BioChemistry Chemical Compounds

BHT

Antioxidant added to many fatty foods

Iodine

Forms a deeply colored complex with starch

2’,3’-dideoxy-ATP

Old-school Sanger DNA sequencing reagent

Geranylgeranyl-PP

Precursor of all diterpenes

Sterculic acid

Strange, strained fatty acid found locally in the invasive Chinese parasol tree

Vitamin D

Formed by UV irradiation of cholesterol precursor

Lanosterol

First steroid formed in mammals; abundant in sheep wool fat

2-carboxyoxazolidine

A soluble product if D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) in mammalian kidneys

Ethidium bromide

DNA intercalator used to stain gels

Myo-inositol

Sugar alcohol found in some phospholipids

Allantoin

Soluble purine degradation product made by most animals

Cellobiose

Indigestible disaccharide for all humans

Sphingosine

Parent compound of a class of lipids abundant in nervous tissue

Stigmasterol

Plant steroid now used for progesterone synthesis

Ouabain

Cardiac glycoside inhibitor of the Na+, K+,ATPase

AMPS

Cofactor required for heparin synthesis

Caffeine

Purine alkaloid stimulant

Lactose

Indigestible disaccharide for majority of humans

B-carotene

Converted to vitamin A in human intestines

Coenzyme Q

Isoprenoid electron transport cofactor whose synthesis is blocked by antihypercholesteremic drugs

Squalene

High-MW liquid and precursor of all steroids

Vitamin E

Common fat soluble biological antioxidant

Hydrazine

Highly flammable T-lane DNA sequencing reagent

Arachidonic acid

Precursor of prostaglandins

Aflatoxin B1

Most potent rat carcinogen; not carcinogenic in mice

Chondroitin Sulfate

Polysaccharide in tendons and cartilage

Amylopectin

The more abundant component of starch

Benzo(a)pyrenediol expoxide

Potent carcinogen that alkylates adednine and guanine aminos groups in DNA

Cholic acid

Sequestrian of this compound by Dowex-1 can lower serum cholesterol

Progesterone

Steroid hormone used in birth control pills

Allopurinol

Inhibitor of xanthine oxidase

Celebrex

Cox-2 inhibitor that is still on the market

Ibuprofen

Old, inexpensive cox inhibitor

Acetyl coenzyme A

High energy compound used for transfer of two carbon units; made from pantothenic acid

Ninhydrin

Reagent for quantitation of amino acids and visualization of latent fingerprints

Canavanine

1.5% of dry weight of alfalfa sprouts; causes autoimmune diseases in some herbivores

Cibacron Blue F3GA

Blue dye molecule with a high affinity for many nucleotide-binding enzymes

y-Carboxyglutamate

Amino acid formed by post-translational modification of some calcium binding proteins

Imazapic

Inhibitor of branched chain amino acid biosynthesis that is still used in roundup extend control

4-Hydroxyproline

Amino acid formed by post translational modification of fibrous proteins such as collagen

Shikimic acid

Biosynthesis precursor of all aromatic amino acids

Diquat

One of the somewhat toxic herbicides that replace glyphosate in the new “roundup”

Phenyllactate

The toxic molecule that builds up in person with PKU who eat too much F.

1,3-Diphosphoglycerate

High energy compound with the second largest (most negative) free energy of hydrolysis

MES

“Good” buffer with relatively low pka of 6.15

Flexeril

Muscle relaxant that may cause drowsiness

S-Adenosylmethionine

High energy compound used for biological methylation reactions

Nexium

Enantiomerically pure version of racemic over the counter drug for treatment of acid reflux

Benadryl

Antihistamine that causes drowsiness

Hydroxylysine

Amino acid formed by post translational modification of some protein

Homogentistic acid

It’s oxidation causes the urine of people with alkaptonuria to turn black in air

Phenyl isothiocyanate

The Edmonton reagent for n-terminal sequence analysis

PIPES

“Good buffer” with the lowest pka/C

(+)-pseudoephedrine

The pressor amine in sudafed (but nit sudafed pe)

Phospoenolpyruvate

The higher energy compound with the most negative free energy of hydrolysis

Provigil

Prescription drug used to treat excessive daytime sleepiness; best for pilots in long duration flights

Trypan Red

Early drug used to treat African sleeping sickness