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Biochem Ch. 1
Biochem Ch. 1
87
Biochemistry
Undergraduate 3
01/06/2018

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Term
a goal of biochemistry
Definition
to understand what it means to be alive at the molecular level
Term
tyhe chemical unity of life
Definition
all living things seem to be remarkably uniform at the molecular level
Term
the 3 elements that make up 98% of the atoms in living organisms
Definition
CHO
Term
one reason O and H are so comon in living things
Definition
water
Term
importance of C in living things
Definition
large biomolecules have C backbones
Term
why C is better for life than Si is
Definition
because C-C bonds are more stable than Si-Si bonds
also because more energy is released when C-C bonds are broken than when Si-Si bonds are broken
Term
the 4 classes of biomolecules
Definition
-proteins
-nucleic acids
-lipids
-carbohydrates
Term
the composition of proteins
Definition
amino acids linked by peptide bonds to form long, unbranched polymers
Term
the building blocks of proteins
Definition
amino acids (there's 20 of them)
Term
what happens after the polypeptide chain of amino acids is synthesized?
Definition
it folds into a protein with a precise 3d structure
Term
some functions of proteins
Definition
-signal
-receptor
-structural
-mobility
-defense
-enzymes
Term
enzymes
Definition
usually proteins, these catalyze biochemical reactions
Term
the 3d folding of a protein is dictated by...
Definition
the sequence of amino acids in the protein
Term
primary function of nucleic acids
Definition
to store and transfer informaation
Term
the building blocks of nucleic acids
Definition
nucleotides
Term
composition of a nucleotide
Definition
made of a 5 carbon sugar attached to a heterocyclic ring structure called a base, and at least one phosphoryl group
Term
the 2 types of nucleic acid
Definition
-deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
-ribonucleic acid (RNA)
Term
the interaction of DNA with RNA
Definition
info from DNA is transcribed onto mRNA, which acts as a template for protein synthesis
Term
what happens to mRNA after use?
Definition
frequently gets broken doen
Term
differences in composition of DNA and RNA
Definition
-RNA uses U instead of T
-in RNA, the sugar component of the ribonucleotides contains an extra -OH group
Term
size of lipids compared to proteins and nucleic acids
Definition
lipids tend to be a lot smaller
Term
are lipids polymers composed of repeating monomers?
Definition
no
Term
a key characteristic of many biochemically important lipids
Definition
their dual chemical nature; part being hydrophilic and the other part being hydrophobic
Term
what the dual nature (part hydrophilic and part hydrophobic) nature of lipids makes possible
Definition
allows cells to form barriers that delineate the cell from its environment and to establish intracellular compartments

basically allows formation of inside and outside at the biochem level
Term
why it's possible for a cell to form barriers that delineate the cell from its environment and to establish intracellular compartments
Definition
because of the dual nature (part hydrophilic and part hydrophobic) nature of lipids
Term
functions of lipids
Definition
-forming membranes and compartments
-energy storage
-signaling
Term
the most common carbohydrate fuel
Definition
the simple sugar glucose
Term
how glucose is stored in animals
Definition
glycogen
Term
how glucose is stored in plants
Definition
starch
Term
the structure of glycogen
Definition
many glucose molecules linked end-to-end, with occasional branches

starch has similar structure
Term
some functions of carbohydrate chains
Definition
-energy storage
-cell-to-cell communication, such as helping cells recognize each other
Term
the Central Dogma as described by Francis Crick
Definition
[image]
Term
the heritable information
Definition
the genome
Term
the discrete units of heredity in the genome
Definition
genes
Term
enzymes that catalyze the DNA replication process
Definition
DNA polymerases
Term
how info from a gene becomes accessible
Definition
gets transcribed onto RNA
Term
enzymes that catalyzes transcription
Definition
RNA polymerase
Term
what defines the function of a cell or tissue?
Definition
the genes that are expressed in that cell or tissue
Term
info from DNA is transcribed onto...
Definition
mRNA
Term
genetic info is realized in the process of...
Definition
translation
Term
what translation does
Definition
renders the genetic info into a functional form
Term
where translation takes place
Definition
large macromolecular complexes called ribosomes
Term
ribosomes consist of...
Definition
RNA and protein
Term
what a ribosome does
Definition
translates info from mRNA into the amino acid sequence of a protein
Term
each cell is delineated by...
Definition
a membrane
Term
membrane
Definition
lipid bilayer with the hydrophobic chains interacting with each other on the inside and the hydrophilic heads interacting with the environment
Term
difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
Definition
eukaryotes have membrane-enclosed compartments and prokaryotes don't
Term
structure of a prokaryotic cell wall
Definition
[image]
Term
the 2 biochemical features that constitute a cell
Definition
1: a barrier that separates the cell from its environment
2: an inside that is chemically different from the environment and that accommodates the biochemistry of living
Term
plasma membrane
Definition
barrier between the cell and the environment
Term
cytoplasm
Definition
the inner substance of the cell, the material that is surrounded by the plasma membrane
Term
function of proteins in the plasma membrane
Definition
-facilitate the entrance of certain fuels and building blocks that need to enter
-transduce information
Term
embedded proteins
Definition
proteins that penetrate the cell membrane
Term
attached proteins
Definition
proteins that don't penetrate the cell membrane
Term
the cell wall of plants is made of...
Definition
cellulose
Term
some important biochemical processes that occur in the cytoplasm
Definition
-initial stage of glucose metabolism
-fatty acid synthesis
-protein synthesis
Term
cytoskeleton
Definition
network of structural filaments that organize the biochemistry of the cytoplasm
Term
some types of filaments that occur in the cytoskeleton of eukaryotes
Definition
-actin filaments
-intermediate filaments
-microtubules
Term
some functions of the filaments in the cytoskeleton
Definition
-support the structure of the cell
-help to localize certain biochemical activities
-even serve as "molecular highways" by which molecules can be shuttled around the cell
Term
organbelles
Definition
membrane-bound compartments within eukaryotic cells
Term
the largest organelle
Definition
nucleus
Term
nucleus
Definition
-the information center of the cell
-double-membrane-bound
-contains an organism's genome
Term
function of pores in the nuclear membrane
Definition
allow transpoirt into and out of the nucleus, such as the machinery needed for gene expression
Term
the 2 membranes of the mitochondrion
Definition
-outer
-inner
Term
outer mitochondrial membrane
Definition
in touch with the cytoplasm
Term
inner mitochondrial membrane
Definition
defines the matrix of the mitochondrion- mitochondrial equivalent of cytoplasm
Term
matrix of mitochondrion
Definition
mitochondrial equivalent of cytoplasm
Term
intermembrane space
Definition
the space between the 2 membranes in a mitochondrion
Term
what happens in mitochondria?
Definition
fuel molecules undergo combustion into CO2 and water with the generation of ATP
Term
how much energy is produced by the mitochondria?
Definition
about 90% of a eukarytotic cell's energy
Term
why CO and cyanide are so desadly
Definition
because they disrupt the mitochondria
Term
chloroplast
Definition
organelle in plant cells responsible for converting sunlight into useable energy
Term
endoplasmic reticulum
Definition
basically a series of membranous sacs
Term
important role of smooth ER
Definition
processing of drugs
Term
what happens to proteins synthesized by ribosomes that are floating freely in the cell?
Definition
use inside the cell
Term
what happens to proteins synthesized by ribosomes attached to the rough ER?
Definition
they will either enter thru cellular membranes or be secreted from the cell
Term
Golgi complex
Definition
basically a series of stacked membranes
Term
function of the Golgi complex
Definition
sorting and further processing of proteins from the rough ER
Term
something the rough ER does to some proteins that enter it
Definition
add carbohydrates to that protein
Term
secretory granule aka...
Definition
zymogen
Term
zymogen aka...
Definition
secretory granule
Term
secretory granule
Definition
formed when a vesicle filled with the proteins destined for secretion buds off the Golgi complex

dumps cargo into extracellular environment
Term
exocytosys
Definition
cell emptying some contents into extracellular environment
Term
endocytosis
Definition
taking small amounts of something into a cell
Term
phagocytosis
Definition
taking large amounts of something into a cell
Term
lysosome
Definition
organelle that contains a wide array of digestive enzymes
Term
some organelles unique to plants
Definition
-chloroplasts
-vacuoles
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