BIOCHEM C785 COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS
●● How do you identify the 3 different types of side chains: non-
polar/hydrophobic, polar, and charged?
Answer: Non-polar/hydrophobic - end with CH or "can't have" water.
Polar - end with OH, SH, or NH. Charged - end with a charge
●● what kinds of bonds do each of the 3 different types of side chains
make?
Answer: ionic, hydrophobic/non-polar, charged
●● What are the 4 levels of protein structure?
Answer: Primary - linear structure, Secondary - Folded into helix or
pleated sheet caused by hydrogen bonding, tertiary - 3D structure caused
by side chain interactions, quaternary - 1+ amino acid chains combine =
multiple subunits MUST have 1+ subunit
●● What enviormental change breaks each type of bond?
Answer: hydrophobic - temperature change, ionic - salt or decreased pH,
hydrogen - temperature, change in pH, disulfide - reducing agents
,●● what type of amino acid side chain leads to protein aggregration?
Answer: hydrophobic bonds
●● how do environmental changes affect protein folding?
Answer: Extreme temp can cause hydrogen bonds to break apart =
malformation of protein folding
●● how do mutations affect protein structure?
Answer: Can cause structure to change. Protein loses form = loses
function. May form a different protein.
●● What is an electron?
Answer: Negatively charged atom on outer ring for bonding
●● What is energy:
Answer: Power derived fro chemical interaction
●● what are covalent bonds?
Answer: chemical bond, atoms share 1+ valence electrons
●● what is an ionic bond?
Answer: bond between positive and negative
,●● what is a hydrogen bond?
Answer: weak bond between positive and negative
●● with an amino?
Answer: piece of amino acid, NH2 or NH3
●● what is a carboyxl?
Answer: piece of amino acid, COO or COOH
●● What is hydrophobic?
Answer: Doesn't like water, end with CH
●● what is hydrophilic?
Answer: Water Lovering, end with OH, NH, or SH
●● what is disulfide bond?
Answer: strongest bond between reduction agents, formed between SH's.
●● what are zwitterions?
Answer: amino with positive and negative charges = overall charge of
zero
, ●● what is a polypeptide
Answer: polymer of amino acids
●● What is dehydration synthesis?
Answer: Process of forming peptide bonds
●● what is hydrolysis?
Answer: adding water to destroy bonds
●● what is an alpha helix?
Answer: twisted secondary structure, formed by hydrogen bonds
●● what is a beta sheet?
Answer: folded second structure shape, formed by hydrogen bonds
●● what is denaturation?
Answer: loss of shape duet o interruption of chemical bonds; occurs via
extreme salt, temp, pH
●● what is aggregation?
Answer: clumping of inner or outer cellular proteins caused by
misfolded proteins leading to diseases such as Alzheimers, ALS,
Parkinson's
STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS
●● How do you identify the 3 different types of side chains: non-
polar/hydrophobic, polar, and charged?
Answer: Non-polar/hydrophobic - end with CH or "can't have" water.
Polar - end with OH, SH, or NH. Charged - end with a charge
●● what kinds of bonds do each of the 3 different types of side chains
make?
Answer: ionic, hydrophobic/non-polar, charged
●● What are the 4 levels of protein structure?
Answer: Primary - linear structure, Secondary - Folded into helix or
pleated sheet caused by hydrogen bonding, tertiary - 3D structure caused
by side chain interactions, quaternary - 1+ amino acid chains combine =
multiple subunits MUST have 1+ subunit
●● What enviormental change breaks each type of bond?
Answer: hydrophobic - temperature change, ionic - salt or decreased pH,
hydrogen - temperature, change in pH, disulfide - reducing agents
,●● what type of amino acid side chain leads to protein aggregration?
Answer: hydrophobic bonds
●● how do environmental changes affect protein folding?
Answer: Extreme temp can cause hydrogen bonds to break apart =
malformation of protein folding
●● how do mutations affect protein structure?
Answer: Can cause structure to change. Protein loses form = loses
function. May form a different protein.
●● What is an electron?
Answer: Negatively charged atom on outer ring for bonding
●● What is energy:
Answer: Power derived fro chemical interaction
●● what are covalent bonds?
Answer: chemical bond, atoms share 1+ valence electrons
●● what is an ionic bond?
Answer: bond between positive and negative
,●● what is a hydrogen bond?
Answer: weak bond between positive and negative
●● with an amino?
Answer: piece of amino acid, NH2 or NH3
●● what is a carboyxl?
Answer: piece of amino acid, COO or COOH
●● What is hydrophobic?
Answer: Doesn't like water, end with CH
●● what is hydrophilic?
Answer: Water Lovering, end with OH, NH, or SH
●● what is disulfide bond?
Answer: strongest bond between reduction agents, formed between SH's.
●● what are zwitterions?
Answer: amino with positive and negative charges = overall charge of
zero
, ●● what is a polypeptide
Answer: polymer of amino acids
●● What is dehydration synthesis?
Answer: Process of forming peptide bonds
●● what is hydrolysis?
Answer: adding water to destroy bonds
●● what is an alpha helix?
Answer: twisted secondary structure, formed by hydrogen bonds
●● what is a beta sheet?
Answer: folded second structure shape, formed by hydrogen bonds
●● what is denaturation?
Answer: loss of shape duet o interruption of chemical bonds; occurs via
extreme salt, temp, pH
●● what is aggregation?
Answer: clumping of inner or outer cellular proteins caused by
misfolded proteins leading to diseases such as Alzheimers, ALS,
Parkinson's
