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Biology Assessment 1 > Nucleic acids, proteins, esters > Flashcards

Nucleic acids, proteins, esters Flashcards

(60 cards)

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1
Q

What are nucleic acids

A

Large polymers formed from nucleotides

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2
Q

What elements are nucleic acids made up of

A

Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and phosphorous

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3
Q

What three components make up an individual nucleotide

A

A pentose monosaccharide (sugar) contains 5 carbons
A phosphate group (negatively charged inorganic molecule)
A nitrogenous base

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4
Q

How are nucleotides linked together

A

Condensation reactions

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5
Q

What polymer is made from nucleotides

A

Polynucleotide

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6
Q

Where are phosphodiester bonds formed

A

Between the phosphate group and the 5th carbon of the pentose sugar and the 3rd carbon of the pentose sugar

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7
Q

How are the phosphodiester bonds broken

A

Hydrolysis reactions

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8
Q

What are the two types of DNA bases

A

Pyrimidines and purines

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9
Q

Which bases are pyrimidines

A

T and C (the smaller bases which contain a single ring carbon structure)

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10
Q

Which bases are the purines

A

A and G (the larger bases which contain double ring carbon structures)

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11
Q

What is a double helix

A

Two strands of DNA nucleotides coiled into a helix

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12
Q

What holds together the two strands of a double helix

A

Hydrogen bonds between the bases

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13
Q

How are the two parallel strands arranged

A

Antiparallel (run in opposite directions)

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14
Q

What are the hydroxyl groups at each end of the strand

A

Hydroxyl group (3’) and hydroxyl group (5’)

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15
Q

What is DNA base pairing known as

A

Complimentary base pairing

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16
Q

Which bases pair together

A

A and T

C and G

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17
Q

What does complimentary base pairing ensure happens

A

Maintains a constant distance between bases

Equal amounts of adenine and thymine, as well as guanine and cytosine

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18
Q

What is RNA (ribonucleic acid)

A

Polynucleotide molecules involved in the transfer of genetic information from DNA

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19
Q

Why is RNA needed

A

As DNA is a molecule that is too large to leave the nucleus

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20
Q

What happens to RNA after protein synthesis

A

It is degraded in the cytoplasm, phosphodiester bonds are hydrolysed and RNA nucleotides are released and reused

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21
Q

What is a triglyceride

A

A molecule made up of one glyceride molecule and three fatty acids

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22
Q

What does the interaction of the triglyceride and fatty acid hydroxyl group form

A

3 water molecules and bonds between the fatty acids and the glycerol molecules

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23
Q

What are the type of bonds holding the glycerol and fatty acids together in triglycerides

A

Ester bonds

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24
Q

What is the reaction called where ester bonds form

A

Esterification

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25
What type of reaction is esterification
Condensation
26
What are globular proteins
Compact, water soluble, normally spherical proteins
27
How do globular proteins form
When proteins fold into their tertiary structure in a way that the hydrophobic r-groups are kept away from the aqueous environment
28
Why are globular proteins important
They are soluble in water so help regulate many essential processes
29
What is an example of a globular protein
Insulin
30
Why does insulin need to be soluble
Because it is transported through the blood stream
31
What are conjugated proteins
They are globular proteins that contain a non protein component called a prosthetic groups
32
What are examples of conjugated groups
Lipids combine with proteins to make lipoproteins Carbohydrates combine with proteins to form glycoproteins Metal ions and molecules from vitamins also form prosthetic groups Haem groups ( catalase and haemoglobin)
33
What is haemoglobin
The red oxygen carrying pigment found in red blood cells
34
What type of protein is haemoglobin
Quaternary protein
35
What does haemoglobin consist of
Four polypeptides, two alpha and two beta subunits
36
What does each subunit in haemoglobin contain
A prosthetic haem group
37
How does this haem group allow haemoglobin to carry oxygen
The iron ions present can combine with oxygen in a reversible way allowing it to pick up, transport and then release oxygen
38
What is catalase
An enzyme
39
What type of protein is catalase
A quaternary protein
40
What reaction does catalase catalyse
The breakdown of hydrogen peroxide
41
How does catalase help with the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide
The iron ions in the prosthetic group are able to interact with the hydrogen
42
Is hydrogen peroxide damaging to cells
Yes
43
What are fibrous proteins
Proteins formed in long, insoluble molecules that have a high proportion of amino acids contains hydrophobic r groups in their primary structures
44
What are the characteristics of the amino acids in fibrous proteins
``` Limited range of amino acids Quite repetitive (in primary structure) ```
45
What are examples of fibrous proteins
Keratin, elastin and collagen
46
What are the structural characteristics of fibrous proteins
Strong, long molecules, organised structures, not folded into 3D shapes
47
What is keratin
A group of fibrous proteins present in hair skin and nails
48
What type of amino acids does keratin largely consist of
Cytesine (Sulfur-containing)
49
What sort of bonds are the result of a large proportion of cytesine
Disulfide bonds
50
What characteristics do disulfide bonds produce
Strong, inflexible and insoluble materials
51
What determines the flexibility of keratin
Degree of disulfide
52
What is an example of keratin containing fewer disulfide bonds
Hair (as it is flexible)
53
What is an example of keratin containing a large number of disulfide bonds
Nails (as they are not flexible)
54
What is elastin
A fibrous protein found in elastic fibres that are able to expand when needed and return to their original shape
55
What type of protein is elastin
Quaternary protein
56
What are the stretchy molecule called that make up elastin
Tropoelastin
57
What is collagen
A fibrous protein that acts as a connective tissue
58
Where is collagen found
Skin, tendons, ligaments and the nervous system
59
What is elastin made up from
3 polypeptides wound together in a long and strong rope like structure
60
What is the key characteristic of collagen
It is flexible

Biology Assessment 1 (7 decks)

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