Biochemistry Flashcards
(26 cards)
Beta-Oxidation
The catabolism of fatty acids to acetyl-CoA
Beta-Pleated Sheet
An element of secondary structure, marked by peptide chains lying alongside one another, forming rows or strands.
Basal Metabolic Rate
The amount of energy consumed in a given period of time by an organism while resting.
Bradford Protein Assay
A colorimetric method of determining the concentration of protein in an isolate against a protein standard; relies on a transition of absorption between bound and unbound Coomassie Brilliant Blue dye.
Catabolism
Metabolic processes that result in the release of energy and the breakdown of molecules.
Cell Adhesion Molecules
Specialized structural proteins that are involved in cell-to-cell junctions as well as transient cellular interactions; common cell adhesion molecules include cadherins, integrins, and selectins.
Central Dogma of Molecular Biology
The major steps in the transfer of genetic information, from transcription of DNA to RNA and translation of that RNA to protein.
Centrifugation
The process of separating components on the basis of their density and resistance to flow by spinning a sample at very high speeds; the most dense components form a solid pellet and the least dense components remain in the supernatant (liquid portion).
Anabolism
Metabolic processes that result in the consumption of energy and the synthesis of molecules.
Anaerobic Respiration
Energy-producing metabolic processes that do not require oxygen, including glycolysis and fermentation.
Anomers
A subtype of epimers in which the chiral carbon with inverted configuration is the carbonyl carbon (anomeric carbon).
Anticodon
A three-nucleotide sequence on a tRNA molecule that pairs with a corresponding mRNA codon during translation.
Apoenzyme
An enzyme devoid of the prosthetic group, coenzyme, or cofactor necessary for normal activity.
Apolipoprotein
Protein molecules responsible for the interaction of lipoprotiens with cells and the transfer of lipid molecules between lipoproteins; also called apoproteins.
Aphla-Helix
An element of secondary structure, marked by clockwise coiling of amino acids around a central axis.
Acetyl-CoA
An important metabolic intermediate that links glycolysis and beta-oxidation to the citric acid cycle; can also be converted into ketone bodies.
Activation
Conversion of a biomolecule to its active or usable form, such as activating tRNA with an amino acid or activating a fatty acid with CoA to form fatty acyl-CoA.
Active Site
The catalytically active portion of an enzyme.
Active Transport
The movement of a molecule against its concentration gradient with energy investment; primary active transport uses ATP, whereas secondary active transport uses a favorable transport gradient of a different molecule.
Activity
Also sometimes called velocity or rate, this is a measure of the catalytic activity of an enzyme. It is often measured as a Vmax and may be analyzed after protein isolation.
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)
The primary energy molecule of the body; it releases energy by breaking the bond with the terminal phosphate to form ADP and an inorganic phosphate.
Aerobic Respiration
Energy-producing metabolic processes that require oxygen, including the citric acid cycle, electron transport chain, and the oxidative phosphorylation.
Allosteric Enzymes
Enzymes that experience changes in their conformation as a result of interactions at sites other than the active site called allosteric sites; conformational changes may increase or decrease enzyme activity.
Alternative Splicing
The production of multiple different but related mRNA molecules from a single primary transcript of hnRNA.
