Molecular Biology Exam questions
and answers graded A+
4 families of small organic molecules - ANS✅✅sugars (energy), fatty acids (cell membrane
construction), amino acids (protein building blocks), nucleotides (DNA/RNA subunits and energy
carriers)
Monomers - ANS✅✅small unit that can join together with other small units to form polymers
Polymers - ANS✅✅large compound formed from combinations of many monomers
Monomer/Polymers Examples - ANS✅✅sugars > polysaccharides
fatty acids > fats, lipids, membranes
amino acids > proteins
nucleotides > nucleic acids
Centra Dogma of Molecular Biology - ANS✅✅-information > function
-DNA synthesis (replication) > RNA synthesis (transcription of DNA) > protein synthesis (translation
to amino acids)
-cells all contain the same DNA, but perform different functions based upon proteins
All living organisms are composed of - ANS✅✅Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen
hydrophillic molecules - ANS✅✅-form hydrogen bonds
-mix well with water
-have polar bonds
-make up sugars, DNA, RNA, proteins (not all)
hydrophobic molecules - ANS✅✅-form few/no hydrogen bonds
-don't mix with water
-nonpolar/uncharged
-make up molecules within the cell membrane with hydrocarbon tails
, Phospholipids - ANS✅✅a lipid with a hydrophillic head and a hydrophobic tail
-they line up tails-in to create a lipid bylayer membrane
Function of amino acids - ANS✅✅(1) enzymes to catalyze cellular chemical reactions
(2) growth factors
(3) transmembrane receptors
(4) associate with DNA in chromosomes
(5) regulate gene transcription
(6) act as intercellular signaling molecules
(7) tag other proteins for degradation
Key Features of Protein Structure - ANS✅✅-made of amino acids
-amino acids are joined by peptide bonds (strong covalent bonds)
-amino acids: alpha carbon with a carboxyl group, an amino group and an R group
-four levels of protein organization
-membrane spanning (20+ AA)
4 levels of protein organization - ANS✅✅1. primary structure (AAs)
2. secondary structure (folds in polypeptide chain)
3. tertiary structure (3D)
4. quaternary structure (proteins form w/ multiple polypeptide chains)
How are macromolecules formed and broken? - ANS✅✅-condensation reaction (water removed
during bonding)
-hydrolysis (water added for bond to break)
How are polypeptides formed? - ANS✅✅-amino and carboxyl groups of AA react together to make
a peptide bond (condensation reaction)
polypeptide backbone - ANS✅✅Repeating sequence of atoms (-N-C-C-) that forms the core of a
protein molecule and to which the amino acid side chains are attached.
and answers graded A+
4 families of small organic molecules - ANS✅✅sugars (energy), fatty acids (cell membrane
construction), amino acids (protein building blocks), nucleotides (DNA/RNA subunits and energy
carriers)
Monomers - ANS✅✅small unit that can join together with other small units to form polymers
Polymers - ANS✅✅large compound formed from combinations of many monomers
Monomer/Polymers Examples - ANS✅✅sugars > polysaccharides
fatty acids > fats, lipids, membranes
amino acids > proteins
nucleotides > nucleic acids
Centra Dogma of Molecular Biology - ANS✅✅-information > function
-DNA synthesis (replication) > RNA synthesis (transcription of DNA) > protein synthesis (translation
to amino acids)
-cells all contain the same DNA, but perform different functions based upon proteins
All living organisms are composed of - ANS✅✅Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen
hydrophillic molecules - ANS✅✅-form hydrogen bonds
-mix well with water
-have polar bonds
-make up sugars, DNA, RNA, proteins (not all)
hydrophobic molecules - ANS✅✅-form few/no hydrogen bonds
-don't mix with water
-nonpolar/uncharged
-make up molecules within the cell membrane with hydrocarbon tails
, Phospholipids - ANS✅✅a lipid with a hydrophillic head and a hydrophobic tail
-they line up tails-in to create a lipid bylayer membrane
Function of amino acids - ANS✅✅(1) enzymes to catalyze cellular chemical reactions
(2) growth factors
(3) transmembrane receptors
(4) associate with DNA in chromosomes
(5) regulate gene transcription
(6) act as intercellular signaling molecules
(7) tag other proteins for degradation
Key Features of Protein Structure - ANS✅✅-made of amino acids
-amino acids are joined by peptide bonds (strong covalent bonds)
-amino acids: alpha carbon with a carboxyl group, an amino group and an R group
-four levels of protein organization
-membrane spanning (20+ AA)
4 levels of protein organization - ANS✅✅1. primary structure (AAs)
2. secondary structure (folds in polypeptide chain)
3. tertiary structure (3D)
4. quaternary structure (proteins form w/ multiple polypeptide chains)
How are macromolecules formed and broken? - ANS✅✅-condensation reaction (water removed
during bonding)
-hydrolysis (water added for bond to break)
How are polypeptides formed? - ANS✅✅-amino and carboxyl groups of AA react together to make
a peptide bond (condensation reaction)
polypeptide backbone - ANS✅✅Repeating sequence of atoms (-N-C-C-) that forms the core of a
protein molecule and to which the amino acid side chains are attached.
