Biological Molecules and Cell Biology 2 Flashcards
(116 cards)
What is the most important, complex, and diverse group of biological compounds?
Proteins
Name some of the functions of proteins?
Structure, enzymes, Transport, hormones, receptors, antibodies, storage, blood, clotting, toxins, lubrication
What are the levels in protein structure?
Amino acid, dipeptide, polypeptide, protein
What is the amino group in an amino acid structure?
H2N
What is the carboxyl group in a general amino acid structure?
COOH
in a diagram of an amino acid, what does the R mean?
The R group varies in different amino acids
What is the general structure of an amino acid?
A carbon a carbon with four things attached to it: in our group, a carboxyl group, and amino group, and a hydrogen atom
What does a peptide bond look like?
The hydroxyl of one amino acid will bond with the hydrogen of the amino group of another, then the carbon and nitrogen will be attached.
What is a bond between amino acids called?
Peptide bond
What are the four levels of protein structure called?
primary, secondary, tertiary, or quaternary structure
What is the primary structure of a protein?
The sequence of amino acids that makes the polypeptide chain, primary structure determines the ultimate shape of the protein. There are limitless number of combinations.
What is the secondary structure of a protein?
this is the way the primary polypeptide chain folds. Structure is determined by hydrogen bonding between the amino and carboxyl groups of the amino acids. The two key secondary structure is: alpha helix and beta pleated sheet.
What is the alpha helix in secondary structure of a protein?
polypeptides wind into a helix, they are held together by H bonds and a very stable
What is the beta pleated sheet in secondary protein structure?
Chain zigzag forming a pleated sheet, held together by hydrogen bonds
what is the tertiary structure of a protein?
Polypeptide chain (in at secondary structure) is twisted and folded into the complex and very specific 3-D shape. This is the tertiary structure.
It’s held together by disulphide, H and ionic bonds.
What is the quaternary structure of a protein?
some proteins are made of several polypeptide (each with their own tertiary structure) linked together in various ways.
Give a description of the hydrogen bonds in the tertiary structure of proteins?
hydrogen bonds are formed between hydrogen atom from the amine group and one amino acid and electronegative oxygen from the carboxyl group on an adjacent amino acid. Electrons from the hydrogen tend to be attracted to the more positive protons in the oxygen. H, bonds are we can easily broken
give a description of disulphide bonds in the tertiary structure of proteins?
this is a single covalent bond between two sulphur atoms on adjacent cysteine amino acids. This is a very strong bond and difficult to break.
Give a description of ionic bonds in the tertiary structure of proteins?
between any carboxyl and amino acid groups not in a peptide bond, they are easily broken by changes and pH
What is the biochemical test to find out if a substance contains a protein?
Biuret test, add biuret solution to the substance and gently mix if it turns from blue to purple, it contains protein.
Which elements are present in an amino acid?
Nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, carbon
What is chromatography?
This is the technique that can be used to distinguish between different biological molecules. It is based off different substances having different solubilities in different solvents
Why would a hydrophilic molecules move less quickly up filterpaper when a solvent is hydrophobic?
Because the solvent repels it, and so the hydrophilic molecules are more attracted to paper.
What is an RF value?
The distance, the molecule moved through the filter paper divided by the distance of the solvent moved through the paper.