Molecular Biology Exam Study Guide
Vocabulary
Water
Hydrophyllic
Hydrophobic
Polarity
Dipoles
Electronegativity
Electrons
Protons
Neutrons
Cohesion
Adhesion
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat
Latent Heat of
Evaporation
Boiling Point
Solvent Properties
Polar Substances
Nonpolar Substances
Density
Hydrogen Bonding
Intermolecular Forces
Methane
Water
Blood Transport
Polar
Nonpolar
Hydroxyl Group
Glucagon
Beta-Cells
Alpha-Cells
Products
Reactants
Temperature on
Enzymes
Acidity and Alkalinity
on Enzymes
Substrate Concentration
Sweating
Soluble
Insoluble
Monosaccharide
Disaccharide
Polysaccharide
Condensation
Reaction
Hydrolysis Reaction
Anabolic Process
Catabolic Process
Glucose
Fructose
Galactose
Maltose
Sucrose
Lactose
Starch
Glycogen
Hydroxyl Group
Alpha-Glucose
Beta-Glucose
Carbon-1
Carbon-4
Glycosidic Bond
Amylose
Amylopectin
Liver Cells
Insulin
Carbon
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Hydrogen
Triglycerides
Fats
Oils
Coronary Heart Disease
Fatty Acid
Glycerol
Ester Bond
Body Mass Index
Saturated Fatty Acid
Unsaturated Fatty Acid
Polyunsaturated Fat
Monounsaturated Fat
Trans-Fat
Cis-Fat
Correlation
Causation
Adipose Tissue
Alpha Carbon
Amino Group
Glycine
Alanine
Glutamic Acid
Serine
Primary Structure
Secondary Structure
Tertiary Structure
Quaternary Structure
Peptide Bond
Alpha Helix
Beta-Pleated Sheet
Polypeptide Chain
Dipeptide
Hemoglobin
Disulfide Salt Bridges
Van der Waal Forces
Rhodopsin
Insulin (repeat from
saccharides)
Immunoglobulins
Collagen
Spider Silk
Catalysts
Hormones
Rubisco
Myosin
Tubulin
Hemoglobin
Histones
Pectin
Denaturation
Acids and Bases
Meselson and Stahl
DNA Replication
Transcription
Translation
Protein Synthesis
Central Dogma
RNA Polymerase
DNA Polymerase III
Antisense Strand
Messanger RNA
Sense Strand
Helicase
DNA and RNA
Transfer RNA
Ribosomal RNA
Active Site
Enzymes
Understandings and Content
1. Write definitions for all the words above in your own words.
2. State and define special properties of water.
3. Explain how hydrogen bonding and water polarity affects each water property.
Dinh 1
Molecular Biology Exam Study Guide
4. Draw a water molecule with all correct dipoles.
5. Explain why “like dissolves like”.
6. Contrast the difference between a monomer and polymer.
7. State all the monomers and polymers of the 4 macromolecules.
8. State the number of bonds that carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen can form.
9. Explain the difference between catabolic and anabolic processes.
10. Explain the difference between alpha-glucose and beta-glucose by drawing the molecular structures
and stating which polysaccharide each type can form.
11. State all the chemistry functional groups discussed in class.
12. State the difference between a correlation and a causal relationship.
13. Explain how the condensation reaction of glycerol and 3 fatty acids produces a triglyceride molecule.
14. Contrast the difference between primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure in proteins.
15. Explain why proteins have 3-D structure.
16. Explain how polarity of R-Groups is capable of forming hydrogen bonds between other R-Groups.
17. Contrast the differences between the structure of DNA and RNA.
18. Explain the process of DNA Replication, Transcription, and Translation.
19. Explain the process of enzymes catalysis.
20. Explain and draw the different environmental factors that affect enzyme function or enzyme rate.
Applications
1. Contrast the difference between the properties of water and methane.
2. Explain how the function of sweating is an example of the properties of water.
3. Describe which components of blood transport is soluble in water and which are insoluble. Explain
why this is true.
4. Explain the benefits of storing glycogen in the liver of mammals.
5. Contrast the difference between the molecular structure of amylose, amylopectin, and glycogen.
6. Explain how glucagon is used and produced in the body.
7. Explain why diabetic patients need insulin injections.
8. Contrast the difference between insulin resistance and insulin deficiency.
9. Contrast the difference between triglycerides and glycogen as energy stores.
10. Outline how the Maasai people are exceptions to the positive correlation between saturated fats and
CHD.
11. Explain the role and structure of hemoglobin (Hb) for humans.
12. List all of the protein functions discussed in class and give one specific example of each.
13. Explain how Meselson and Stahl discovered the replicating mechanism of DNA.
14.
Skills
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Draw a water molecule with the correct dipoles.
Draw an alpha-glucose and a beta-glucose.
Draw a ribose and deoxyribose molecule.
Draw a condensation reaction of maltose.
Draw a hydrolysis reaction of glycogen by glucagon.
Draw a glycerol and fatty acid reaction to form a triglyceride.
Calculate the BMI of a patient with a mass of 75 kg and 2.45 meters.
Draw the molecular structure of glycine, alanine, glutamic acid, and serine.
Dinh 2
Molecular Biology Exam Study Guide
9. Draw the molecular structure of a dipeptide and polypeptide.
10. Draw and label a hemoglobin molecule.
11. Draw a Beta-Pleated sheet and an alpha helix in the context of peptides.
12. List the possible polypeptides that can be formed between the amino acids alanine, glycine, serine, and
glutamic acid. State the number of possibilities.
13. Draw the monomer and polymers of nucleic acids.
Relating Concepts Questions
1. The alpha helix is seen in many instances in molecular biology. List all the times we have seen them in
our studies.
2. Structure determines function. Outline how structure contributes to the function of saturated fats,
unsaturated fats, trans-fats, amylose, amylopectin, nucleotides, and proteins.
Dinh 3