Identifying Specific Protein Functions

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Biochemistry › Identifying Specific Protein Functions

Questions 1 - 10
1

Which of these is not a valid classification of protein function?

All of these are functions of proteins

Enzymes

Receptors

Signaling molecules

Structural elements

Explanation

Proteins are the most diverse group of macromolecule. They can be fibrous (structural) or globular (receptors, enzymes, signaling molecules, and more).

2

Kinase reactions involve enzymes that __________.

add phosphate groups to another molecule

reduce aldehydes to alcohols

transfer groups from one part of a molecule to another part

use as an oxidizing agent

Explanation

Kinases are enzymes that add phosphate groups to molecules. Phosphatases remove phosphate groups from molecules. Common reducing agents in biological systems are , , and antioxidant molecules such as vitamins C and E. Transferases catalyze reactions in which one part of a molecule is transferred elsewhere on that same molecule or onto another molecule.

3

Very-low-density lipoproteins are degraded by which of the following?

Lipoprotein lipase

Lipoprotein lyase

Lipoprotein hydrolase

Lipoprotein dehydrogenase

Explanation

Very-low-density lipoprotein (LDL) triglycerides are broken down by lipoprotein lipase forming intermediate density lipoproteins. Intermediate density lipoproteins can either be brought into the liver through a receptor-mediated event or it may be further digested to form low density lipoproteins. LDL may be brought into the liver also by a receptor-mediated even in the liver.

4

Which of the following statements best describes low-density lipoproteins as compared to other lipoproteins?

They have the highest content of cholesterol and cholesterol esters

They have the most triglycerides and least protein

They have a higher content of triglycerides than very low-density lipoproteins

They have the highest protein content

Explanation

Low-density lipoproteins have the highest content of cholesterol and cholesterol esters. There are essentially five classes of blood lipoproteins: chylomicrons, very-low-density lipoproteins, intermediate-density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins, and high-density lipoproteins. Chylomicrons have the lowest density of the five classes of lipoproteins. This is because the have the highest proportion of triglycerides and the least lowest proportion of protein. Very-low-density lipoproteins are a bit more dense than chylomicrons; however, the relative amount of triglycerides is still high. Intermediate-density lipoproteins which are formed from the very-low-density lipoproteins have a higher density than very-low-density lipoproteins due to the fact that they have less than half of the amount of triglycerides as very-low-density lipoproteins. Low-density lipoproteins have the highest amount of cholesterol and an even lesser amount of triglycerides than intermediate-density lipoproteins. Lastly, high-density lipoproteins are the densest of the lipoproteins due to the fact that they have the highest amount of protein in relation to the amount of triglycerides they contain.

5

A deficiency in which fat soluble vitamin results in impaired night time vision?

Vitamin A

Vitamin D

Vitamin E

Vitamin K

Vitamin B12

Explanation

Vitamins D, E, A, and K are all fat soluble vitamins. Vitamin A (retinol) plays an important role in the visual pigments within the rods and cones of the retina. Deficiency of this vitamin produces night blindness, as these important retinal cells are unable to function properly.

6

What is one of the ways by which a potassium channel maintains great specificity for ions?

The channel constricts down to from an initial

Charges within the channel repel all other molecules

The channel is always closed and only open when a ion is present

The channel allows other molecules through, but then immediately sends them backwards through the channel

The channel uses internal enzyme activity to degrade all other molecules

Explanation

The potassium channel is initially wide at its entry point - this already excludes many molecules that are not . As molecules travel further down the channel, though, the channel becomes much tighter and essentially only allows for to continue. However, is surrounded by water molecules. sheds these water molecules caged around it in order to move through the channel, thereby maintaining specificity for potassium and excluding water from the channel.

7

The cell requirement for cholesterol as a membrane component is satisfied by which of the following?

Low-density lipoproteins

Glycoproteins

High-density lipoproteins

Intermediate-density lipoproteins

Explanation

A cell's necessity for cholesterol as a part of the cell membrane is accomplished by two ways: either it is synthesized from within the cell by the cell, or it is supplied by low-density lipoproteins and chylomicrons. The dietary cholesterol that goes into chylomicrons is supplied to the liver by the interaction of chylomicron remnants with the remnant receptor. In addition, cholesterol synthesized by the liver can be transported to extra-hepatic tissues if packaged in very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL's). In the circulation VLDLs are converted to low-density liporoteins through the action of lipoprotein lipase.

8

Which of these amino acids is unlike the others?

S, A, T, Q, N

A

S

T

Q

N

Explanation

Alanine (A) is the only hydrophobic amino acid in the group.

Serine (S), threonine (T), glutamine (Q), and asparagine (N) have polar, uncharged R groups.

9

A an excess intake of __________ leads to its conversion to triglycerides.

carbohydrates

nucleic acids

water

vitamins

Explanation

The dietary intake of carbohydrate, in excess of the fuel requirement of the liver, leads to their conversion into triacylglycerols. These triacylglycerols are packaged into very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL's) and released into the circulation for delivery to the various tissues (primarily muscle and adipose tissue) for storage or production of energy through oxidation. VLDL's are, therefore, the molecules formed to transport endogenously derived triacylglycerols to extra-hepatic tissues. The fatty acid portion of VLDL's is released to adipose tissue and muscle in the same way as for chylomicrons, through the action of lipoprotein lipase.

10

How are gap junctions regulated?

concentration

concentration

concentration

concentration

Explanation

Gap junctions are are closed at high concentrations and open at low concentrations.

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