SAT II Biology M : Molecular Biology
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT II Biology M
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Macromolecules
Asparagine is an example of an amino acid. If you put asparagine and other amino acids together in a chain, you would get what organic compound?
A protein
A lipid
A carbohydrate
A nucleic acid
A protein
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, so when they are put together in a chain, you will get a protein.
Example Question #1 : Macromolecules
Which of the following macromolecules is made up of amino acids?
Sucrose
Trigylcerides
Lactase
Glucose
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Lactase
A macromolecule made of amino acids is a protein. Lactase, the enzyme that aids in lactose digestion, is the only protein on the list. Sucrose and glucose are carbohydrates. Deoxyribonucleic acid is DNA, a nucleic acid. Triglycerides are a type of lipid.
Note: You can identify an enzyme (which is a protein) by the fact that its name ends in "-ase."
Example Question #1 : Macromolecules
Carbohydrates represent important macromolecules in the biochemical pathways of many organisms.
Which of the following is/are monosaccharide(s)?
I. Glucose
II. Fructose
III. Maltose
II and III
I, II, and III
I only
I and II
I and III
I and II
Glucose and fructose are monomeric saccharides, or monosaccharides. The carbon to hydrogen to oxygen 
Example Question #2 : Macromolecules
Disaccharides, such as maltose, are produced when two monosaccharides undergo a dehydration synthesis reaction.
Which of the following formulas represents a disaccharide?
The disaccharide maltose is formed by the dehydration synthesis reaction of two glucose monomers. When simply adding the two glucose monomers together, it may be thought that the summation of the two 
Example Question #2 : Macromolecules
Polysaccharides are considered sugar moieties that include 3 or more monomeric saccharides together.
Which of the following is/are polysaccharide(s)?
I. Glycogen
II. Starch
III. Cellulose
I and II
II and III
I, II, and III
I and III
I only
I, II, and III
Glycogen, starch, and cellulose are all polysaccharides composed of many glucose monomers linked together.
Example Question #4 : Macromolecules
Animals and plants store glucose in saccharide polymers.
Which of the following is the polymer form of storage in plants and animals, respectively?
Plants: chitin
Animals: glycerol
Plants: sucrose
Animals: maltose
Plants: starch
Animals: glycogen
Plants: glycogen
Animals: glycogen
Plants: cellulose
Animals: glucose
Plants: starch
Animals: glycogen
The sugar polymer form in which plants store energy is starch, whereas with animals, it is glycogen. While the other answers may in fact be sugar molecules involved in energy metabolism, they do not represent the primary sugar polymer storage molecule. Therefore the correct form of storage for plants is starch. And the correct form of storage for animals is glycogen.
Example Question #2 : Macromolecules
In which of the following molecular forms do animals store energy?
Lipids only
Glycogen and peptidoglycan
Lipids and glycogen
Peptidoglycan only
Glycogen only
Lipids and glycogen
Both lipids (fat) and glycogen (made up of glucose molecules) store energy in animals. Lipids are used for long-term energy storage while glycogen, found in the liver and muscles, is used for short-term energy storage. Peptidoglycan is the molecule that makes up the bacterial cell walls.
Example Question #2 : Macromolecules
Plants often have a waxy covering on the outside of their leaves to prevent water loss. This waxy covering probably contains mostly which organic compound?
A carbohydrate
A protein
A nucleic acid
A lipid
A lipid
Major lipid groups include fats, steroids, and waxes. Because the question references a "waxy covering," we know that the plant covering must be composed of lipids.
Example Question #2 : Macromolecules
Which organic compound serves as stored energy for living things?
Proteins
Lipids
Carbohydrates
Nucleic acids
Lipids
Lipids make up the bulk of fat in animal tissues and thus stores energy.
Example Question #3 : Macromolecules
Phospholipids are an essential component of the phospholipid bilayer necessary to the cell.
Which of the following correctly represents a phospholipid subunit with the corresponding polarity?
Fatty acid tail: polar
Phosphate tail: polar
Fatty acid head: nonpolar
Phosphate head: nonpolar
Fatty acid tail: nonpolar
Fatty acid tail: nonpolar
A phospholipid generally consists of a phosphate head (polar) and a fatty acid tail (non-polar).
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