Biochemistry Lecture Notes on Charge and Protein Structure

These flashcards cover key concepts related to charge in biochemistry, protein structure, and metabolic pathways, important for understanding biochemical processes.

What role does charge play in biochemistry?

Charge shapes the behavior of proteins, amino acids, nucleic acids, and bioenergetics.

What is the significance of guanine-cytosine (G-C) pairs in DNA structure?

G-C pairs have three hydrogen bonds, contributing to greater stability compared to adenine-thymine (A-T) pairs, which have two.

What is ATP and why is it crucial in biochemistry?

ATP is the predominant intracellular energy form because its inorganic phosphate groups store potential energy due to their negative charges.

Define redox reactions in biochemistry.

Redox reactions are processes where electrons are transferred, critical for metabolism and energy production.

How are glycolysis and its regulation important in cellular metabolism?

Glycolysis involves regulatory steps that are tightly controlled to manage energy production and substrate availability.

What is denaturation in the context of proteins?

Denaturation is the disruption of a protein's structure, affecting its function, which can occur due to heat, solvents, or detergents.

Explain the term zwitterion as it relates to amino acids.

A zwitterion is a molecule that contains both positive and negative charges that balance out, often seen in amino acids at physiological pH.

How do peptide bonds form?

Peptide bonds form via a condensation reaction between the carboxylic group of one amino acid and the amine group of another.

Differentiate between peptide hormones and steroid hormones.

Peptide hormones are polar and bind to membrane receptors; steroid hormones are nonpolar, can diffuse through membranes, and regulate gene transcription.

What is the isoelectric point (pI) of an amino acid?

The pI is the pH at which the average charge of an amino acid is zero.