Biochemistry : Biochemistry

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Biochemistry

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Citric Acid Cycle Enzymes

The enzyme aconitase is responsible for catalyzing which of the following reactions?

Possible Answers:

The conversion of succinyl-CoA to succinate

The conversion of citrate to isocitrate

The conversion of malate to fumarate

The converstion of isocitrate to alpha-ketoglutarate

Correct answer:

The conversion of citrate to isocitrate

Explanation:

The first step of the citric acid cycle involves the combination of acetyl-CoA with oxaloacetate, producing citrate. Next, aconitase catalyzes the isomerization of citrate to isocitrate, via the intermediate known as cis-aconitate. The conversion of isocitrate to alpha-ketoglutarate is catalyzed by isocitrate dehydrogenase. The citric acid cycle involves the conversion of fumarate to malate, not the reverse, although some bacteria do the reverse citric acid cycle to produce complex organic compounds. Succinyl-CoA is converted to succinate via succinyl-CoA synthetase (also known as succinate thiokinase).

Example Question #1 : Citric Acid Cycle

Which enzyme of the citric acid cycle is membrane-bound?

Possible Answers:

Aconitase 

None of the Krebs cycle enzymes are membrane-bound

Isocitrate dehydrogenase

Succinate dehydrogenase

Succinyl-CoA synthetase 

Correct answer:

Succinate dehydrogenase

Explanation:

Succinate dehydrogenase (also known as succinate-coenzyme Q reductase or complex II) is bound to the inner mitochondrial membrane. It participates in both the citric acid cycle and the electron transport chain. Aconitase is an enzyme involved in glycolysis, not the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle).

Example Question #1 : Citric Acid Cycle

Which of the following enzymes would be inhibited by the addition of NADH?

Possible Answers:

Isocitrate dehydrogenase

Alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase

More than one of these

Fumarase

Citrate synthase

Correct answer:

More than one of these

Explanation:

All enzymes that have NADH as a product would be inhibited by the addition of NADH. The correct answers are citrate synthase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. Pyruvate dehydrogenase, which synthesizes acetyl-CoA from pyruvate, is also inhibited by NADH.

Example Question #2 : Citric Acid Cycle Enzymes

Glucose is converted to pyruvate through glycolysis, and pyruvate must then be converted into acetyl-CoA in order to enter the citric acid cycle.

What is the name of the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of pyruvate into acetyl-CoA?

Possible Answers:

Pyruvate dehydrogenase 

Aconitase

Pyruvate synthase

Phosphofructokinase

Pyruvate kinase

Correct answer:

Pyruvate dehydrogenase 

Explanation:

Each enzyme listed in the answer choices catalyzes a reaction in glycolysis or the citric acid cycle, but pyruvate dehydrogenase is the only one responsible for converting pyruvate to acetyl-CoA. Pyruvate is decarboxylated (removal of a ) and this is replaced with an S-CoA group, forming the necessary acetyl-CoA molecule to feed into the citric acid cycle. 

Example Question #2 : Citric Acid Cycle

Which citric acid cycle enzyme uses ?

Possible Answers:

Malate dehydrogenase

Alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase

Succinate dehydrogenase

Citrate synthase

Correct answer:

Succinate dehydrogenase

Explanation:

Succinate dehydrogenase is the only enzyme in the citric acid cycle to use . The other dehydrogenases use  while citrate synthase performs an unrelated reaction using acetyl-CoA.

Example Question #2 : Citric Acid Cycle Enzymes

Which of the following citric acid cycle enzymes carries out a reversible reaction?

Possible Answers:

Malate dehydrogenase

Alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase

Citrate synthase

Isocitrate dehydrogenase 

Correct answer:

Malate dehydrogenase

Explanation:

Malate dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of malate to oxaloacetate and vice versa, while the other enzymes are the three irreversible steps in the citric acid cycle.

Example Question #1 : Citric Acid Cycle

In the context of the citric acid cycle, the action of succinate dehydrogenase results in the formation of which of these?

Possible Answers:

Malate and 

Fumarate and 

Oxaloacetate

 and Citrate

 and Fumarate

Correct answer:

Fumarate and 

Explanation:

Succinate dehydrogenase catalyzes the reaction from succinate to fumarate.  A byproduct of this reaction is the formation of  from .  

Example Question #1 : Citric Acid Cycle

Which of the following enzymes does not catalyze a reaction within the citric acid cycle?

Possible Answers:

Succinyl-CoA synthetase

Fumarase

Isocitrate dehydrogenase

Pyruvate kinase

Alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase 

Correct answer:

Pyruvate kinase

Explanation:

The only enzyme listed in the answer choices that does not catalyze a reaction within the citric acid cycle is pyruvate kinase. Pyruvate kinase is an important enzyme in the final step of glycolysis, as it catalyzes the conversion of phosphoenolpyruvate and ADP to pyruvate and ATP. This reaction is not contained within the citric acid cycle though, and therefore pyruvate kinase does not catalyze any reactions in the citric acid cycle.

Each of the other enzymes listed catalyzes reactions within the citric acid cycle, as follows:

Isocitrate dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of isocitrate to alpha-ketoglutarate. 

Alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of alpha-ketoglutarate to succinyl-CoA. 

Succinyl-CoA synthetase catalyzes the conversion of succinyl-CoA to succinate. 

Fumarase catalyzes the conversion of fumarate to malate. 

Example Question #11 : Citric Acid Cycle

Which of the following enzymes catalyzes a reaction within the citric acid cycle?

Possible Answers:

Isocitrate dehydrogenase

Pyruvate kinase

Enolase

Phosphoglycerate kinase

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase

Correct answer:

Isocitrate dehydrogenase

Explanation:

The only enzyme listed in the answer choices that catalyzes a reaction within the citric acid cycle is isocitrate dehydrogenase, as it catalyzes the formation of alpha-ketoglutarate, carbon dioxide, NADH, and a proton, from isocitrate and .

Each of the other enzymes listed do not catalyze reactions within the citric acid cycle, but rather they catalyze reactions within glycolysis, as follows:

Pyruvate kinase catalyzes the conversion of phosphoenolpyruvate and ADP to pyruvate and ATP.

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, , and inorganic phosphate to 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate, NADH, and a proton.

Phosphoglycerate kinase catalyzes the conversion of 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate and ADP to 3-phosphoglycerate and ATP.

Enolase catalyzes the conversion of 2-phosphoglycerate to phosphoenolpyruvate.

Example Question #11 : Citric Acid Cycle Enzymes

Which of the following citric acid cycle enzymes catalyzes a reaction that results in the production of a molecule of ?

Possible Answers:

Pyruvate kinase

Aconitase

Isocitrate dehydrogenase

Succinate dehydrogenase

Fumarase

Correct answer:

Succinate dehydrogenase

Explanation:

The only enzyme listed that participates in the citric acid cycle and catalyzes a step producing  is succinate dehydrogenase. Succinate dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of succinate and FAD to fumarate and

Pyruvate kinase is incorrect as it neither participates in the citric acid cycle (it is part of glycolysis), nor catalyzes a reaction that produces

Isocitrate dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of isocitrate and  to alpha-ketoglutarate, NADH, , and CO2, but not .

Fumarase catalyzes the conversion of fumarate and  to malate, but not .

Aconitase catalyzes the conversion of cis-aconitate and  to isocitrate, but not

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