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Amino Acid Building Blocks Flashcards

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1
Q

Key regulatory molecules that control homeostasis, response to growth signals, initiate the ‘flight-or-fight’ response, and control circadian rhythms and movement

A

Neurotransmitters

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2
Q

There are three general classes of neurotransmitters, what are they?

A

Protein-based, steroid derived, and amino acid derived

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3
Q

The turnover of proteins yields amino acids, energy, nitrogen for various metabolites (porphyrins), and building blocks for the synthesis of

A

Neurotransmitters and nucleic acids

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4
Q

What is the chain reaction in Parkinson’s disease?

A

Loss of dopamine –> loss of norepinephrine –> loss of epinephrine –> loss of serotonin

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5
Q

Can result from reduced levels of dopamine

A

Schizophrenia

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6
Q

Seizures can be caused by deficiency of

A

GABA and dopamine

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7
Q

Causes hypersensitivity to sunlight, and increased incidence of retinal damage

A

Lack of Melanin

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8
Q

Neurotransmitters/regulators that are protein-based include

A

Insulin, growth hormone and endomorphins

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9
Q

The steroid-based neurotransmitters are

A

Estrogens and Androgens

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10
Q

Neurotransmitters that are synthesized from amino acids and related precursors include

A

Thyroxin, dopamine, norepi, and epi

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11
Q

Serotonin, melatonin and acetylcholine are also derivatives of

A

Amino acids

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12
Q

Catecholamine’s describe a set of neurotransmitters that are synthesized from

A

Tyrosine

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13
Q

A thyroid hormone that regulates metabolism and thermoregulation

A

Thyroxine

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14
Q

Higher levels of thyroxine increase

A

Protein synthesis

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15
Q

Three enzymes that facilitate thyroixine reactions all contain

A

Selenium

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16
Q

Which 4 neurotransmitters are derived from phenylalanine (with cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin)?

A

Thyroxine, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine

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17
Q

Regulates movement and promotes ‘reward-stimulating’ behavior.

-It stimulates the primary appetitive behaviors including feeding, fighting, fleeing and sexual function

A

Dopamine

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18
Q

Deficiency in dopamine synthesis can lead to

A

Parkinson’s Disease

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19
Q

There is evidence that ADD might also be associated with reduced levels of

A

Dopamine

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20
Q

In contrast, elevated levels of dopamine can cause schizophrenia. The key drugs that are used to treat schizophrenia depress

A

Dopamine levels

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21
Q

Important for stress-response. Synthesized and released from the adrenal medulla and plays a critical role in sympathetic neurons

A

Norepinephrine

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22
Q

It functions in the ‘fight-or-flight’ response by triggering glucose release and acceleration of heart rate

A

Norepinephrine

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23
Q

Norepinephrine is used as a vasopressor medication for treatment of

A

Hypotension

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24
Q

Low levels of norepinephrine can cause

A

Lethargy and depression

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25
Conversion of norepinephrine --> epinephrine requires
SAM
26
Synthesized and released from the adrenal medulla. High levels are detected in the circulation following myocardial infarction
Epinephrine
27
Administered to treat cardiac arrest and anaphylaxis
Epinephrine
28
All contain two hydroxyls on the phenyl ring
Catecholamines
29
Tryptophan is an important amino acid for the synthesis of
Seratonin and melatonin
30
What is the co-factor for tryptophan?
Tetrahydrobiopterin
31
Important for thermoregulation and pain perception
Seratonin
32
When seratonin levels are misregulated, we can observe
Bipolar effects
33
Regulates the sleep/wake circadian cycle
Melatonin
34
Needed for synthesis of melanin pigment, which protects against sunlight induced UV damage
Tyrosine
35
Involved in the synthesis of prophyrin
Glycine
36
A co-factor in reactions leading from glycine --> prophyrin
Pyridoxial phosphate (Vit. B6)
37
Key component of creatine and porphyrin. Also required in the synthesis of creatine and glutathione
Glycine
38
Controls the primary inhibitory mechanisms in the brain -synthesized from glutamic acid
GABA
39
Serves the primary role of attenuating neuronal function
GABA
40
Required for glutathione synthesis
Glutamate
41
Which 3 amino acids combine to make glutathione?
Glutamate, Cysteine, and Glycine
42
A free radical gas that can dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure
Nitric Oxide (NO)
43
Which two things require arginine for synthesis?
NO and creatine
44
Histamine is a cyclic amine that is derived from
Histidine
45
Can regulate sleep; cause irritation of respiratory tract, and is released following tissue injury
Histamine
46
Histidine decarboxylase requires
Pyridoxal phosphate (Vit. B6)
47
Porphyria includes a number of disorders characterized by a defect in
Heme synthesis
48
Defects can arise from the transport and incorporation of iron, and in the synthesis of the
Porphyrin ring
49
Symptoms include photosensitivity, neurosensitivity, and a range of psychiatric conditions
Porphyrin deficiency
50
Heme synthesis initiates in a reaction that condenses Succinyl-CoA to
Glycine
51
Synthesis of heme begins in the mitochondria, continues in the cytosol, and is completed in the
Mitochondria
52
Phenylalanine --> Tyrosine is mediated by -requires tetrahydrobiopterin as a cofactor
Phenylalanine hydroxylase
53
Tetrahydrobiopterin is restored by
Dihydropteridine reductase
54
Tyrosine --> DOPA is mediated by -requires tetrahydrobiopterin as a cofactor
Tyrosine hydroxylase
55
DOPA --> Dopamine is simply a -Requires B6
Decarboxylation of DOPA
56
The primary excitatory signal in the brain
Glutamate
57
A precursor for the synthesis of Glutathione, which is composed of a tripeptide (glutamate + cysteine + glycine), with a reactive sulfhydral group
Glutamate
58
A major antioxidant that is important for protecting RBC’s from oxidative damage
Glutathione
59
The RBC has a strongly oxidative environment and proteins that are damaged can precipitate into aggregates called
Heinz Bodies
60
Also plays an important role as a co-factor in the formation of accurate protein disulfide bonds
Glutathione
61
Uses NADPH to reduce and restore the levels of reduced glutathione
Glutathione Peroxidase
62
This enzyme is unusual in that it contains a modified amino acid, selenium, in its active site (selenocystine)
Glutathioneperoxidase
63
In erythrocytes the pentose-phosphate cycle keeps gluathione proxidase active by maintaining adequate supply of
NADPH
64
Also required for the movement of amino acids across membranes (termed the y-glutamyl cycle)
Glutathione
65
The recovery of amino acids by renal epithelial cells requires the
y-Glutamyl cycle
66
Movement of the amino acid results in the breakdown of glutathione into its amino acid constitutents (glutamate; cysteine; glycine), and therefore glutathione needs to be resynthesized in a mechanism that requires
ATP
67
The levels of glutathione are altered following prolonged oxidative stress and in
Diabetes
68
A storage form of high energy phosphate in tissues with high ATP requirements (muscle; brain)
Creatine
69
Creatine is synthesized from
Arginine and glycine
70
Creatine is synthesized from arginine and glycine and receives a methyl group from
SAM
71
Are highly cationic and can bind DNA. They are thought to mediate DNA specific reactions
Polyamines
72
Key messenger molecule (a reactive free radical), whose level is often altered in disease
NO
73
Synthesized from arginine in a reaction requiring NADPH and O2
NO
74
NO is generated by immune cells to induce macrophage-specific killing. NO also activates
Guanylate cyclase
75
Required in multiple reactions involving neurotransmitter synthesis
Tetrahydropterin
76
Recall that in PKU phenylalanine is not efficiently converted to tyrosine. This reaction requires the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase, and the co-factor
Tetrahydropterin
77
A product of this reaction is the synthesis of dihydrobiopterin, which must be converted back to tetrahydrobiopterin in a step that requires
GTP
78
This reaction is catalyzed by -Requires NADH
Dihydropterin reductase
79
A progressive neurodegenerative disease with no cure. It results from the loss of dopamine producing cells (primarily the substantia nigra), which results in movement disorders, tremor and rigidity
Parkinson's Disease
80
The disruption in dopamine synthesis is accompanied by deficiency in production of other
Catecholamines
81
The nigrostriatal pathway (extending from the substantia nigra to the striatum) produces about 75% of the brain's
Dopamine
82
In PD as much as 80% of the dopamine producing cells degenerate before we see
Symptoms
83
What do we use to treat Parkinson's?
L-DOPA
84
Its efficacy diminishes over time
L-DOPA
85
In the substantia nigra DOPA is converted to
Dopamine
86
Norepinephrine and epinephrine are broken down by the enzymes
Catecholamine O-methyltransferase (COMT) and by monoamine oxidase (MAO)
87
Can provide a way to increase the levels of these neurotransmitters for the treatment of clinical depression
COMT and MAO inhibitors
88
Lack of tyrosine reduces levels of
Catecholamne neurotransmitters
89
The high level of phenylalanine is converted to phenylacetate which combines with glutamine in the liver in
PKU
90
The resulting phenylacetylglutamine is directly excreted in the urine, and provides a method to eliminate two
Two nitrogens
91
Results from a deficiency in the conversion of tyrosine to melanin
Albinism

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