Chemistry of Life
What are the six most important elements of life?
C,H,O,N,P, and S
What is the function of the cell membrane?
Regulates the passage of substances into and out of the cell, maintaining homeostasis.
What is the primary function of chloroplasts
Photosynthesis - converting light energy into chemical energy (glucose).
What is a ligand?
A signaling molecule that binds to a receptor protein.
What is the purpose of the S phase in the cell cycle?
DNA synthesis.
Name the four major organic macromolecules.
Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids
If a substance is moving against its concentration gradient, what type of transport would it be?
Active transport
Name the three main stages of cellular respiration.
Glycolysis and the Krebs cycle (Citric Acid Cycle) followed by the Electron Transport Chain.
Describe the process of signal transduction.
The transmission of molecular signals from the cell surface to the cell interior, often involving a series of protein activations.
Name the stages of mitosis in order.
Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase (PMAT).
What is cohesion?
This property of water allows it to form hydrogen bonds and between water molecules
Define osmosis.
The movement of water molecules across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration
What process allows plants to fix the carbon found in all of their macromolecules?
Photosynthesis
What specific type of transduction are kinase proteins involved in?
Phosphorylation (Kinase) Cascade
What is the significance of meiosis in sexual reproduction?
It produces gametes (sperm and eggs) with half the chromosome number, ensuring genetic diversity.
Which macromolecule contains Nitrogen and Phosphorus in addition to the three main elements in macromolecules?
Nucleic acids
Identify the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
Prokaryotic cells lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, while eukaryotic cells have both
Differentiate between aerobic and anaerobic respiration.
Aerobic respiration requires oxygen, producing more ATP, while anaerobic respiration occurs in the absence of oxygen, producing less ATP.
Explain how mutations in genes involved in cell signaling can lead to cancer.
Abnormal cell signaling can result in uncontrolled cell division and tumor formation.
Differentiate between a haploid and diploid cell.
Haploid cells have half the chromosome number (n), while diploid cells have the full complement (2n).
Dehydration synthesis
Explain the process of endocytosis.
The cell takes in substances by engulfing them in a vesicle formed from the cell membrane.
Explain how chemiosmosis is involved in ATP production.
Protons move through ATP synthase, driving the production of ATP
What would happen to a signaling pathway if phosphatases (remove phosphate from kinase proteins) were non-functioning?
The signal's response would not stop (regardless of the presence of ligand).
Explain how the cell cycle is regulated.
Checkpoints ensure proper progression through the cell cycle, and cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) regulate these checkpoints.