Biochemistry Exam Preparation Flashcards

This set of flashcards covers key terms and definitions relevant to the biochemistry exam preparation.

Explain the difference in the types of sugar found in Nucleic Acid with the structures

Biomolecules that carry genetic information, consisting of long chains of nucleotides.

What are the two types of sugars found in nucleic acids?

The two types of sugars found in nucleic acids are ribose and deoxyribose.

IMP Synthesis Pathway

A ten-step biochemical pathway that leads to the synthesis of Inosine Monophosphate from ribose-5-phosphate.

Lecithin

A phospholipid that is a major component of cell membranes, composed of glycerol, fatty acids, phosphate, and choline.

Biomagnification

The process where the concentration of toxic substances increases in the tissues of organisms at each successive level of the food chain.

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

A hormone released by the pituitary gland that stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones.

Abeta Lipoproteinaemia

A genetic disorder characterized by the absence of apolipoprotein B, leading to a deficiency in lipoprotein formation.

Vitamin B1

Also known as Thiamine; it is essential for carbohydrate metabolism and is found in foods such as whole grains, pork, and legumes.

Isoelectric Point (pI)

The pH at which a particular molecule carries no net electrical charge.

Protein Kinase A (PKA)

An enzyme that modifies other proteins by chemically adding phosphate groups, activated by cyclic AMP.

Glycolytic Pathway

A series of enzymatic reactions that convert glucose into pyruvate, yielding ATP and NADH.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that transmit signals across a chemical synapse from one neuron to another target neuron.

Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate (cAMP)

A secondary messenger important in many biological processes, derived from ATP and involved in transducing signals.

Glycogen Metabolism

The process of synthesis (glycogenesis) and breakdown (glycogenolysis) of glycogen to facilitate glucose storage and mobilization.

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

An inherited disorder caused by deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase leading to toxic accumulation of phenylalanine.

Haemoglobinopathies

A group of disorders caused by genetic modifications affecting the structure of hemoglobin.

Urea Cycle

The metabolic pathway that converts ammonia to urea, eliminating excess nitrogen from the body.

Protein Denaturation

The process in which proteins lose their native structure due to the application of external stress or compounds.

Enzymatic Inhibition

A process in which an enzyme's activity is reduced or blocked by specific molecules.

Metabolic Pathways

Series of chemical reactions occurring within a cell, allowing it to convert substrates into products.

Cloning Vectors

DNA molecules used as vehicles to artificially carry foreign genetic material into another cell.

Protein Structure Levels

Classified into four levels: primary (amino acid sequence), secondary (alpha-helices and beta-sheets), tertiary (3D structure), and quaternary (multi-subunit complexes).

Xenobiotic Metabolism

The process by which foreign compounds (xenobiotics) are chemically modified and cleared from the body.

Transamination

The transfer of an amino group from one amino acid to a keto acid, which creates a new amino acid and a new keto acid.