MIT7.00x Flashcards
(23 cards)
What are the four classes of macromolecules that comprise a cell?
lipids, proteins, nucleics, and carbohydrates
What are the layers of biology?
Biospheres ie. earth Ecosystems ie. the galapogos Organism ie. a chimp Organ ie. the intestine Tissues Cells Organelles Molecules
How many years ago did the earth form?
4.5 billion years
How many years ago did it take for earth to cool enough for life to survive?
4 billion years
When did life first show up?
3.7 billion years ago prokaryotic cells first show up (only took 300 million years)
How long did it take for life to evolve from prokaryotic to eukaryotic?
2 billion years! Nucleated cells showed up 1.5 billion years ago
When did multicellular life show up?
0.5 billion years ago
When did human like creatures show up?
0.005 billion years ago
When did humans show up?
0.0001 billion years ago
When did humans show up?
0.0001 billion years ago
What is the approximate size of an animal/plant cell?
10-40 microns
What is the approximate size of an animal/plant cell?
10-40 microns
What were the two primary ways of studying life in the 21st century?
- biochemistry (understand life by studying one component in isolation by purifying one element away from the others). Primarily studying proteins.
- genetics, geneticists study the whole organism but take away one component (change one gene)
What brought biochemistry and genetics together?
molecular biology because it allowed us to connect DNA to biochemistry so now we could connect genetics to biochemistry
What was the impact of recombinant DNA?
It allowed you to take a single gene and manipulate it. This took us into the 1980’s
In the first decade of the 21st century how much did the cost of sequencing fall?
A million fold. A million fold delta in 10 years!
When did vitalism die?
It died towards the late 1890’s Buchner proved that ‘yeast juice’ can perform fermentation. This is where the name for enzymes came from. Vitalism came about because it was thought only living things could do fermentation
When did vitalism die?
It died towards the late 1890’s Buchner proved that ‘yeast juice’ can perform fermentation. This is where the name for enzymes came from. Vitalism came about because it was thought only living things could do fermentation
What is the approach biochemists take?
Grind life up into molecules
What is lifes approximate elemental fractions?
Hydrogen 2/3 Oxygen 1/4 Carbon 1/10 Nitrogen 1/100 Phosphorous 1/1000 Sulfur < 0.1%
What is lifes approximate elemental fractions? What are the elements of life?
Hydrogen 2/3 Oxygen 1/4 Carbon 1/10 Nitrogen 1/100 Phosphorous 1/1000 Sulfur < 0.1%
What is lifes approximate atomic fractions? What are the elements of life?
Hydrogen 2/3 Oxygen 1/4 Carbon 1/10 Nitrogen 1/100 Phosphorous 1/1000 Sulfur < 0.1%
What is the molecular composition of life?
Water 80%
Dry weight... 50% protein 15% carbs 10% lipids and fats 15% nucleic acids
