KH1

Question 1

Define polymer

Answer 1

Covalent bond-linked chain of monomers

Question 2

What is an informational polymer?

Answer 2

Polymer with more than 1 kind of monomer, where the sequence of monomers is the information needed.

Question 3

What’s the common generic structure of a monomer in an informational biopolymer?

Answer 3

They have a common element which will form the backbone of the polymer through covalent bonds. They have a “characteristic” element which forms the side-chains.

Question 4

How many monomers can you connect with 1 joining site?

Answer 4

2

Question 5

How many joining sites (minimum) do you need to make a polymer?

Answer 5

2

Question 6

What do you need for further chain growth?

Answer 6

Joining sites exposed at ends.

Question 7

What happens when you have 3 joining sites?

Answer 7

Branched polymers

Question 8

Are informational biopolymers branched?

Answer 8

No.

Question 9

Example of branched polymers?

Answer 9

Complex carbs

Question 10

Can cells make branched polymers?

Answer 10

Yes.

Question 11

How many ends do informational biopolymers have?

Answer 11

2

Question 12

Why do cells use linear biopolymers and not branched ones?

Answer 12

To be able to pack and handle them better.

Question 13

Describe the DNA molecules of bacteria in terms of biopolymers and structure.

Answer 13

They have a circular but unbranched form because the two ends of linear informational biopolymers have been joined.

Question 14

How can you describe the symmetry of the monomers of informational biopolymers?

Answer 14

Asymmetric

Question 15

Describe both joining ends in relation to each other.

Answer 15

They are chemically distinct.

Question 16

How do informational biopolymer backbones connect?

Answer 16

To the opposite end.

Question 17

What drives the asymmetry of the polymer?

Answer 17

The asymmetry of the monomers.

Question 18

In which way does polymer growth occur?

Answer 18

In 1 direction. Unidirectional.

Question 19

What are the 2 major types of biopolymers and their respective monomer units?

Answer 19

Nucleic acids: nucleotides

Protein: Amino acids

Question 20

Order DNA, RNA and Protein in order of chain length >

Answer 20

DNA > RNA> Protein

Question 21

What is the characteristic element of nucleotides?

Answer 21

Heterocyclic base

Question 22

What is the common element of a nucleotide?

Answer 22

Pentose sugar phosphate

Question 23

What are the 2 joining sites on a nucleotide?

Answer 23

The 5’ phosphate and the 3’ OH

Question 24

How do nucleic acid polymers grow?

Answer 24

By addition of monomers to the 3’ end.

Question 25

What's the difference between ribose and deoxyribose sugars?

Answer 25

Absence of 2' hydroxyl in deoxyribose.

Question 26

What is the consequence of the lack of -OH on deoxyribose?

Answer 26

DNA is more resistant to chain cleavage by hydrolysis.

Question 27

What are the purines?

Answer 27

adenine and guanine

Question 28

What are the pyrimidines?

Answer 28

uracil, thymine, cytosine

Question 29

What is the consequence of having T instead of U in DNA?

Answer 29

Chemical damage is easier to repair.

Question 30

Difference between U and T?

Answer 30

The methyl group on c5 in thymine.

Question 31

What is the link between adjacent nucleotides & why?

Answer 31

A phosphodiester bond. Cause the phosphate is joined in an ester bond to the 5'OH of the downstream nucleotide and another ester bond with the 3'OH of the nucleotide upstream.

Question 32

Will nucleotides be newly joined to the phosphate group?

Answer 32

No. It is the 5' end and not the 3' end.

Question 33

What is the characteristic element of amino acids?

Answer 33

R side chains

Question 34

What's the common element in amino acids?

Answer 34

Alpha carbon linked to a COOH (carboxyl) group and a NH2 (amino) group.

Question 35

Which stereoisomer of amino acids is used in protein sythesis?

Answer 35

L structure

Question 36

Polymer growth happens at which joining site in proteins?

Answer 36

At the carboxyl terminus.

Question 37

What's the bond between adjacent amino acids?

Answer 37

peptide bonds

Question 38

How are amino acids added to the polymer chain?

Answer 38

The monomers are energized when a nucleoside triphosphate brings the amino acids to the chain and then 2 phosphate groups are kicked out

Question 39

What is the high energy form of amino acid monomers?

Answer 39

Amino acyl-tRNA esters

Question 40

What is the part of the high energy form of amino acids is kicked out to help amino acid incorporation?

Answer 40

the tRNA

Question 41

Can energized monomers grow a chain by themselves?

Answer 41

No.

Question 42

What do energized monomers need in order to grow chains?

Answer 42

Enzymes.

Question 43

How does the enzyme help monomers grow into chains

Answer 43

The enzyme is associated with a template biopolymer that directs the enzyme to incorporate the correct type of monomer.

Question 44

What would you say causes the sequence?

Answer 44

The template.

Question 45

Enzyme for DNA construction

Answer 45

DNA polymerase

Question 46

Enzyme for RNA construction

Answer 46

RNA polymerase

Question 47

Enzyme for protein construction

Answer 47

Ribosome

Question 48

Which biopolymers exists as single polymer chains?

Answer 48

RNA and protein

Question 49

DNA strands are held together by:

Answer 49

Weak H-bonds between complementary bases

Question 50

What's another name for complementary bases

Answer 50

Watson-Crick base pairs

Question 51

Describe the helix of DNA

Answer 51

right-handed helix called "B" DNA, the 2 strands are antiparallel, sugar-phosphate backbones on the outser side, base-pairs on the inside

Question 52

How are base-pairs in the interior of DNA structures read?

Answer 52

Bye DNA-binding proteins binding to major and minor grooves to identify specific sequences without separating strands.

Question 53

How can denatured strands be renatured?

Answer 53

By forming H-bonds between complementary base-pair sequences.

Question 54

Example of when we need renaturation and denaturation.

Answer 54

During DNA replication and transcription, molecular biology and genomic processes

Question 55

What's Tm?

Answer 55

The temperature at which the DNA is 1/2 melted

Question 56

Tm depends on:

Answer 56

the DNA's base composition

Question 57

What kind of DNA would have a higher Tm? Why?

Answer 57

DNA with a higher proportion of G-C pairs because they have 3 h-bonds (more h-bonds)

Question 58

Relationship between Tm and G-C content

Answer 58

As G-C base pair content increases, Tm increases.

Question 59

T or F: DNA bends along its horizontal axis

Answer 59

F: DNA bends along its long axis.

Question 60

Why does DNA need to bend?

Answer 60

For DNA-protein interactions and it's needed in the folding of DNA into compact structures.

Question 61

Example where DNA bending is used?

Answer 61

Chromosome formation