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Biochemistry Exam #4 Study Guide Flashcards

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  • Typical suffix for sugars/carbohydrates
    Sugars/carbohydrates typically end with the letters ose.
  • Difference between monosaccharide, disaccharide, and polysaccharide
    Monosaccharides are single sugar units, disaccharides are two monosaccharides linked, and polysaccharides are long chains of monosaccharides.
  • Examples of monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides
    Examples: Monosaccharides - glucose, fructose; Disaccharides - sucrose, lactose; Polysaccharides - starch, glycogen, cellulose.
  • Examples of lipids (fats)
    Examples include fatty acids, triglycerides, phospholipids, waxes, and steroids.
  • Parts of linolenic acid
    Linolenic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid with a long hydrocarbon chain and three double bonds.
  • Differences between fatty acid, wax, steroid, triglyceride
    Fatty acid: carboxylic acid with hydrocarbon chain. Wax: ester of fatty acid and alcohol. Steroid: four fused rings. Triglyceride: glycerol + 3 fatty acids.
  • What is a phospholipid and its parts
    A phospholipid has a glycerol backbone, two fatty acid tails (hydrophobic), and a phosphate group head (hydrophilic).
  • Where are phospholipids found in cells?
    Phospholipids are the main components of cell membranes, forming the lipid bilayer.
  • Functions of carbohydrates
    Carbohydrates provide energy, serve as structural components, and act in cell recognition.
  • Functions of lipids
    Lipids store energy, form membranes, provide insulation, and act as signaling molecules.
  • Difference between saturated and unsaturated fats
    Saturated fats have no double bonds and are solid at room temperature; unsaturated fats have one or more double bonds and are liquid.
  • Number of rings in a typical steroid molecule
    A typical steroid molecule has four fused rings.
  • What does denaturation mean in biochemistry?
    Denaturation is the loss of a protein's native structure due to external stress, disrupting its function.
  • Four levels of protein structure
    Primary: amino acid sequence. Secondary: alpha helices and beta sheets. Tertiary: 3D folding. Quaternary: multiple polypeptide chains.
  • Difference between myoglobin and hemoglobin
    Myoglobin stores oxygen in muscles; hemoglobin transports oxygen in blood and has four subunits.
  • Functions of enzymes
    Enzymes are proteins that act as biological catalysts to speed up reactions without being consumed.
  • What is an enzyme's active site?
    The active site is the specific region where substrate molecules bind and undergo a chemical reaction.
  • What is an amino acid and how many are there?
    Amino acids are building blocks of proteins; there are 20 standard amino acids.
  • How are amino acids joined?
    Amino acids are joined by peptide bonds between the amino group of one and the carboxyl group of another.
  • Three parts of a nucleotide
    A nucleotide consists of a phosphate group, a pentose sugar, and a nitrogenous base.
  • Differences between DNA and RNA
    DNA has deoxyribose sugar and thymine; RNA has ribose sugar and uracil. DNA stores genetic info; RNA helps in protein synthesis.
  • Base pairing rules for DNA and RNA
    DNA pairs: A-T, G-C. RNA pairs: A-U, G-C.
  • What is ATP?
    ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the main energy currency of the cell, composed of adenine, ribose, and three phosphate groups.
  • Brief summary of DNA replication
    DNA replication involves unwinding the double helix, complementary base pairing, and synthesis of new strands by DNA polymerase.
  • Two steps of protein synthesis
    Transcription: DNA to mRNA. Translation: mRNA to protein at ribosomes.
  • Three types of RNA in protein synthesis
    mRNA: carries code. tRNA: brings amino acids. rRNA: forms ribosome structure.
  • Function of mitochondrion
    The mitochondrion produces ATP through aerobic respiration, acting as the cell's powerhouse.
  • ATP yield from complete oxidation of one glucose molecule
    Complete aerobic oxidation of one glucose molecule produces about \(30-32\) ATP molecules.
  • Definition of metabolism
    Metabolism is the sum of all chemical reactions in a living organism to maintain life.
  • Difference between anabolism and catabolism
    Anabolism builds complex molecules and consumes energy; catabolism breaks down molecules and releases energy.
  • Three steps of cellular respiration
    Glycolysis: glucose to pyruvate. Krebs cycle: oxidation of acetyl-CoA. Electron transport chain: ATP production via oxidative phosphorylation.