Biochem Exam 1 (Worksheets Ch 1-6)

What organizational features allow biological polymers to be informational macromolecules? Is it possible for polysaccharides to be informational molecules?

Biopolymers may be informational molecules because they are constructed of different monomeric units joined head to tail in a particular orders

What are the two essential criteria for a linear polymer to be an informational macromolecule?

Sense/direction and composed of more than one kind of monomer unit

-the sequence of monomeric units in a biological polymer can contain information if the diversity and order of the units are not overly simple or repetitive

Biomolecules interact with one another through molecular surfaces that are structurally complementary. What properties must proteins possess to interact with molecules as different as simple ions, hydrophobic lipids, polar but uncharged carbohydrates, and nucleic acids?

An amino acid side chain

-these side chains of proteins provide a range of shapes, polarity, and chemical features that allow a protein to be tailored to fit almost any possible molecular surface in a complementary way

Why is it important that weak forces, not strong forces, mediate biomolecular recognition?

Weak forces are more responsive to the continually changing dynamic interactions of biomolecular recognition

What is a Hydrolysis Reaction?

A reaction that involves bond breakage, usually involving nucleophilic attack by water

What is a high energy phosphate?

A molecule for which the free energy of hydrolysis is more negative than -25 kJ/mol

What is the difference between the two versions of the free energy of hydrolysis of ATP?

The standard state free energy of hydrolysis of ATP in the absence of magnesium ion is -35.7 kJ/mol

In the presence of excess magnesium, the free energy of hydrolysis of ATP is -30.5 kJ/mol

Name the amino acids with two chiral centers

Isoleucine and threonine

Name the amino acids with no chiral centers

Glycine

Name the amino acids with one chiral center

All but Isoleucine, threonine, and glycine

Which amino acids absorb in the UV region of the spectrum?

Phenylalanine, tryptophan, and tyrosine

Which amino acids is unusual in its behavior?

Glycine because it is very flexible, and proline because it is very constrained (cyclic structure)