Biology Chapter on Macromolecules and Pharmacology

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following is a monomer that can be linked to form a larger macromolecule?

Glucose

ATP

Oleic Acid

All of the above (correct)

What is the process called where monomers link together to form larger polymers?

Hydrolysis

Monomerization

Dehydration synthesis (correct)

Polymerization

A polymer is formed when...

Two or more monomers bond together (correct)

A molecule gains water

A molecule loses water

A monomer is broken down into smaller units

What is the difference between a dimer and a polymer?

A dimer is made of two monomers, while a polymer is made of two or more monomers (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a type of fatty acid?

Oleic Acid (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a type of nucleotide?

GTP (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a monosaccharide?

Glucose (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main function of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) in cells?

Providing energy (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of macromolecules?

They are always linear chains (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is the central unifying principle of pharmacology?

The lawful functional relationship between concentration of a chemical and a physiological response (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the independent variable in the study of pharmacological effects?

The chemical concentration (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the study of how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and eliminated from the body?

Pharmacokinetics (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT considered an application of pharmacology?

Medical Imaging (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of pharmacodynamics?

How the drug affects the body (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the polymer that forms from the monomer glucose?

Amylose (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the process by which a drug is broken down in the body?

Metabolism (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a key component of ADME?

Excretion (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of an agonist?

It binds to a receptor and initiates a physiological response. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a biomolecule?

Glucose (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which branch of pharmacology focuses on the study of natural sources of drugs?

Pharmacognosy (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the process by which proteins assemble into larger, multi-protein complexes?

Multimerization (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used for the interaction between a drug and its target molecule?

Ligand/receptor interaction (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of a protein that is made up of four different polypeptide chains?

Heterotetramer (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main goal of experimental therapeutics?

Studying the effects of drugs on living organisms (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a lipid monomer?

Glycerol (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of a receptor?

To initiate a physiological response when bound to an agonist (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a protein domain?

A transmembrane spanning region of a protein (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between an oligomer and a polymer?

Oligomers contain a few monomer units, while polymers contain many monomer units. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a protein?

Proteins are always linear molecules. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Important Organic Molecules Used by Cells

Monosaccharides: These include glucose and fructose.
Nucleotides: These include ATP (adenosine triphosphate), AMP (adenosine monophosphate), and GTP (guanosine triphosphate).
Fatty Acids: These are a type of lipid and include Oleic Acid and Omega 3 Fatty Acids.
Amino Acids: Examples are glutamate (glutamic acid), tryptophan, serine, and threonine.

Biological Macromolecules

Polymerization: A key feature of macromolecules; effectively assembles building blocks into large complex molecules.
Monomer: Each building block unit is called a monomer; this action is called polymerization.
Dimer, Trimer, etc.: Combinations of monomers; two units make a dimer, three units a trimer, four a tetramer, etc. Oligomers consist of few monomers, polymers have many.
Functions of Building Blocks: Building block units can have independent biological functions, separate from their role in polymerization. Examples: ATP (energy currency), glucose (nutrient), glutamic acid (nutrient and neurotransmitter).

Examples of Monomers/Polymers

Carbohydrates: Glucose forms polymers like amylose (starch) through polymerization.
Nucleic Acids: AMP (adenosine monophosphate) forms polymers like RNA through polymerization.

Examples of Lipid Monomers/Polymers

Lipids: The general categories of monomers (e.g., methylene group, fatty acid palmitic acid). These monomers make triglycerides and phospholipids.

Peptides and Proteins

Peptides/Proteins: Formed by the polymerization of amino acids.
Oligopeptides/Polypeptides: Short or long chains of amino acids.
Structure: Amino acid structure includes an amino group, hydrogen, a carboxyl group, and a variable "R-group", which dictate the structure.
Protein Structures: Polypeptides: primary sequence, secondary (alpha helix, pleated sheet), tertiary, and quaternary structures.

Protein Folding

Complex Structures: Polypeptides fold to create the protein's complex structures.

Protein Multimerization

Functional Units: Proteins combine to form larger, more complex, functional units (heterotetrameric pore-forming and regulatory subunits -for example, voltage-gated potassium channels).

Protein Domains

Structural Complexity: Repeating structural features (domains) within proteins build further structural complexity (e.g., transmembrane domains in G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)).

Protein Versatility

Diverse Functions: Protein chemistry produces a vast array of structures and therefore diverse functions (e.g., bradykinin, a peptide hormone, involved in blood pressure regulation).

Definitions

Ligand: A molecule that forms a complex (binds to) a biomolecule.
Biomolecule: A molecule generated by a living organism, examples are proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids.
Agonist: A ligand that causes a physiological response (external chemical signal) by binding to a receptor.
Receptor: A biomolecule that initiates a physiological function when it forms a complex with an agonist.
Antagonist: A ligand that interferes with or blocks agonist-mediated receptor activation of physiology

Pharmacology

Definition: Experimental study of chemical control of physiology.
Knowledge Gain: Pharmacology gains knowledge by precisely controlling physiological functions via precise exogenous application of chemicals.
Lawful Relationship: Pharmacology defines the lawful functional relationship between the concentration of a chemical and its physiological response (the concentration-response or dose-response function).
Basic Science & Applications: Pharmacology is crucial in understanding drug interactions and developing medical treatments (pharmacy, modern therapeutics, pharmacognosy, experimental therapeutics, drug discovery).
Pharmacodynamics: A subfield of pharmacology focusing on drug/receptor interactions, and how the drug works in the body.
Pharmacokinetics: The actions that occur in the body to the drug. This includes ADME, and how the body metabolizes, distributes and removes drugs.

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Description

Test your knowledge on macromolecules and pharmacology concepts with this quiz! Explore topics such as monomers, polymers, fatty acids, nucleotides, and the principles of drug interaction in biological systems. Perfect for biology students seeking to reinforce their understanding of these essential topics.