Chapter 3 Nucleic acids, proteins, and enzymes

Vocab
Activation Energy The energy barrier that blocks the tendency for a chemical reaction
to occur.
Active site The region on the surface of an enzyme or ribozyme where the substrate
binds, and where catalysis occurs.
Adenine (A) A nitrogen-containing base found in nucleic acids, ATP, NAD, and other
compounds.
Allosteric regulation Regulation of the activity of a protein (usually an enzyme) by the
binding of an effector molecule to a site other than the active site.
A (alpha) Helix A prevalent type of secondary protein structure; a right-handed spiral.
Amino acids An organic compound containing both NH2 and COOH groups. Proteins
are polymers of amino acids.
B (beta) pleated sheet A type of protein secondary structure; results from hydrogen
bonding between polypeptide regions running antiparallel to each other.
Base In nucleic acids, the purine or pyrimidine that is attached to each sugar in the suga
phosphate backbone.
Catalysts A chemical substance that accelerates a reaction without itself being
consumed in the overall course of the reaction. Catalysts lower the activation energy of a
reaction. Enzymes are biological catalysts.
Competitive inhibitor A nonsubstrate that binds to the active site of an enzyme and
thereby inhibits binding of its substrate.
Complementary base pairing The AT (or AU), TA (or UA), CG, and GC pairing of
bases in double-stranded DNA, in transcription, and between tRNA and mRNA.
Cytosine (C) A nitrogen-containing base found in DNA and RNA.
Denatured Loss of activity of an enzyme or nucleic acid molecule as a result of
structural changes induced by heat or other means.
Deoxyribose see DNA
Disulfide Bridge The covalent bond between two sulfur atoms S) linking two
molecules or remote parts of the same molecule.
DNA The fundamental hereditary material of all living organisms. In eukaryotes, stored
primarily in the cell nucleus. A nucleic acid using deoxyribose rather than ribose.
Enzyme-substrate complex (ES) An intermediate in an enzyme-catalyzed reaction;
consists of the enzyme bound to its substrate(s).
Genes A unit of heredity. Used here as the unit of genetic function which carries the
information for a polypeptide or RNA.

Genome The complete DNA sequence for a particular organism or individual.

Guanine (G) A nitrogen-containing base found in DNA, RNA, and GTP.
Noncompetitive inhibitor A nonsubstrate that inhibits the activity of an enzyme by
binding to a site other than its active site.
Nucleic acids A polymer made up of nucleotides, specialized for the storage,
transmission, and expression of genetic information. DNA and RNA are nucleic acids.
Nucleotide The basic chemical unit in nucleic acids, consisting of a pentose sugar, a
phosphate group, and a nitrogen-containing base.
Peptide linkage The bond between amino acids in a protein; formed between a carboxyl
group and amino group (-CONH) with the loss of water molecules.
Phosphodiester linkage The connection in a nucleic acid strand, formed by linking two
nucleotides.
Primary structure The specific sequence of amino acids in a protein.
Purine One of the two types of nitrogenous bases in nucleic acids. Each of the purines
adenine and guaninepairs with a specific pyrimidine.
Pyrimidine One of the two types of nitrogenous bases in nucleic acids. Each of the
pyrimidinescytosine, thymine, and uracilpairs with a specific purine.
Quaternary structure The specific three-dimensional arrangement of protein subunits.
R group The distinguishing group of atoms of a particular amino acid; also known as a
side chain.
Ribose A five-carbon sugar in nucleotides and RNA
RNA Several species of RNA that are incorporated into the ribosome. Involved in
peptide bond formation.
Secondary structure Of a protein, localized regularities of structure, such
as the helix and the pleated sheet.
Substrates The molecule or molecules on which an enzyme exerts catalytic action.
Tertiary structure In reference to a protein, the relative locations in three-dimensional
space of all the atoms in the molecule. The overall shape of a protein.
Thymine (T) Nitrogen-containing base found in DNA.
Transition state In an enzyme-catalyzed reaction, the reactive condition of the substrate
after there has been sufficient input of energy (activation energy) to initiate the reaction.
Uracil (U) A pyrimidine base found in nucleotides of RNA.

Questions
1.

2. Denaturation is the lose of function of a protein. Increases in temperate, alterations of the H+

concentration, high concentrations of polar substances, and nonpolar substances can denature a
protein by breaking down its bonds. If amino acids that were buried deep within the structure of
a protein are expose and create new bond then the denaturation may be irreversible.
3. Gluconeogenesis is the metabolic process of synthesizing glucose for catabolic reactions from
non-carbohydrate precursors. When lactic acid is added to pyruvic acid and 6 ATP, amino acids,
and lipids are added, Glucose 6- phosphate is produced. Gluconeogenesis occurs in the liver
when the Glucode 6- phosphate is turned into glycogen

Insulin is a hormone synthesized in islet cells of the pancreas that promotes the
conversion of glucose into the storage material, glycogen. Insulin is the most important
hormone involved in glucose metabolism. It inhibits glucose production by inhibiting
gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis, and causes a decrease in blood glucose.

4. The picture in the packet show that the initial stable state must become less stable so the
energy required for the chemical reaction to occur (EA) can be reached. This is a exergonic
reaction where the products have lower free energy than the reactants, resulting in a release of
free energy.