138 Molecular And Cell Biology Flashcards
(154 cards)
Give features that are present only in an animal cell
Centriole - organises spindle fibres for mitosis
Microvilli
Glycosome - stores glucose
Lysosome
Give features of plant cells that arent present in animal cells
Plasmodesmata
Large vacuole
Chloroplast
Cell wall
What is a peroxisome?
Organelle involved in catabolism of long chain fatty acids, amino acids and polyamines.
It can also reduce reactive oxygen species e.g. Hydrogen peroxide
Contains catalyses and oxidases.
Most significant differences between eukaryotes and prokaryotes
Membrane bound organelles
Nucleus
How much of a cells volume is protein? What effect does this have on the inside of the cell?
20-30%
Very insoluble so a thick gel structure forms
Describe the effect of the mycorrhizal arbuscules in plants
Small fungi that penetrate root cells, they supply the plant with nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulphur. In return the fungus receives metabolites e.g. Glucose. A symbiotic relationship
What is meant by a coenocytic structure?
Very large cells that have more than one nucleus as well as an excess of other organelles.
Give a use of compartmentation in the mitochondria during oxidative phosphorylation
Inner membrane is pH7 the matrix is pH 7.5 this enables a proton gradient to be maintained - protons will move through ATP synthase
Give three general reasons for cell compartmentation
Enables sequestration of toxic compounds
Keeps enzymes and substrates separate
Keeps cell conditions optimum for the different activities within the cell
Describe microtubules
Cylindrical tubes made from tubulin
20-25 nanometers wide
Give three things that microtubules do
Determine cell shape
Form a trackway for organelles and vesicles to move along
Form spindle fibres for mitosis
Describe microfilaments
Actin fibre - 3-6 nanometers involved in muscles contraction
Describe intermediate filaments
8-12 nanometer and anchor the nucleus and give some flexibility
What is the cytoskeleton
A mixture of protein filaments (microtubules, microfilaments) and motor proteins that form a 3-D mesh that works to hold the rigidity of the cell
Which motor protein moves towards the positive side of the cell?
Kinesin
The positive side is away from the nucleus
Dynein moves towards which side of the cell?
The negative end of the cell, i.e towards the nucleus
What are melanosomes?
Vesicles containing melanocytes that can be moved through an organism. Enables it to change colour (melanocytes contain pigments)
What is the use of cortical microtubules?
They reinforce the cell cortex, their direction determines the direction in which the cell elongates.
What proportion of genes code for proteins that pass through the Golgi apparatus
1/3
What is protein translocation?
Occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum
- where a protein enters
- protein has an N - terminal amino acid sequence
- this is removed when the protein enters the ER
Give two modifications that may occur in the endoplasmic reticulum
Glycosylation
Disulphides bond formation
What is the role of the Golgi apparatus?
Distribution, shipping and manufacturing of a cells chemical products
Insulin is what type of hormone? Where is it released from?
Peptide hormones released from the pancreatic B cells (islets of langerhans)
What type of protein is mucus?
Glycoprotein