Jan. 21st (Exam One) Flashcards
(35 cards)
What are plant secondary products?
These are organic compounds that are produced by the plant but are not absolutely necessary for growth and development.
What are terpenes?
Give some examples.
These secondary plant products; polymers of 5 carbon isoprene units
Examples include
1) beta-carotene
2) menthol
Why do plants make terpenes?
They make it for plant defense.
This may be a scent, a taste, or a poison
What is taxol?
Anti cancer drug (diterpene) that stabilizes microtubules.
Made by the pacific yew tree.
Where do we get menthol from?
Give the species and genus as well.
Peppermint plant
Mentha Piperita
What are phenolics?
These are a secondary plant compound that consists of of an unsaturated carbon ring structure.
What are the four types of phenolics that we talked about?
What do they do?
- Lignins - (meaning wood) they strengthen the cell walls in secondary plant growth (width)
- Flavonoids (tannins) - these are flavors like vanilla and black pepper
- Urushiol - this is the compound found in poison ivy that causes dermatitis
- Tetrahydrocannabinol - active ingredient in cannabis
What are glycosides?
They are a plant secondary product that are the result of sugar molecules that are bound to other things (typically terpenes, phenolics, or steroids)
How do we make human sex hormones from plants?
Is the compound a glycoside?
We take saponins from yams!
Yes, this is a glycoside.
What is Digitoxin?
Where do we get it from?
This is another glycoside that has been used historically for heart failure.
It is abundant in the plant digitalis
What are alkaloids?
What do they usually do to animals?
They are plant secondary products that contain Nitrogen in a carbon ring structure.
They oftentimes affect plant neurological systems.
What are examples of alkaloids that you would be familiar with?
- Cocaine
- Nicotine
- Caffeine
What is the purpose of alkaloids?
Probably plant defense
What is the active ingredient in poison hemlock?
What is this an example of?
Coniine
Alkaloid
How might you develop a herbicide (something like roundup) that is relatively non-toxic to humans?
You would need to target specific pathways that exist within the plants you are targeting but not humans.
Maybe like cell wall synthesis or photosynthesis.
You would NOT want to target cell respiration.
Where was the first microscopic structure that we were able to see?
Why?
Cork cells.
They are rigid and easy to identify under the older types of microscopes.
List the tenets of cell theory.
- All cells come from other cells
- Cells are the basic unit of life
- All life is made of one or more cells (no cells = no life)
- All cells carry genetic information - have a common ancestor
Why is cell theory important?
Important because it can help us understand categorize evolution and how diseases may work.
How good are light microscopes?
What is there range?
They can see up to a single micrometer (um)
What is the most abundant compound on earth?
Cellulose!
What is the primary cell wall made of?
Does every plant have a primary cell wall?
It is made of cellulose and other types of polysaccharides.
Yes, every single plant cell has a cell wall.
What is the secondary cell wall made of?
Or it is what….
Does every plant cell have a secondary cell wall?
It is lignified.
Contains lignin.
Only certain cells have a secondary cell wall.
What is the purpose of a cell wall?
To support the cell like a skeleton.
What is the middle lamella in plant science?
What is it made of?
This is the middle layer between cell walls of adjacent cells.
It is made of pectin, which keeps the two cells stuck to each other.
