Biochemistry : Fundamental Macromolecules and Concepts

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Biochemistry

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Example Questions

Example Question #113 : Macromolecule Fundamentals

Which group is not present in a phosphatidic acid?

Possible Answers:

Glycerol

Choline

Phosphate

Fatty acids

Correct answer:

Choline

Explanation:

Phosphatidic acids consist of all of the structures listed, except for choline. Choline is a nitrogen-containing salt with an alcohol group. It is a precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and some classes of phospholipids including sphingomyelin and phosphatidylcholine.

Example Question #13 : Lipids

Which of these statements is false?

Possible Answers:

Unsaturated fatty acids cause higher levels of LDL than saturated fatty acids.

Saturated fats decrease the ratio of HDL to LDL in the blood.

Heart disease is associated with diets high in saturated fatty acids.

Plant oils contain extremely low quantities of cholesterol.

Plant oils are healthier because they generally contain more unsaturated fats than found in animal fats.

Correct answer:

Unsaturated fatty acids cause higher levels of LDL than saturated fatty acids.

Explanation:

Unsaturated fatty acids lead to lower LDL levels ("bad cholesterol") than saturated fatty acids. Thus, unsaturated fatty acids are healthier than saturated fatty acids. Plant oils do contain more unsaturated fatty acids than saturated fatty acids, so they are much healthier than animal fats - also note that cholesterol is largely an animal-derived lipid and is almost exclusively found in animal fats (however some research shows that very low levels of cholesterol may be found in some plant products). Saturated fatty acids also lead to higher LDL levels ("bad cholesterol"), which accelerate heart disease.

Example Question #14 : Lipids

Which of these vitamins is lipid-soluble?

Possible Answers:

Vitamin C

Vitamin D

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B12

Correct answer:

Vitamin D

Explanation:

Lipid-soluble vitamins are soluble in lipids (fats). These vitamins are absorbed into the body and then stored in body tissues. Water-soluble vitamins, by contrast, are soluble in water and do not store for long periods of time in the body; they are easily eliminated through urine. There are 4 lipid-soluble vitamins. These are vitamins A, D, E, and K. In contrast, thw water-soluble vitamins are B complex and C.

Example Question #15 : Lipids

Which of the following is not a major type of membrane lipid?

Possible Answers:

These are all major types of membrane lipids

Cholesterol

Glycolipid

Free fatty acid

Phospholipid

Correct answer:

Free fatty acid

Explanation:

Glycolipids, phospholipids, and cholesterol are all major components of membranes.  Free fatty acids, however, are not found freely in membranes.  Free fatty acids are the tails in phospholipids, sphingolipids and other lipid derivatives, but not cholesterol.

Example Question #16 : Lipids

Why are lipids insoluble in water?

Possible Answers:

Lipids are nonpolar, while water is polar.

All lipids dissolve at least somewhat in water.

Lipids are polar, while water is nonpolar.

All lipids dissolve completely in water.

Correct answer:

Lipids are nonpolar, while water is polar.

Explanation:

Lipids are nonpolar substances, meaning that they are hydrophobic ("water-fearing"). Water, meanwhile, is polar. A common statement to remember in biochemistry is "like dissolves like." This means that polar substances will dissolve other polar substances, while nonpolar substances will dissolve other nonpolar substances. Polar and nonpolar substances do not mix; thus, lipids and water cannot mix.

Example Question #17 : Lipids

Which is not a characteristic of an unsaturated fatty acid?

Possible Answers:

An amino group

One or more double bonds

A lower boiling point than a saturated fatty acid of the same length.

A smaller number of hydrogens than a saturated fat acid of the same length

A bent or "kinked" structure

Correct answer:

An amino group

Explanation:

The key to this question is realizing that unsaturated fatty acids contain one or more double bonds, while saturated fatty acids contain no double bonds. From that information, you can make inferences about most of the other answer choices. Because of the double bonds within an unsaturated fatty acid, there are fewer hydrogens attached to the carbon molecules. Additionally, the double bonds result in a bent/kinked structure. Furthermore, this bent/kinked structure results in a lower boiling point. This structure disrupts packing, and reduces the van der Waals interactions, thus reducing the boiling point. Finally, fatty acids do not contain amino groups, so this is the correct answer.

Example Question #18 : Lipids

Cholesterol has what effect on membrane fluidity at low temperatures?

Possible Answers:

Decreases membrane fluidity

It depends on the cell type

Increases membrane fluidity

The same effect as it would at high temperatures

No change in membrane fluidity

Correct answer:

Increases membrane fluidity

Explanation:

The amount of cholesterol within a membrane has a unique effect on the fluidity. At low temperatures, it increases fluidity. At high temperatures it decreases fluidity. The best way to remember this is to think of cholesterol as maintaining optimal fluidity in a membrane. With higher temperatures alone, fluidity increases, and cholesterol acts to counter that increase.  The opposite is true at low temperatures; fluidity decreases, and cholesterol acts to oppose that decrease.

Example Question #19 : Lipids

Saponification involves cleavage of what type of bond?

Possible Answers:

Anhydride bond

Ester bond

Glycosidic bond

Peptide bond

Correct answer:

Ester bond

Explanation:

Saponification is the general term for a chemical reaction between an acid and a base to form a salt. This process can be used to make soap (the salt) if one mixes an oil or fat (the acid) with lye (the base). Triglycerides (triesters) are the main materials that are saponified. We can saponify triglycerides by treating them with a strong base (such as lye), which accelerates cleavage of the ester bond to release the fatty acid and glycerol. Soap can then be precipitated by a salting out process.

Example Question #21 : Lipids

Which of these are not found in cell membranes?

Possible Answers:

Phosphoacylglycerols

Triacylglycerols

Cholesterol

Glycolipids

Correct answer:

Triacylglycerols

Explanation:

Phosphoacylglycerols, glycolipids, and cholesterol are all part of cell membranes. Phosphoacylglycerols and glycolipids are major components of cell membranes. Glycolipids mainly have a communicative role in which they act as markers for cell recognition. They also provide stability for the cell and help form tissues. Cholesterol helps maintain the fluidity of cell membranes, along with securing important proteins in the membrane.

Triacylglycerols, however, are not found in cell membranes. These are triesters formed by esterification of three fatty acids to glycerol. Oils are triacylglycerols that are liquids at room temperature, while fats are triacylglycerols that are solids at room temperature. Triacylglycerols are stored forms of energy for living systems.

Example Question #22 : Lipids

Which of these fatty acids is expected to have the highest melting point?

Possible Answers:

16:3

20:0

14:3

12:0

18:0

Correct answer:

20:0

Explanation:

The less double bonds there are (sites of unsaturation) and the more carbons there are in a fatty acid, the higher the melting point for a fatty acid. This is due to the difference in the three-dimensional chemical shape of such fatty acids - saturated fatty acids have linear hydrocarbon chains, which allows them to stack closely together and maximize intermolecular forces within the chains whereas unsaturated fatty acids contain a "kink" in their hydrocarbon chains, which does not allow two unsaturated fatty acids to associate very closely to one another, thereby not maximizing intermolecular forces of attraction between them. This means that the saturated fatty acids require more energy to overcome the higher quantity of intermolecular forces in order for a phase change to occur than do unsaturated fatty acids. Based on this reasoning, the 20:0 fatty acid (which has 20 carbons and zero double bonds) is expected to have the highest melting point. 

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