Biochemistry

    Cards (308)

    • What is biochemistry sometimes called?
      Biological chemistry
    • What does biochemistry study?
      Chemical processes in living organisms
    • What are the four main types of biomolecules?
      Nucleic acids, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins
    • Why study proteins?
      They perform essential biological functions
    • What is the role of enzymes in biological systems?
      Catalyze nearly all chemical reactions
    • What is the function of myoglobin?
      Transport and store oxygen in muscles
    • What is collagen's role in the body?
      Provides mechanical support to skin and bones
    • How do antibodies function in the immune system?
      Recognize and combine with invading substances
    • What is the role of insulin in the body?
      Controls growth and gene expression
    • What are proteins made of?
      Polymers of amino acids
    • What is the significance of protein folding?
      Determines the protein's 3D structure
    • What is pH a measure of?
      Concentration of hydrogen ions in solution
    • What is the physiological pH range for most bodily fluids?
      6.5 to 7.5
    • What does the dissociation of acid molecules release?
      Hydrogen ions (H+)
    • What is the dissociation constant (Ka) used for?
      Defining the strength of an acid
    • What does pKa represent?
      The pH at which half of the acid is dissociated
    • What is the pKa of weak acetic acid?
      4.8
    • What is the pKa of strong hydrochloric acid?
      -7
    • What form do amino acids predominantly exist in at neutral pH?
      As zwitterions
    • What happens to the carboxyl group of amino acids at pH 7.0?
      It is deprotonated
    • What happens to the amino group of amino acids at pH 7.0?
      It is protonated
    • What occurs during pH titration of amino acids?
      Protons are lost as pH increases
    • What is the primary structure of a protein?
      The amino acid sequence of the protein
    • Why is knowing the amino acid sequence important?
      It is essential for understanding protein function
    • What can alterations in amino acid sequence lead to?
      Abnormal protein function and disease
    • What does the sequence of a protein reveal?
      Information about its evolutionary history
    • What forms when two amino acids link together?
      A peptide bond
    • What is a polypeptide chain?
      A series of amino acids joined by peptide bonds
    • What are the ends of polypeptide chains called?
      Amino terminal and carboxyl terminal
    • What is the primary sequence of a protein?
      The order of amino acids in the chain
    • Why is the primary structure essential?
      It determines the protein's 3D structure
    • What can changes in amino acid sequence indicate?
      Potential evolutionary adaptations
    • How many naturally occurring amino acids are there?
      20
    • What dictates the properties of an amino acid?
      The R-group (side chain)
    • What is the R-group of glycine?
      -H
    • What is unique about glycine?
      It shows no chirality
    • What is the R-group of alanine?
      -CH3
    • What type of amino acid is proline?
      Non-polar and hydrophobic
    • How does proline affect protein conformation?
      Imposes tight restraints due to rigidity
    • What is the R-group of serine?
      -CH2-OH
    See similar decks