MCAT Section Bank Concepts Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What does the induced fit model describe?

Enzymes cannot change shape.

Substrates always fit into the active site perfectly.

The active site remains the same.

The active site undergoes a shape change to more effectively bind its substrate. (correct)

What is the relationship between photon energy and radiation frequency?

Photon energy is proportional to radiation frequency.

What do transferase enzymes do?

Transfer functional groups.

What does Tm refer to?

The temperature at which half the proteins in solution are denatured. Signup and view all the answers

Define Kcat.

Turnover number. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of Km?

Substrate concentration at 1/2 Vmax. Signup and view all the answers

How many hydrogen bond donors and acceptors does adenine have?

1 donor, 1 acceptor. Signup and view all the answers

What would contribute to a high pI?

Basic residues. Signup and view all the answers

What is a requirement of a reducing sugar?

Hemiacetal end. Signup and view all the answers

What is the biggest contributor to the stabilization of glycerol binding?

Hydrogen bonds. Signup and view all the answers

What indicates the presence of cysteine?

Covalent bonds due to disulfide linked dimer. Signup and view all the answers

What shape does the curve of unfolding of proteins have?

Sigmoidal curve. Signup and view all the answers

What is the electric field equation?

E = v/d. Signup and view all the answers

What does the standard free energy change equation represent?

Delta G = -RT lnKeq. Signup and view all the answers

Define catalytic efficiency.

Kcat/Km. Signup and view all the answers

What does cDNA cloning use?

DNA polymerase, DNA ligase, reverse transcriptase. Signup and view all the answers

What does NADPH being converted to NADP+ indicate?

NADPH is being oxidized. Signup and view all the answers

What happens during deamidation?

Releases NH3. Signup and view all the answers

What are monozygotic twins?

Identical twins formed when one zygote splits into two separate masses of cells. Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of demographic?

Race/ethnicity. Signup and view all the answers

What is the looking-glass self?

An image of yourself based on what you believe others think of you. Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of cocaine?

Stimulant. Signup and view all the answers

What is the rank of vertical mobility?

The movement of an individual from one social position to another of a different rank. Signup and view all the answers

What is the theory behind signal detection?

Dependent on strength and psychological factors. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Chemistry and Physics Concepts

Induced Fit Model: Active site changes shape to better bind substrate.
Photon Energy: Proportional to radiation frequency.
Transferase Enzymes: Function to transfer functional groups between molecules.
Tm (Melting Temperature): Temperature where half of proteins in solution denatured.
Kcat (Turnover Number): Rate-limiting step under saturating substrate conditions; lower y-intercept indicates higher Kcat.
Km (Michaelis Constant): Substrate concentration at which reaction rate is half of Vmax.

Hydrogen Bonding in Nucleotides

Adenine: One hydrogen bond donor and one acceptor.
Thymine: One hydrogen bond donor and one acceptor.
Guanine: Two hydrogen bond donors and one acceptor.
Cytosine: One hydrogen bond donor and two acceptors.

Biochemical Properties and Reactions

High pI: Contributed by basic residues.
Reducing Sugar Requirement: Must have a hemiacetal end.
pH Effects: High pH leads to deprotonation; low pH leads to protonation.
Cysteine Presence: Indicates covalent disulfide bonds in dimers.
Protein Unfolding Curve: Sigmoidal shape due to cooperative processes.

Enzyme Kinetics

Catalytic Efficiency: Calculated as Kcat/Km; low Kcat and high Km decrease efficiency.
Uncompetitive Inhibitors: More effective at high substrate concentration; lower both Km and Vmax.
Lineweaver-Burk Plot Slope: Km/Vmax.
Competitive Inhibitors: Do not affect Vmax; solely increase Km.

Structural Biology

Transmembrane Helices: Comprised of stretches of hydrophobic amino acids.
Dimerization: Interaction of two receptor proteins to form functional complexes.
Phosphodiester Bonds: Link adjacent nucleotides in DNA, not involved in tertiary structure stabilization.

Protein Separation Techniques

Isoelectric Focusing and Ion Exchange Chromatography: Separate proteins based on charge.
SDS-PAGE: Separates proteins based on mass.
Affinity Chromatography: Separates proteins based on ligand interactions.

Metabolism and Enzyme Functions

Glucose-6-Phosphatase: Active in both gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis.
Glycogen Phosphorylase: Catalyzes the rate-limiting step of glycogen breakdown.
Glycerol: Acts as a gluconeogenesis precursor.
Phosphogluconate: Involved in pentose phosphate pathway, not gluconeogenesis.

Molecular Biology Techniques

cDNA Cloning Tools: Utilizes DNA polymerase, DNA ligase, and reverse transcriptase; RNA polymerase is not used.
Deamidation Reaction: Releases ammonia (NH3).
Hill Coefficient: Measures cooperativity; values greater than 1 indicate positive cooperativity.

Psychology and Sociology Concepts

Hypothalamus: Maintains homeostasis but does not influence learning and attention.
Cocaine: Acts as a stimulant; mirrors stress response affecting glucose metabolism.
Monozygotic Twins: Identical twins from a single zygote splitting into two embryos.
Social Epidemiology: Examines the impact of social and cultural factors on disease patterns.

Behavioral Theories and Models

Looking-Glass Self: Self-image shaped by perceived views of others.
Demographic Transition Theory: Describes the decrease in birth and death rates.
General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS): Stress response with three phases: alarm, resistance, exhaustion.
Signal Detection Theory: Relies on stimulus strength and psychological factors.

Neurology and Cognition

fMRI: Measures brain activity through blood flow changes.
Fluid Intelligence: The ability to solve problems and think on one’s feet.
Effect of Severed Corpus Callosum: Individuals can name objects presented to the right side due to left hemisphere processing.

Vertical Mobility: Movement between social positions of different ranks.
McDonaldization: Describes the spread of efficiency and dehumanization in modern society.

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Test your understanding of important concepts from the MCAT AAMC Section Bank with these flashcards. Each card covers essential terms and definitions in chemistry and physics relevant to the exam. Perfect for quick reviews and memorization as you prepare for the MCAT.