what's in a medicine (WM) Flashcards

1
Q

What are amino acids and how are they amphoteric?

A

Amino acids have both acidic and basic properties. They contain an amino group (NH2) and a carboxyl group (COOH), which can both ionize, allowing them to act as both acids and bases.

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2
Q

What is a zwitterion?

A

A zwitterion is a molecule with both a positive and a negative charge but an overall neutral charge. It occurs when both the amino and carboxyl groups of an amino acid are ionized, typically at the isoelectric point.

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3
Q

What is the isoelectric point?

A

The isoelectric point is the pH at which an amino acid or protein exists as a zwitterion, with no overall charge.

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4
Q

How does high pH affect an amino acid?

A

At high pH, the carboxyl group of an amino acid loses a proton (ionizes), resulting in a negatively charged carboxylate group.

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5
Q

How does low pH affect an amino acid?

A

At low pH, the amino group of an amino acid becomes protonated (NH3+), resulting in a positively charged amino group.

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6
Q

What is the role of ninhydrin in paper chromatography?

A

Ninhydrin is used in paper chromatography to detect amino acids. It reacts with amino acids to produce a colored compound, allowing them to be visualized.

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7
Q

How are proteins formed from amino acids?

A

Proteins are formed by condensation polymerization, where amino acids are joined by peptide bonds between the amine group and the carboxyl group.

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8
Q

What is the structure of proteins?

A

Primary structure: The sequence of amino acids in the polypeptide chain.

Secondary structure: The folding into α-helixes or β-pleated sheets.

Tertiary structure: The 3D shape of the protein, stabilized by bonds like hydrogen bonds, ionic bonds, and disulfide bridges.

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9
Q

How do disulfide bonds form in proteins?

A

Disulfide bonds form between two cysteine amino acids, where the sulfur atoms in their thiol groups (–SH) bond together, stabilizing the tertiary structure of proteins.

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10
Q

What are the building blocks of DNA?

A

DNA is a polymer of nucleotides, each consisting of a pentose sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

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11
Q

How are nucleotides linked together in DNA?

A

Nucleotides are linked by condensation polymerization, forming a phosphate-sugar backbone with ester bonds between the phosphate and deoxyribose sugar.

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12
Q

What is the role of hydrogen bonds in DNA structure?

A

Hydrogen bonds form between complementary bases: adenine (A) pairs with thymine (T) via two hydrogen bonds, and guanine (G) pairs with cytosine (C) via three hydrogen bonds.

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13
Q

How does DNA replication occur?

A

The hydrogen bonds between DNA strands break.

Free nucleotides pair with complementary bases.

DNA polymerase catalyzes the formation of the sugar-phosphate backbone, resulting in two identical DNA molecules.

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14
Q

What are codons in the context of mRNA?

A

Codons are groups of three nucleotides in mRNA that code for specific amino acids during protein synthesis.

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15
Q

What is the function of mRNA?

A

mRNA is a single-stranded RNA copy of a gene’s DNA sequence, which carries genetic information from the nucleus to the ribosome for protein synthesis.

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16
Q

Describe the process of translation in protein synthesis.

A

mRNA binds to the ribosome.

tRNA with a complementary anticodon binds to the mRNA codon.

Amino acids are added to the growing polypeptide chain until a stop codon is reached.

17
Q

What is the lock and key model for enzymes?

A

The lock and key model suggests that enzymes have a specific active site shape that exactly fits the substrate, allowing for a specific biochemical reaction to occur.

18
Q

How does enzyme concentration affect the rate of reaction?

A

As enzyme concentration increases, the rate of reaction increases, but it plateaus once all substrates are used up.

19
Q

What are pharmacophores?

A

Pharmacophores are the part of a drug molecule responsible for its biological activity. They must fit into a specific receptor site to exert their effect.

20
Q

What are optical isomers?

A

Optical isomers are non-superimposable mirror images of each other. They have chiral centers, meaning carbon atoms bonded to four different groups.

21
Q

How do amines behave in chemical reactions?

A

Amines are basic due to the lone pair of electrons on nitrogen, which allows them to accept protons. They can react with acids to form ammonium salts.

22
Q

What happens when amides are hydrolyzed under acidic conditions?

A

Amides undergo hydrolysis under acidic conditions to form a carboxylic acid and an ammonium salt.

23
Q

What are the reactions of carboxylic acids?

A

Carboxylic acids are weak acids and only partially dissociate in water. They react with alkalis to form salts and with alcohols to form esters.

24
Q

How do you name esters?

A

Esters are named by combining the alkyl group from the alcohol with the acid part from the carboxylic acid.

25
Q

What is mass spectrometry used for?

A

Mass spectrometry identifies molecules based on their mass-to-charge ratio, helping to determine molecular structure and isotopic composition.

26
Q

How does NMR spectroscopy work?

A

NMR spectroscopy analyzes the magnetic properties of nuclei in a compound, providing detailed information about the structure and environment of atoms in the molecule.

27
Q

What is green chemistry?

A

Green chemistry involves designing chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances to minimize environmental impact.

28
Q

What are addition polymers?

A

Addition polymers are formed by the polymerization of alkenes, where the double bond of the monomer opens up to form a long polymer chain.

29
Q

What are condensation polymers?

A

Condensation polymers are formed from monomers with at least two functional groups, releasing a small molecule like water during polymerization (e.g., polyesters, polyamides).

30
Q

What are nylons?

A

Nylons are polyamides formed from dicarboxylic acids and diamines. The number of carbon atoms in each monomer is denoted by ‘x’ and ‘y’ in the formula Nylon x,y.

31
Q

How are haloalkanes made from alcohols?

A

Alcohols are converted into haloalkanes by reacting with hydrochloric acid.

32
Q

What is the difference between addition and condensation polymers?

A

Addition polymers are made from alkenes without the loss of atoms, while condensation polymers are formed by reactions between monomers with functional groups, releasing small molecules like water.

33
Q

How do spectroscopic techniques help identify compounds?

A

Techniques like NMR spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy provide insights into the molecular structure and functional groups of compounds, aiding in identification and analysis.