Cell and Molecular Biology 275 Study Guide

**Cell and Molecular Biology 275 Study Guide** **Introduction to Proteins** - What are the macromolecules that are considered polymers? What is an example of a non-polymeric chained macromolecule? What's the distinction? - Be familiar with the 9 main functions (classes) of proteins -...

**Cell and Molecular Biology 275 Study Guide** **Introduction to Proteins** - What are the macromolecules that are considered polymers? What is an example of a non-polymeric chained macromolecule? What's the distinction? - Be familiar with the 9 main functions (classes) of proteins - Be able to draw by hand from scratch the common structure that all amino acids share, using "R" in your picture to generically represent the side chain. - Be able to identify by sight the identity of all 20 amino acid side chains if shown to you as a stick-figure molecule. - Be able to say whether the amino acid is polar/nonpolar, charged/uncharged, hydrophilic/hydrophobic. Use the "tricks" we discussed in lecture to help you *think* about what you are seeing, not just trying rote memorization! - Know both the 3 letter and 1 letter abbreviations used for amino acids - What are peptide bonds? Which parts of the amino acid molecule participate in adding to the elongating polypeptide backbone? - When do we call an amino acid a "residue"? Why is this name appropriate? - Understand that most times when a folded protein is shown as a squiggly line drawing, that is the path of the polypeptide backbone -- all the amino acid side chains are omitted for clarity. - What are the four types of side chain-to-side chain bonds involved in protein folding? Why are some stronger than others? - Understand what is meant by the Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, and (sometimes) Quaternary structure of proteins.