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Biochemistry

CLASSIFICATION OF ENZYMES

1. Oxidoreductases : Act on many chemical groupings to add or remove hydrogen atoms. e.g. Lactate dehydrogenase

2. Transferases Transfer functional groups between donor and acceptor molecules. Kinases are specialized transferases that regulate metabolism by transferring phosphate from ATP to other molecules. e.g. Aminotransferase.

3. Hydrolases Add water across a bond, hydrolyzing it. E.g. Acetyl choline esterase

4. Lyases Add water, ammonia or carbon dioxide across double bonds, or remove these elements to produce double bonds. e.g. Aldolase.

5. Isomerases Carry out many kinds of isomerization: L to D isomerizations, mutase reactions (shifts of chemical groups) and others. e.g. Triose phosphate isomerase

6. Ligases Catalyze reactions in which two chemical groups are joined (or ligated) with the use of energy from ATP. e.g. Acetyl CoA carboxylase

Glycolysis enzymes are located in the cytosol of cells.  Pyruvate enters the mitochondrion to be metabolized further

Mitochondrial compartments: The mitochondrial matrix contains Pyruvate Dehydrogenase and enzymes of Krebs Cycle, plus other pathways such as fatty acid oxidation. 

Pyruvate Dehydrogenase catalyzes oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate, to form acetyl-CoA

FAD (Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide) is a derivative of the B-vitamin riboflavin (dimethylisoalloxazine-ribitol). The flavin ring system undergoes oxidation/reduction as shown below. Whereas NAD+ is a coenzyme that reversibly binds to enzymes, FAD is a prosthetic group, that is permanently part of the complex. 

FAD accepts and donates 2 electrons with 2 protons (2 H):

Thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) is a derivative of  thiamine (vitamin B1). Nutritional deficiency of thiamine leads to the disease beriberi. Beriberi affects especially the brain, because TPP is required for carbohydrate metabolism, and the brain depends on glucose metabolism for energy

Acetyl CoA, a product of the Pyruvate Dehydrogenase reaction, is a central compound in metabolism. The "high energy" thioester linkage makes it an excellent donor of the acetate moiety

For example, acetyl CoA functions as:

  • input to the Krebs Cycle, where the acetate moiety is further degraded to CO2.
  • donor of acetate for synthesis of fatty acids, ketone bodies, and cholesterol.

 

ATPs  formed in TCA cycle from one molecule of Pyruvate

1. 3ATP            7. 3ATP          5. 3 ATP                     

 8. 1 ATP         9. 2 ATP          11.3 ATP         Total =15 ATP.

 

 ATPS formed from one molecule of Acetyl CoA =12ATP

 

ATPs formed from one molecule of glucose after complete oxidation

One molecule of glucose -->2 molecules of pyruvate

['By glycolysis] ->8 ATP

2 molecules of pyruvate [By TCA cycle] -> 30 ATP

Total = 38 ATP

Thyroid Hormones

Thyroid hormones (T4 and T3) are tyrosine-based hormones produced by the follicular cells of the thyroid gland and are regulated by TSH made by the thyrotropes of the anterior pituitary gland, are primarily responsible for regulation of metabolism. Iodine is necessary for the production of T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine).

A deficiency of iodine leads to decreased production of T3 and T4, enlarges  the thyroid tissue and will cause the disease known as goitre.

Thyroid hormones are transported by Thyroid-Binding Globulin

Thyroxine binding globulin (TBG), a glycoprotein binds T4 and T3 and has the capacity to bind 20 μg/dL of plasma.

Diseases

1. Hyperthyroidism (an example is Graves Disease) is the clinical syndrome caused by an excess of circulating free thyroxine, free triiodothyronine, or both. It is a common disorder that affects approximately 2% of women and 0.2% of men.

2 Hypothyroidism (an example is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis) is the case where there is a deficiency of thyroxine, triiodiothyronine, or both.

Classification of Fatty Acids and Triglycerides

 

Short-chain: 2-4 carbon atoms

Medium-chain: 6-12 carbon atoms

Long-chain: 14-20 carbon atoms

Very long-chain: >20 carbon atoms

 

• are usually in esterified form as major components of other lipids

 

 

A16-carbon fatty acid, with one cis double bond between carbon atoms 9 and 10 may be represented as 16:1 cisD9.

 

Double bonds in fatty acids usually have the cis configuration. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have an even number of carbon atoms

 

Examples of fatty acids

18:0

stearic acid

18:1 cisD9    

oleic acid

18:2 cisD9,12

linoleic acid

18:3 cisD9,12,15  

linonenic acid 

20:4 cisD5,8,11,14   

arachidonic acid

 

 

There is free rotation about C-C bonds in the fatty acid hydrocarbon, except where there is a double bond. Each cis double bond causes a kink in the chain,

Sugar derivatives

Sugar alcohol - lacks an aldehyde or ketone. An example is ribitol.

Sugar acid - the aldehyde at C1, or the hydroxyl on the terminal carbon, is oxidized to a carboxylic acid. Examples are gluconic acid and glucuronic acid

Amino sugar - an amino group substitutes for one of the hydroxyls. An example is glucosamine. The amino group may be acetylated.

N-acetylneuraminate, (N-acetylneuraminic acid, also called sialic acid) is often found as a terminal residue of oligosaccharide chains of glycoproteins. Sialic acid imparts negative charge to glycoproteins, because its carboxyl group tends to dissociate a proton at physiological pH.

Glycosidic bonds: The anomeric hydroxyl group and a hydroxyl group of another sugar or some other compound can join together, splitting out water to form a glycosidic bond.

R-OH + HO-R'   → R-O-R' + H2O

Disaccharides: Maltose, a cleavage product of starch, is a disaccharide with an α (1→4) glycosidic linkage between the C1 hydroxyl of one glucose and the C4 hydroxyl of a second glucose. Maltose is the α anomer, because the O at C1  points down from the ring.

Cellobiose, a product of cellulose breakdown, is the otherwise equivalent β anomer.  The configuration at the anomeric C1 is β (O points up from the ring). The β(1→4) glycosidic linkage is represented as a "zig-zag" line, but one glucose residue is actually flipped over relative to the other.

 

Other disaccharides

  • Sucrose, common table sugar, has a glycosidic bond linking the anomeric hydroxyls of glucose and fructose. Because the configuration at the anomeric carbon of glucose is α (O points down from the ring), the linkage is designated α (1→2). The full name is α -D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2) β -D- fructopyranose.
  • Lactose, milk sugar, is composed of glucose and galactose with β (→4) linkage → the anomeric hydroxyl of galactose. Its full name is β -D-galactopyranosyl-(1→)- α -D-glucopyranose

Polysaccharides:

Plants store glucose as amylose or amylopectin, glucose polymers collectively called starch. Glucose storage in polymeric form minimizes osmotic effects

Amylose is a glucose polymer with α (1→4) glycosidic linkages, as represented above. The end of the polysaccharide with an anomeric carbon (C1) that is not involved in a glycosidic bond is called the reducing end

Amylopectin is a glucose polymer with mainly α (1→4) linkages, but it also has branches formed by α (1→6) linkages. The branches are generally longer than shown above. The branches produce a compact structure, and provide multiple chain ends at which enzymatic cleavage of the polymer can occur. 

Glycogen, the glucose storage polymer in animals, is similar in structure to amylopectin. But glycogen has more α (1→6) branches. The highly branched structure permits rapid release of glucose from glycogen stores, e.g., in muscle cells during exercise. The ability to rapidly mobilize glucose is more essential to animals than to plants.

 

Cellulose, a major constituent of plant cell walls, consists of long linear chains of glucose, with β (1→4) linkages. Every other glucose in cellulose is flipped over, due to the β linkages. This promotes intrachain and interchain hydrogen bonds, as well as van der Waals interactions, that cause cellulose chains to be straight and rigid, and pack with a crystalline arrangement in thick bundles called microfibrils.

Glycosaminoglycans (mucopolysaccharides) are polymers of repeating disaccharides. Within the disaccharides, the sugars tend to be modified, with acidic groups, amino groups, sulfated hydroxyl and amino groups, etc. Glycosaminoglycans tend to be negatively charged, because of the prevalence of acidic groups.

Hyaluronate is a glycosaminoglycan with a repeating disaccharide consisting of two glucose derivatives, glucuronate (glucuronic acid) and N-acetylglucosamine. The glycosidic linkages are β(1→3) and β(1→4).

When covalently linked to specific core proteins, glycosaminoglycans form complexes called proteoglycans. Some proteoglycans of the extracellular matrix in turn link non-covalently to hyaluronate via protein domains called link modules. For example, in cartilage multiple copies of the aggrecan proteoglycan bind to an extended hyaluronate backbone to form a large complex Versican, another proteoglycan that binds to hyaluronate, is in the extracellular matrix of loose connective tissues.

Heparan sulfate is initially synthesized on a membrane-embedded core protein as a polymer of alternating glucuronate and N-acetylglucosamine residues. Later, in segments of the polymer, glucuronate residues may be converted to a sulfated sugar called iduronic acid, while N-acetylglucosamine residues may be deacetylated and/or sulfated

Heparin, a glycosaminoglycan found in granules of mast cells, has a structure similar to that of heparan sulfates, but is relatively highly sulfated.

Some cell surface heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans remain covalently linked to core proteins embedded in the plasma membrane. Proteins involved in signaling and adhesion at the cell surface have been identified that recognize and bind segments of heparan sulfate chains having particular patterns of sulfation

Lectins are glycoproteins that recognize and bind to specific oligosaccharides.

  • Concanavalin A and wheat germ agglutinin are plant lectins that have been useful research tools
  • Mannan-binding lectin (MBL) is a glycoprotein found in blood plasma. It associates with cell surface carbohydrates of disease-causing microorganisms, promoting phagocytosis of these organisms as part of the immune response.
  • Selectins are integral proteins of the plasma membrane with lectin-like domains that protrude on the outer surface of mammalian cells. Selectins participate in cell-cell recognition and binding.

STEROIDS
Steroids  are the compounds containing a cyclic steroid nucleus  (or ring) namely cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene (CPPP).It consists of a phenanthrene  nucleus (rings A, B and C) to which a cyclopentane ring (D)  is attached.

Steroids  are the compounds containing a cyclic steroid nucleus  (or ring) namely cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene (CPPP).It consists of a phenanthrene  nucleus (rings A, B and C) to which a cyclopentane ring (D)  is attached.

There are several steroids in the biological system. These include cholesterol, bile acids, vitamin D, sex hormones, adrenocortical hormones,sitosterols, cardiac glycosides and alkaloids

General structure of amino acids

  • All organisms use same 20 amino acids.
  • Variation in order of amino acids in polypeptides allow limitless variation.
  • All amino acids made up of a chiral carbon attached to 4 different groups      

 - hydrogen
 - amino group
 - carboxyl
 - R group: varies between different amino acids

  • Two stereoisomers (mirror images of one another) can exist for each amino acid. Such stereoisomers are called enantiomers. All amino acids found in proteins are in the L configuration.
  • Amino acids are zwitterions at physiological pH 7.4. ( i.e. dipolar ions). Some side chains can also be ionized

Structures of the 20 common amino acids

  • Side chains of the 20 amino acids vary. Properties of side chains greatly influence overall conformation of protein. E.g. hydrophobic side chains in water-soluble proteins fold into interior of protein
  • Some side chains are nonpolar (hydrophobic), others are polar or ionizable at physiological pH (hydrophilic).
  • Side chains fall into several chemical classes: aliphatic, aromatic, sulfur-containing, alcohols, bases, acids, and amides. Also catagorized as to hydrophobic vs hydrophilic.
  • Must know 3-letter code for each amino acid.

Aliphatic R Groups

  • Glycine: least complex structure. Not chiral. Side chain small enough to fit into niches too small for other amino acids.
  • Alanine, Valine, Leucine, Isoleucine
    • no reactive functional groups      
    • highly hydrophobic: play important role in maintaining 3-D structures of proteins because of their tendency to cluster away from water
  • Proline has cyclic side chain called a pyrolidine ring. Restricts geometry of polypeptides, sometimes introducing abrupt changes in direction of polypeptide chain.

Aromatic R Groups

  • Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Tryptophan
    • Phe has benzene ring therefore hydrophobic.  
    • Tyr and Trp have side chains with polar groups, therefore less hydrophobic than Phe.
    • Absorb UV  280 nm. Therefore used to estimate concentration of proteins.

Sulfur-containing R Groups

  • Methionine and Cysteine)
    • Met is hydrophobic. Sulfur atom is nucleophilic.
    • Cys somewhat hydrophobic. Highly reactive. Form disulfide bridges and may stabilize 3-D structure of proteins by cross-linking Cys residues in peptide chains.

Side Chains with Alcohol Groups

  • Serine and Threonine
    • have uncharged polar side chains. Alcohol groups give hydrophilic character.
    • weakly ionizable.

Basic R Groups

  • Histidine, Lysine, and Arginine.
    • have hydrophilic side chains that are nitrogenous bases and positively charged at physiological pH.
    • Arg is most basic a.a., and contribute positive charges to proteins.

Acidic R Groups and their Amide derivatives

  • Aspartate, Glutamate
    • are dicarboxylic acids, ionizable at physiological pH. Confer a negative charge on proteins.
  • Asparagine, Glutamine
    • amides of Asp and Glu rspectively
    • highly polar and often found on surface of proteins
    • polar amide groups can form H-bonds with atoms in other amino acids with polar side chains.

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