GRE Subject Test: Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology : Cell Biology

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Subject Test: Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology

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Example Questions

Example Question #3 : Protein Regulation

Which of the following is a protein modification that can initiate the degradation of the modified protein? 

Possible Answers:

Palmitoylation

Ubiquitination

Myristoylation

Isoprenylation

Glycosylation

Correct answer:

Ubiquitination

Explanation:

The correct answer is ubiquitination. Ubiquitin is added to the substrate protein to target the protein for degradation by the proteasome, serving as an efficient mechansim to control cellular protein levels. Myristoylation, palmitoylation, isoprenylation, and glycosylation are all post-translational protein modifications that involve the addition of a 14-carbon saturated acid, a 16-carbon saturated acid, an isoprenoid group, and a glycosyl group, respectively. These modifications have diverse functions, however, do not initiate the degradation of the protein.  

Example Question #4 : Protein Regulation

Lipidation is a post-translational modification to a protein that often targets that protein to the plasma membrane. Knowing that lipidation involves covalent bonding of a fatty acid group to a protein, which of the following molecules would be most likely to be attached to a protein for anchorage to a membrane?

Possible Answers:

Tyrosine

Histidine

Phosphate

Acetyl 

Palmitate

Correct answer:

Palmitate

Explanation:

While each of these molecules could potentially be bound to a protein as a post-translational modification, the only one listed that is a fatty acid is palmitate. Thus, this is the correct answer. 

Example Question #5 : Protein Regulation

In order for kinases to modify their substrates, what small molecule is needed for this reversible post-translational modification? 

Possible Answers:

Adenosine triphosphate 

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide 

Flavin adenine dinucleotide 

Guanine nucleotide exchange factor

Correct answer:

Adenosine triphosphate 

Explanation:

The correct answer is adenosine triphosphate (ATP). In order to phosphorylate a substrate, kinases catalyze the hydrolysis of ATP to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and inorganic phosphate. This released phosphate by the hydrolysis reaction is covalently added to an amino acid residue on the substrate. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, flavin adenine dinucleotide, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide are proton carriers. Guanine nucleotide exchange factor aids in exchanging guanine diphosphate for guanine triphosphate in a substrate. 

Example Question #6 : Protein Regulation

Ubiquitination of proteins is a form of post-translational modification on proteins. Which of the following cellular processes is protein ubiquitination not part of? 

Possible Answers:

All of the answers are cellular processes in which ubiquitination is involved

Apoptosis 

Protein recruitment to substrates

Protein degredation

Immune response

Correct answer:

All of the answers are cellular processes in which ubiquitination is involved

Explanation:

The correct answer is all of the answers are cellular processes in which ubiquitination is involved. Post-translational ubiquitination of proteins initiates many cellular processes by altering protein activity and the proteins that interact with the ubiquitinated protein. 

Example Question #7 : Protein Regulation

What type of enzyme adds a phosphate group to a protein?

Possible Answers:

Hydrolase

Dehydrogenase

Phosphatase

Catalase

Kinase

Correct answer:

Kinase

Explanation:

A kinase is an enzyme that adds a phosphate group. Do not get this confused with a phosphatase. A phosphatase is an enzyme that removes a phosphate group. The other enzymes listed do not deal with the addition or removal of a phosphate group from a protein.

Example Question #8 : Protein Regulation

Which of the following are means of controlling protein concentrations?

Possible Answers:

Polyubiquination 

RNAi

All of these are means of controlling protein concentration

Gene silencing

Correct answer:

All of these are means of controlling protein concentration

Explanation:

All of the given answers are ways that a cell may regulate protein concentrations. Polyubiquination is a signal for the protein to be degraded by a proteasome. Gene silencing will prevent transcription, which will lower the amount of mRNA template that can be translated into a protein. RNAi will degrade specific mRNAs or prevent the translation of specific mRNAs into proteins.

Example Question #1 : Help With Protein Degradation

Proteins are brought to a __________ for degradation after they undergo __________

Possible Answers:

lysosome . . . glycosylation

proteasome . . . glycosylation

lysosome . . . polyubiquination

proteasome . . . polyubiquination

Correct answer:

proteasome . . . polyubiquination

Explanation:

Polyubiquination is a modification results from the binding of small ubiquitin residues to a protein. Polyubiquination of a protein signals damage or problems with functionality, and triggers the mechanisms that result in protein degradation. The polyubiquinated protein is then brought to a proteasome (a complex of proteins) that will degrade the protein.

Glycosylation involves the attachment of a carbohydrate complex to a protein. The identity of the carbohydrate is essential for determining the functional outcome of glycosylation, but generally results in signaling and transport labels for the protein. Glycosylation is not by itself a signal to be brought to either a proteasome or a lysosome.

Example Question #300 : Gre Subject Test: Biochemistry, Cell, And Molecular Biology

Which of the following answers best describes the sequence of events carried out by enzymes E1, E2, and E3 in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway?

Possible Answers:

E1 transfers ATP to target proteins, E2 processes target proteins, and E3 degrades proteins through ATP-dependent complexes. 

E1 activates autophagosomes which fuse with proteins marked for degradation. E2 adds ubiquitin molecules to proteins within the autophagosome, and E3 activates acids to degrade the marked proteins. 

E1 senses cellular stress and activates E2, which phosphorylates E3 to conjugate ubiquitin to proteins to target them for post-translational modifications like acetylation. 

E1 activates ubiquitin molecules, E2 carries activated ubiquitin molecules to E3, and E3 covalently attaches activated ubiquitin molecules to a protein to mark it for degradation by a protease complex.

E1, E2, and E3 are all redundant in their activity within the protein destruction pathway; each covalently attach ubiquitin to target proteins to mark them for degradation by the proteasome. 

Correct answer:

E1 activates ubiquitin molecules, E2 carries activated ubiquitin molecules to E3, and E3 covalently attaches activated ubiquitin molecules to a protein to mark it for degradation by a protease complex.

Explanation:

E1, E2, and E3 all have unique activities that progress step-wise to activate ubiquitin and then attach those ubiquitins to mark a protein for degradation. Their functions are not redundant, nor do they activate acids, autophagosomes or ATP complexes over the course of their pathways. 

Example Question #2 : Help With Protein Degradation

Ubiquitination of a protein is one way to mediate protein degradation, however, ubiquitination is only a signal. What is ultimately responsible for ubiquitin-mediated degradation of a protein?

Possible Answers:

Proteasome

Peroxisome

Hydrolysis

None of these

Lysosome

Correct answer:

Proteasome

Explanation:

The correct answer is proteasome. Ubiquitination of a protein signals for the proteasome to degrade it and recycle the ubiquitin. Alternatively, the lysosome does degrade proteins, however, this process is independent of ubiquitin. The peroxisome is responsible for the degradation of fatty acids, certain amino acids, and reactive oxygen species. Hydrolysis simply refers to a chemical mechanism that splits apart a compound by the addition of water, it does not however, describe an organelle or cellular compartment that is reponsible for protein degradation. 

Example Question #33 : Cellular Processes

The ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation process targets proteins to which cellular structure for degradation? 

Possible Answers:

Lysosome 

Endoplasmic reticulum

Golgi

Vesicle 

Proteasome

Correct answer:

Proteasome

Explanation:

The correct answer is proteasome. There are two general protein degradation processes: the first involving the lysosome and the second involving the proteasome. Lysosomal protein degradation is non-selective and occurs during cell starvation. Degradation through the proteasome is dependent on ubiquitination of the target protein, and as such, ensures protein-specific degradation. 

All GRE Subject Test: Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology Resources

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