FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOCHEMISTRY
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM 2026 Q&A STUDY
GUIDE
◉Define a conjugated protein . Answer: A protein that contains one or
more non-polypeptide constituents/ prosthetic groups
◉Name the hydrophobic non-polar amino acids . Answer: Glycine,
Alanine, Leucine, Methionine, Proline, Isoleucine, Cysteine, Valine
◉Name the hydrophobic aromatic amino acids . Answer:
Phenylalanine, Tryptophan
◉Name the hydrophilic polar uncharged amino acids . Answer:
Asparagine, Glutamine, Serine, Threonine, Tyrosine
◉Name the hydrophillic acidic amino acids . Answer: Aspartate,
Glutamate
◉Name the hydrophillic basic amino acids . Answer: Lysine, Arginine,
Histidine
, ◉Give the single letter abbreviation of the essential amino acids(9) .
Answer: F H I K L M T V W
◉Give the three letter abbreviation of the amino acids that humans can
synthesise . Answer: Ala, Arg, Asn, Asp, Cys, Glu, Gln, Gly, Pro, Ser,
Tyr
◉What is Cystine? . Answer: When two cysteine residues form
disulfide bonds in or between chains, this does not occur in the cytosol
◉Name two non-standard amino acids their triplet codes and uses .
Answer: Selenocysteine (UGA) normally a stop codon and pyrrolysine
(UAG) stop codon found in methanogenic archaea
◉What is different about the interactions in thermophile proteins? .
Answer: There is an increased level of intramolecular interactions; more
salt bridges, extended helical regions , hydrogen bonds, and increased
compactness
◉Psychrophile proteins have what changes to their interactions? .
Answer: Decreased levels of interaction; fewer salt bridges, occurrence
of extended surface loops, hydrogen bonds increase between protein and
surrounding solvent, reduced aromatic interactions with hydrophobic
core
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM 2026 Q&A STUDY
GUIDE
◉Define a conjugated protein . Answer: A protein that contains one or
more non-polypeptide constituents/ prosthetic groups
◉Name the hydrophobic non-polar amino acids . Answer: Glycine,
Alanine, Leucine, Methionine, Proline, Isoleucine, Cysteine, Valine
◉Name the hydrophobic aromatic amino acids . Answer:
Phenylalanine, Tryptophan
◉Name the hydrophilic polar uncharged amino acids . Answer:
Asparagine, Glutamine, Serine, Threonine, Tyrosine
◉Name the hydrophillic acidic amino acids . Answer: Aspartate,
Glutamate
◉Name the hydrophillic basic amino acids . Answer: Lysine, Arginine,
Histidine
, ◉Give the single letter abbreviation of the essential amino acids(9) .
Answer: F H I K L M T V W
◉Give the three letter abbreviation of the amino acids that humans can
synthesise . Answer: Ala, Arg, Asn, Asp, Cys, Glu, Gln, Gly, Pro, Ser,
Tyr
◉What is Cystine? . Answer: When two cysteine residues form
disulfide bonds in or between chains, this does not occur in the cytosol
◉Name two non-standard amino acids their triplet codes and uses .
Answer: Selenocysteine (UGA) normally a stop codon and pyrrolysine
(UAG) stop codon found in methanogenic archaea
◉What is different about the interactions in thermophile proteins? .
Answer: There is an increased level of intramolecular interactions; more
salt bridges, extended helical regions , hydrogen bonds, and increased
compactness
◉Psychrophile proteins have what changes to their interactions? .
Answer: Decreased levels of interaction; fewer salt bridges, occurrence
of extended surface loops, hydrogen bonds increase between protein and
surrounding solvent, reduced aromatic interactions with hydrophobic
core
