogen bonds
What is the tertiary structure of a protein?
The tertiary structure is the 3D shape which involves interactions of the R groups and 4 types of bond/interaction
Name and explain the 4 types of bonds involved in tertiary structure of a protein?
1) Hydrogen bonds: when slightly positively charged H and slightly negatively charged O come into close contact hydrogen bonds form. Very weak.
2) Ionic bonds: some R groups are charged. Where oppositely charged groups come into close contact an ionic bond forms. Not particularly strong.
3) Disulfide bonds/ bridges: Cysteine (a type of amino acid) contains sulfur. When two cysteines are close, double covalent bonds form. These are very strong and difficult to break.
4) Hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions: hydrophobic amino acids will be most stable where there is no water present. Hydrophilic amino acids will be found on outside and hydrophobic on inside (of enzyme)
What is the quaternary structure of a protein?
When two or more polypeptides join together or there is a prosthetic group (a non protein group)
What is a conjugated protein?
A globular protein with a prosthetic group
State the functions of globular proteins.
Globular proteins can act as enzymes, hormones and haemoglobin
Enzyme - Amylase
Hormone - insulin
What makes globular proteins soluble?
The hydrophilic amino acids are on the outside and the hydrophobic amino acids are on the inside.
Describe the structure of haemoglobin?
It has 4 polypeptide chain subunits (2 alpha 2 beta)
Embedded within 4 subunits there are 4 haem groups (prosthetic groups) containing Fe2+
It is a conjugated protein which is soluble