MCAT Biology : Macromolecules

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for MCAT Biology

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Example Questions

Example Question #24 : Enzymes And Enzyme Inhibition

Which term is used to refer to an inactive enzyme precursor?

Possible Answers:

Zymogen

Holoenzyme

Inhibitor

Null enzyme

Apoenzyme

Correct answer:

Zymogen

Explanation:

Zymogen is the correct term for the inactive precursor of an enzyme. Zymogens are cleaved by other enzymes in order to become active. The zymogen form can help prevent improper action of the enzyme in different regions of the body. For example, trypsinogen is a zymogen released from the pancreas. It is transported to the small intestine before become active trypsin to prevent the trypsin from accidentally digesting and damaging the pancreatic cells.

Apoenzymes refer to enzymes without cofactors, while holoenzymes are enzymes bound to their cofactors. Inhibitors bind to enzymes to block their activity.

Example Question #25 : Enzymes And Enzyme Inhibition

Which of the following changes could lead to loss of enzymatic function?

Possible Answers:

Decrease in activation energy of the reaction

Increase in enzyme concentration

Change in overall enthalpy of the reaction

Change in overall free energy of the reaction

Increase in pH of the reaction

Correct answer:

Increase in pH of the reaction

Explanation:

Enzymes are pH and temperature sensitive., and only function in optimal ranges of these conditions. Certain enzymes will only function in acidic environments, while others require basic conditions.

The overall free energy and enthalpy of the reaction, activation energy, and enzyme concentration do not have a bearing on enzymatic activity.

Example Question #25 : Enzymes And Enzyme Inhibition

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is an X-linked recessive genetic disorder, resulting in the loss of the dystrophin protein. In healthy muscle, dystrophin localizes to the sarcolemma and helps anchor the muscle fiber to the basal lamina. The loss of this protein results in progressive muscle weakness, and eventually death.

In the muscle fibers, the effects of the disease can be exacerbated by auto-immune interference. Weakness of the sarcolemma leads to damage and tears in the membrane. The body’s immune system recognizes the damage and attempts to repair it; however, since the damage exists as a chronic condition, leukocytes begin to present the damaged protein fragments as antigens, stimulating a targeted attack on the damaged parts of the muscle fiber. The attack causes inflammation, fibrosis, and necrosis, further weakening the muscle.

Studies have shown that despite the severe pathology of the muscle fibers, the innervation of the muscle is unaffected.

Which of the following would best describe the dystrophin protein?

Possible Answers:

Fibrous protein

Transmembrane protein

Chemical receptor

Ion channel

Signaling protein

Correct answer:

Transmembrane protein

Explanation:

The passage tells us that "dystrophin localizes to the sarcolemma," so we know it is located at the membrane of the muscle fiber. We also know that its role is to structurally link the muscle fiber and the basal lamina. We can eliminate the choices for ion channel, signaling protein, and chemical receptor based on what we know about dystrophin's function. We are left with either fibrous protein or transmembrane protein. Though fibrous proteins also have structural roles, transmembrane protein is the best choice because we know that dystrophin is linking the muscle fiber to another structure, meaning that it must span the membrane.

Example Question #26 : Enzymes And Enzyme Inhibition

Which of the following is FALSE concerning enzymes?

Possible Answers:

Substrates must bind the enzyme's active site in order to initiate its effects

Enzymes increase both the forward rate and reverse rate of a reaction

Enzymes reduce reaction activation energy

Enzymes increase the amount of product created in a reaction

Enzymes are not destroyed in a reaction and can be used in the same reaction countless times

Correct answer:

Enzymes increase the amount of product created in a reaction

Explanation:

Enzymes will increase the rate of a chemical reaction, but will not alter the equilibrium of a reaction. As a result, the amount of product is not affected by enzymes. The same amount of product will be made; it will just be made at a faster rate.

Example Question #27 : Enzymes And Enzyme Inhibition

The end product of an enzymatic reaction inhibits formation of product in an earlier step. This type of enzymatic regulation is known as __________.

Possible Answers:

feedback inhibition

negative regulation

allosteric regulation

enzyme-substrate complex

metabolic pathway loop

Correct answer:

feedback inhibition

Explanation:

Feedback inhibition is a type of regulation in which an enzyme product blocks an earlier part of a metabolic reaction. This allows cells to regulate resources by signaling when enough product is made.

Example Question #75 : Macromolecules

A pathway of reversible enzymatic reactions is given below. Enzymes are denoted by letters, and products by numbers.

1 +A \rightarrow 2

2+B \rightarrow 3

3+C \rightarrow 4

4+D \rightarrow 5

If the enzyme C is blocked by an allosteric inhibitor, what will happen to each of the products?

Possible Answers:

Concentrations of product 1, 2, and 3 will decrease; concentrations of product 4 and 5 will increase

Concentrations of product 4 and 5 will decrease; concentration of product 3 will increase

Concentration of product 5 will decrease; concentrations of product 3, 2, and 1 will increase

Concentration of product 4 will decrease; concentration of product 3 will increase

Concentrations of product 4 and 5 will decrease; concentrations of product 1, 2, and 3 will increase

Correct answer:

Concentrations of product 4 and 5 will decrease; concentrations of product 1, 2, and 3 will increase

Explanation:

All upstream products, prior to the action of enzyme C, will start to increase in concentration because each enzyme is reversible. Directly, product 3 will build up and product 4 will decrease. This will lead product 5 to decrease because there is no 4 to make it. As 3 builds up, enzyme B will start working in reverse, converting it back into product 2, according to Le Chatelier's principle. Then, when 2 starts to build up, it will also be converted backwards into product 1.

Example Question #31 : Enzymes And Enzyme Inhibition

Among the most important pH buffer systems in humans is the bicarbonate buffer, which keeps the blood at a remarkably precise 7.42 pH.  The bicarbonate buffer system uses a series of important compounds and enzymes to make the system function.  Figure 1 depicts the key reactions that take place.

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The activity of this buffer system is mainly controlled by the renal and respiratory systems.  The renal system excretes bicarbonate in the urine, while the respiratory system “blows off” carbon dioxide as needed.   By balancing these two systems as needed, blood pH is maintained in such a narrow range.

 

A protein is discovered that inhibits carbonic anhydrase activity. It does so by reversibly binding to the active site typically occupied by carbonic acid and thus preventing carbonic acid from binding. This would most likely be what kind of inhibitor?

Possible Answers:

Uncompetitive

Competitive

Conformational

Allosteric

Noncompetitive

Correct answer:

Competitive

Explanation:

Reversible binding in the active site is typical of a competitive inhibitor. Other kinds of inhibitors bind to the active site after the normal substrate has already bound, such as in uncompetitive inhibition. Alternatively, allosteric inhibitors can bind to sites other than the active site and induce a shape change that diminishes affinity for the typical substrate.

Example Question #31 : Enzymes And Enzyme Inhibition

A student is conducting an experiment in which he adds an inhibitor to an enzyme-catalyzed reaction. When the student first adds the inhibitor, the reaction rate decreases, however, he can return the reaction rate to normal by adding a large quantity of substrate. What type of inhibitor is the student using?

Possible Answers:

A noncompetitive inhibitor

A competitive inhibitor

A substrate-sensitive inhibitor

An uncompetitive inhibitor

The student likely made a mistake—this result could not occur regardless of the type of inhibition

Correct answer:

A competitive inhibitor

Explanation:

Only competitive inhibition can be overcome by the addition of more substrate. Competitive inhibitors work by binding to and blocking the enzyme's active site. If more substrate is added, it increases the chance that an enzyme molecule will bind to the substrate instead of the inhibitor. Noncompetitive inhibition is not affected by the amount of substrate, uncompetitive inhibition is not tested on the MCAT, and "substrate-sensitive" is not a type of inhibition.

Example Question #72 : Proteins

Which statement is true about noncompetitive inhibitors?

Possible Answers:

They bind at the active site of the enzyme.

They alter the conformation of the enzyme.

They bind covalently to the enzyme and disrupt the substrate from attaching.

They actively block the enzyme from attaching to the substrate.

Correct answer:

They alter the conformation of the enzyme.

Explanation:

Noncompetitive inhibitors do not bind at the active site of an enzyme. Instead, they bind at another position on the enzyme and alter its conformation. This passive approach to inhibition makes an enzyme unable to attach to the substrate at the active site. Only irreversible inhibitors bond covalently; both competitive and noncompetitive inhibitors bind noncovalently.

Example Question #34 : Enzymes And Enzyme Inhibition

Diisopropylflourophosphate (DFP) is an example of an enzyme inhibitor. It covalently binds to a serine residue in the active site of a serine protease, thus inactivating the enzyme. 

Based on this information, what type of enzyme inhibitor is DFP?

Possible Answers:

Noncompetitive inhibitor

Competitive inhibitor

Proenzyme

Irreversible inhibitor

Correct answer:

Irreversible inhibitor

Explanation:

Whenever you read that an enzyme inhibitor has covalently bonded to an enzyme, you can conclude that it is an irreversible inhibitor. Both competitive and noncompetitive inhibitors bind noncovalently to the target enzyme.

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