Science for Medicine summary Flashcards
What is metabolism?
The chemical processes in a living organism that allow food to be used for tissue growth
What two major reaction types does metabolism consist of?
Summative/Anabolic
Degradative/Catabolic
What reactions occur with a positive ∆G value and are not spontaneous?
Anabolic
What reactions occur with a negative ∆G value and are spontaneous?
Catabolic
What is ∆G?
Change in free energy
What is a metabolic intermediate?
A molecule which is the precursor or metabolite of a biologically significant molecule
Name a functional group that is polar and soluble?
Hydroxyl Carboxyl Carbonyl Amine Phosphate
Name a biomolecule in which the carboxyl functional group is found
Amino acids
Proteins
Fatty acids
Acetic acids
What is meant by Hydrophobic?
Non-polar molecules that do not interact with water
What is meant by Hydrophilic
Polar molecules that interact with water
What is an amphipathic molecule?
A molecule which contains both hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts
Give an example of an amphipathic molecule
Phospholipids
Hydrophobic fatty acid tails, hydrophilic phosphate head
What is the major difference between eukaryotes and prokaryotes?
Eukaryotes contain a nucleus and membrane bound organelles whereas prokaryotes contain no membrane bound nucleus or organelles
What does the nucleus contain?
DNA, nucleoprotein and some RNA
Where is the site of ribosomal RNA synthesis and ribosomal assembly?
Nucleoli
What are the two types of Endoplasmic Reticulum?
Rough
Smooth
Which type of Endoplasmic Reticulum is responsible for lipid biosynthesis and membrane synthesis and repair?
Smooth
What type of Endoplasmic Reticulum synthesises, packages and secretes proteins?
Rough
What organelles are known as the “protein factories” of the cell?
Ribosome
What shape are mitochondria?
Cigar shaped
What is the folded inner membrane of a mitochondrion known as?
Cristae
What are Lysosomes?
Cellular stomachs
They contain amorphous granular materials which help break down bacteria and debris
The packaging and processing of secretory proteins, as well as the synthesis of complex polysaccharides, occurs in what organelle?
Golgi apparatus
Peroxisomes contain catalases and oxidases, what function do these have?
Catalases regulate hydrogen peroxide concentration
Oxidases are involved in the ß-oxidation of long chain fatty acids
What is the name given to the irregular structure formed by a single circular chromosome in prokaryotes?
Nucleoid
What is the main function of fimbriae?
Adherance
What is the main function of flagella?
Movement
What does the nuclear membrane/envelope consist of?
A double lipid bilayer - inner nuclear membrane and outer nuclear membrane
What molecules are peptide bonds usually formed between?
Amino acids
A peptide bond is formed in a reaction between what two functional groups?
Carboxyl and amino
The formation of a peptide bond is what kind of reaction?
Condensation / dehydration synthesis
What is released in the formation of a peptide bond?
A water molecule
Disulphide bridges are formed between cysteine residues (thiol group) by what process?
Oxidative folding
The formation of disulphide bridges is involved in the formation of what protein structure?
Tertiary
Sickle cell anaemia is caused by a change in how many nucleotides?
One
What kind of mutation occurs in sickle cell anaemia?
Nucleotide Substitution - A is substituted with T, changing codon sequence for amino acid 6 from GAG to GTG
Haemoglobin in a person with sickle cell anaemia is referred to as what?
HbS
What is covalent bonding?
Sharing of electron pairs between two non-metal atoms
Stable balance of attractive and repulsive forces
What is glucose converted to in the liver?
Glycogen
Is glycogen formed directly from glucose?
No
What does Glycogenin do in the conversion of glucose to glycogen?
Covalently binds glucose from UDP-glucose to form chains of approximately 8 sub units
What extends chains until they are broken by glycogen branching enzyme?
Glycogen synthase
What is the net gain of ATP per glycolysis cycle?
2 ATP
What phases does glycolysis consist of?
Preparatory Phase
Payoff Phase
Do the reversible reactions in glycolysis have a positive or negative ∆G value?
Positive
In the preparatory phase: from 1 molecule of glucose, 2 molecules of what are produced to enter the payoff phase?
G-3-P
There are 2 irreversible reactions in the preparatory phase, what kind of reactions are they?
Phosphorylation
phosphorylation of glucose, phosphorylation of F-6-P to F-1,6-bisP
What catalyst is involved in the conversion of triose sugars in reaction 5 of the preparatory phase?
Triose phosphate isomerase
How many molecules of ATP are used in the preparatory phase per glycolysis cycle?
2 ATP
What steps of the payoff phase are energy coupled reactions?
Steps 6 and 7
oxidation of G-3-P to 1,3-bisPG and phosphate transfer from 1,3-bisPG to ADP
How many molecules of NADH are produced in the oxidation of G-3-P to 1,3-bisPG?
(if you take into account that reactants are doubled from this step of glycolysis)
2 NADH
What molecule is produced in the dehydration of 2-PG to PEP?
H2O
During what reactions of the payoff phase are ATP molecules produced?
Step 7 - phosphate transfer from 1,3-bisP to ADP, 2 ATPs produced
Step 10 - Transfer of phosphate from PEP to ADP, 2 ATPs produced
What reactions in the payoff phase are highly exergonic so spontaneous?
Step 7 - phosphate transfer from 1,3-bisP to ADP, 2 ATPs produced
Step 10 - Transfer of phosphate from PEP to ADP, 2 ATPs produced
Reactants are doubled from what step in glycolysis?
Step 6 - oxidation of G-3-P to 1,3-bisP
What molecule needs to be regenerated in order for glycolysis to occur?
NAD+
In what step of glycolysis is pyruvate produced?
Step 10 - transfer of phosphate from PEP to ADP
What kind of reaction is the process of NAD+ being reduced and NADH being oxidised?
Redox balance
What is the fate of pyruvate produced in glycolysis under aerobic conditions in animal cells?
Converted into Acetyl CoA which enters the citric acid cycle
What kind of cells do not rely solely on glucose as an energy source (under normal conditions i.e. not during starvation) and what do they use instead?
Muscle cells
Fatty acids
(specifically oxidative type 1 muscle fibre)
For every citric acid cycle how many CO2 molecules are produced?
2
What 3 other molecules are produced in the citric acid cycle (not CO2)?
3 NADH
1 FADH2
1 GTP
Where in a cell does glycolysis occur?
Cytoplasm
What is oxidative phosphorylation and where does it occur?
Mechanism for ATP synthesis
Occurs in mitochondria
Where in a cell does fatty acid synthesis occur?
Cytosol
The Krebs cycle and citric acid cycle occur where?
Mitochondrial matrix
Where in a cell does the pentose-phosphate pathway occur?
Cytosol
The electron transport chain is the final stage in what?
Respiration
Where does the electron transport chain take place and how many proteins in the membrane does it involve?
Mitochondrial matrix and intramembrous space
4 proteins
What two proteins in the electron transport chain reduce a molecule and pass the electrons to Ubiquinone to form Ubiquinol?
NADH-Q Oxidoreductase - reduces NADH
Succinate Q Reductase - reduces FADH2
Where does Q Cytochrome C Oxidoreductase pump H+ ions?
Into the intramembrous space
What does Cytochrome C Oxidase do?
Takes electrons from cytochrome C and passes them to oxygen
Pumps protons into intramembrous space
What does the pumping of protons in the electron transport chain set up?
A proton gradient across the inner membrane of the mitochondrion
Proton motive force does what?
Allows proton gradient to work
What does ATP-synthase do with the energy released as the protons pass through the membrane protein and what is this system known as?
Use it to add ADP + Pi to form ATP
Binding change mechanism
What are the purposes of lipids?
Stored form of energy Structural component of cell membranes Needed as enzyme cofactors Used in hormones Used for the synthesis of vitamins A, D, E and K Used as a signalling molecule
What are the 3 major lipid classes?
Fatty acids
Triglycerides
Phospholipids
What are Linoleic acid and A-Linoleic acid examples of?
Essential fatty acids
How must essential fatty be obtained by humans?
From plants in our diet
Give an example of a good fat
Plant oils e.g. sunflower oil
What are bad fats high in?
Saturated fatty acids
Trans fatty acids are found in what?
(Really) bad fats
What class of lipids coalesce into droplets in water?
Triglycerides
What are phospholipids composed of?
Glycerol + 2 fatty acids + phosphate
What class of lipids are amphipathic?
Phospholipids
What class of lipids are a major component of adipose tissue?
Triglycerides
What are the main dietary lipids?
Triglycerols
Triglycerols are digested in the small intestine through the use of what?
Pancreatic enzymes
Emulsification by bile salts
Peristalsis
Why is homeostasis important?
The body needs the internal environment (extracellular fluid) to be maintained in a state compatible with cell survival
What proportion of the extracellular fluid is interstitial fluid?
80%