High School Biology : Protein Function

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for High School Biology

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #21 : Enzymes

Which of the following is true about enzymes?

Possible Answers:

They lower the energy of reactants.

They lower the activation energy of a reaction.

They are not catalysts. 

They are lipids. 

They lower the energy of products. 

Correct answer:

They lower the activation energy of a reaction.

Explanation:

Enzymes are all proteins, however there are some RNA molecules that have been found to catalyze reactions, but they are termed ribozymes, not enzymes. They speed up reactions by lowering the activation energy of a reaction and do not change the energy states of the reactants or products. 

Example Question #11 : Understanding Enzymes

How do enzymes speed up a chemical reaction?

Possible Answers:

They increase the concentration of one or more of the reactants

They increase the temperature of the reaction, allowing it to occur faster

They lower the activation energy of a reaction

They shift the equilibrium in favor of the products, allowing more product to be created

They tightly bind to the transition state, speeding up the reaction by removing transition states and leaving only products

Correct answer:

They lower the activation energy of a reaction

Explanation:

Enzymes work by lowering the activation energy of a reaction, which can occur either by bringing reactants closer together or by destabilizing the transition state. They do not affect the equilibirum of the reaction, meaning they do not affect the amount of reactants or products. They simply increase the speed at which products can be formed by reducing the amount of energy needed to power the reaction.

Example Question #11 : Protein Function

Which of the following statements is true concerning competitive inhibitors?

Possible Answers:

They change the substrates that can enter the active site of the enzyme

They temporarily bind to the active site of an enzyme

They permanently bind to the active site of an enzyme

They temporarily alter the shape of the active site of the enzyme

Correct answer:

They temporarily bind to the active site of an enzyme

Explanation:

A competitive inhibitor will temporarily bind to the active site on an enzyme. This forbids substrates from entering the enzyme's active site and stops the enzyme from catalyzing the reaction.

In contrast, non-competitive inhibitors will bind to other regions of the enzyme, outside of the active site, and cause the active site to change shape. This change then prevents substrates from binding.

Example Question #2 : Understanding Inhibitors

What inhibitor type prevents catalysis by noncovalently binding to an enzyme's active site?

Possible Answers:

Uncompetitive inhibitor

Irreversible inhibitor

Competitive inhibitor

Noncompetitive inhibitor

Correct answer:

Competitive inhibitor

Explanation:

Inhibitors are able to prevent maximum enzymatic rates in a variety of ways. Some inhibitors, like noncompetive inhibitors, are able to attach at a point on the enzyme and alter its conformation. Competitive inhibitors, however, bind directly at the active site, which prevents substrate from entering the enzyme.

Competitive inhibitors are the only inhibitor type to bind directly to the enzyme actve site.

Example Question #3 : Understanding Inhibitors

Some enzymes have a direct function of catalyzing a reaction within a cell. Other enzymes simply change their fellow enzymes.

Enzyme X is found in a certain cell and is normally active. At a certain point, the cell creates enzyme X inhibitor, which inhibits enzyme X. What can be concluded about the cell following the synthesis of the inhibitor?

Possible Answers:

There is less of enzyme X, but its functionality is enhanced

There is the same amount of enzyme X, but its functionality will be lessened

There is less of enzyme X, which will decrease its relative functionality

The inhibitor destroys enzyme X

There is the same amount of enzyme X, but its functionality is enhanced

Correct answer:

There is the same amount of enzyme X, but its functionality will be lessened

Explanation:

An inhibitor binds to an enzyme and stops it from performing its normal function. It does not destroy the enzyme and does not change the amount present, but it decreases the amount of activity of that enzyme.

Example Question #4 : Understanding Inhibitors

An inhibitor changes an enzyme's function by which of the following mechanisms?

Possible Answers:

Binding to the enzyme and stopping it from performing its function

Destroying the enzyme so that it cannot perform its function

Destroying the enzyme's substrate, so the enzyme cannot perform its function

Stoping production of the enzyme so that there is less effective enzyme function

Exporting the enzyme out of the cell so that it cannot perform its function

Correct answer:

Binding to the enzyme and stopping it from performing its function

Explanation:

Most inhibitors work by binding to an enzyme so that the substrate cannot bind to the enzyme, and thus the function cannot take place.

Inhibitors generally affect functionality by interfering with the reaction without altering the amount of substrate or enzyme molecules.

Example Question #5 : Understanding Inhibitors

An alien cell forms the byproduct, Compoound A. Compound A acts as an inhibitor for the formation of Protien B. Scientists discovered that if they increased the concentration of the building blocks for Protein B, the inhibitory properties of Compound A could be negated. Which process explains this mechanism?

Possible Answers:

Enzyme breakdown

Competivie inhibition by Compound A

Allosteric regulation by Compound A

Allosteric regulation by an unknown compound

None of the other answer choices

Correct answer:

Competivie inhibition by Compound A

Explanation:

The correct answer is competitive inhibiiton by Compound A. You can gather that because Compound A's inhibitory properties were negated, the reaction rate increased. As a result, competitive inhibition by Compound A takes place since the reaction rate increases as reactant concentration increases which occurs regardless of inhibitor presence (assuming enough enzymes are present). In contrast, the concentration of reactants would be irrelevant in the case of allosteric regulation either by Compound A or an unknown compound. Enzyme Breakdown would not result in an increase of the reaction rate. 

Example Question #6 : Understanding Inhibitors

If a noncompetitive inhibitor in solution were affecting enzyme activity, then what would be the effect of adding additional substrate to the enzyme solution?

Possible Answers:

There would be a large decrease in enzymatic activity

There would be a small decrease in enzymatic activity

There would be a small increase in enzymatic activity

 

There would be a large increase in enzymatic activity

There would be no change in enzymatic activity

Correct answer:

There would be no change in enzymatic activity

Explanation:

A noncompetitive inhibitor does not directly compete with the substrate binding to the substrate-binding site of an enzyme. The inhibitor instead binds to another site on the enzyme, which alters the enzyme's affinity for its substrate; therefore, adding more substrate would not cause a change in enzymatic activity.

Example Question #12 : Protein Function

What is one of the main function of the protein hemoglobin?

Possible Answers:

To transport carbon dioxide from the lungs to the tissues

To transport oxygen from the lungs to the tissues

To recognize and fight infections

None of these answers

To store oxygen for later use

Correct answer:

To transport oxygen from the lungs to the tissues

Explanation:

Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells. It has a high affinity to bind to oxygen, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide. In the lungs, where oxygen concentrations are high, hemoglobin will bind to oxygen molecules and carry them through the blood to deliver to the cells of the body. Oxygen can then be used by these cells to gain energy through oxidative phosphorylation and the electron transport chain, which require oxygen as an electron receptor.

Though hemoglobin can bind carbon dioxide, most carbon dioxide waste is dissolved in the blood in the form of bicarbonate and carbonic acid. Hemoglobin's high affinity for carbon monoxide means that, when the gas is present in excess, it can block the binding sites for oxygen. This is the reason for the toxicity associated with carbon monoxide poisoning.

Example Question #13 : Protein Function

Which of the following describes a function of proteins?

Possible Answers:

All of these answers are correct

Structural elements

Receptors

Cell signaling

Enzymes

Correct answer:

All of these answers are correct

Explanation:

Proteins have the most diverse functions in biological systems. Their remarkable diversity in function is due to their diversity in structure. Structural proteins, such as tubulin and collagen, have a fibrous structure that aids their function. Enzymes have active sites that allow them to bind specific molecules (substrates) and enact a conformational change to facilitate chemical reactions. Signaling proteins include several types of hormones, known as peptide hormones. Protein receptors are commonly found embedded in the cell membrane and contain active sites to bind substrates, hydrophilic regions to interact with the cell environment and extracellular space, and hydrophobic regions to interact within the lipid bilayer.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors