Chemistry of Life
Proteins
Carbs
Nucleic Acids
Lipids
The Cell
100

What kind of bonds are present between water molecules?

Hydrogen bonds

100
Give 2 examples of proteins used in cells

enzymatic proteins

defensive proteins

storage proteins

transport proteins

hormonal proteins

receptor proteins

structural proteins 

contractile/motor proteins

100

What is an oligosaccharide?

A sugar (sacchar) of little/few (oligo)

100

What is the complimentary strand of the following sequence? 

5'-AGCCUGA-3'

5'-UCAGGCU-3'

*This is RNA!

100

What does it mean for a lipid to be amphipathic? What does this imply for membranes?

a hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tail

hydrophilic heads are on the outside of the bilayer facing cytoplasm and outside environment

100

What are 2 differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes?

1. bacteria and archaea vs everything else

2. size

3. nucleoid vs nucleus 

4. complexity

200

What reactions synthesize and break down polymers?

Dehydration (condensation) and hydrolysis reactions

200

What are the secondary structures of proteins?

Alpha helix

Beta sheet

200

How can carbohydrates be classified?

- location of carbonyl group

- length of carbon skeleton

- arrangement around asymmetric carbons

200

What base pairs of DNA pair with each other? How many hydrogen bonds are between these pairs?

A-T -> 2 H-bonds

C-G -> 3 H-bonds

200

What is the significance of cholesterol?

Precursor for synthesis of other steroid molecules 

200

What is the function of the cytoskeleton?

- Structure: maintain cell shape, anchor cell components

- Motility: cellular movement/highways 

300

What are the important properties of water?

1. cohesion/adhesion

2. expansion as ice

3. moderation of temperature

4. versatility as a solvent

300

Which environment would be most detrimental to a protein in the human bloodstream? 

a. environment with a pH of 7

b. environment with glucose present

c. environment with a lot of H+ ions

d. environment with temp 35°C

c. environment with a lot of H+ ions

This is an acidic environment! Detrimental to the protein structure. 

300
What are the functions of carbohydrates? 

- provide carbon skeletons for complex molecules

- structural support

- energy storage

300

What was the discovery of Watson and Crick?

structure of DNA 


(nucleotide pairings, double helix structure)

300

How does soap work?

Amphipathic lipids surround the oil/dirt to form a micelle with hydrophilic heads facing the outside

300

What is the function of the central vacuole in plant cells?

- store inorganic ions

- allows for large size of cell

- helps plant remain rigid

400

Explain the differences between isotonic, hypotonic, and hypertonic solutions

isotonic - environment outside the cell is the same as in the cell; there is no net movement

hypotonic - solute concentration inside the cell is greater than outside the cell; water moves into the cell

hypertonic - solute concentrations outside the cell is greater than inside the cell; water moves out of the cell 

400
What are 3 of the roles of membrane proteins? 

1. transport

2. enzymatic activity

3. signal transduction

4. cell-cell recognition

5. intercellular joining

6. attachment to cytoskeleton/extracellular matrix

400

What is chitin?

a polymer of modified glucose molecules in the cell wall of fungi and exoskeleton of insects/crustaceans

400

What are the 2 types of nucleic acids and what are the monomers they are made of?

*Bonus if can describe composition of nucleotides*

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) 

made of nucleotides (nitrogenous base, 5-carbon sugar, phosphate group)

400

Would an unsaturated or saturated fatty acid be more likely to remain fluid when submerged in cold water?

Unsaturated

400

What organelle is considered the detoxifier of the cell?

Peroxisome

500

Why is carbon considered the backbone of life?

- in nearly all molecules in organisms

- has 4 valence electrons, allowing 4 different bonds -> can for complex molecules

500

What is an example of a disease caused by the misfolding of proteins?

- Alzheimer's disease

- Parkinson's disease

- ALS

- Bovine spongiform encephalopathy

500

Why aren't starch and cellulose nutritionally equivalent?

Due to their different conformations and digestibility 

500

Name 3 differences between RNA and DNA

T vs U

ribose has extra -OH group/is unstable

usually single stranded

RNA is used as a template for proteins/amino acids

500

What is the difference between a trans-fat and unsaturated fat? Why is one more unhealthy than the other?

Trans-fats are straight at the double bond, while unsaturated fats bend at the double bond

This allows for trans-fats to be compacted like saturated fats and raises your LDL

500

Explain the organelles involved in protein synthesis and excretion

1. Synthesis via ribosomes

2. Entrance into the rough ER

3. Modification/shipment via the Golgi

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