- Before fatty acids can be oxidized, they must be mobilized
- What molecule must they be mobilized from?
- What (general) enzyme is responsible for mobilization?
- What is the activation signal for mobilization?
- Carnitine is sometimes sold as a weight loss aid. Would this work or not? Include the function of carnitine in your answer.
- Fatty acid synthesis is different in what way(s) from fatty acid oxidation with respect to
- A cell compartment
- Physical organization of participatory enzymes
- Reductant involved
- Molecule intermidiates are attached to
- Describe the role(s) of citrate, both generally and specifically, in determining whether physiological conditions favor fatty acid oxidation or biosynthesis
- Why are diets very low in carbohydrate content potentially dangerous?
- Why do both cyclic and noncyclic photophosphorylation both exist? What controls which occurs?
- What is the overall purpose of the Light and Dark reactions?
- In what specific compartment(s) do the Light and Dark reactions occur?
- The harvesting of light energy by photosystems allows water to function in an important role in photosynthesis. Explain.
- What are the three contributing components to the proton - motive force in chloroplasts? Where / how is the gradient situated, and in what compartment is ATP produced?
- There must be some reason (selective advantage) why a small amount of DNA has been "left behind" in chloroplasts and mitochondria. Think of one reason based on the protein products and one reason based on the DNA. Hint: Consider structure and / or function
- There is ample evidence that mitochondria and chloroplasts originated as free - living microbes (the endosymbiotic theory). If you carefully removed some mitochondria from a yeast cell, for example, and placed them in a nice, secure, nutrient rich environment, should they be able to grow and reproduce as free - living prokaryotes? Why or why not?
- Give three pieces of molecular evidence for the endosymbiotic theory of the origin of mitochondria and chloroplasts. Be brief.
- There is a lot of variation in the size of the mitochondrial genome from one species to another. What accounts for most of this size variation?
- Are mutations in mitochondrial DNA more or less well tolerated than nuclear DNA mutations? Why?
- Briefly, what is the value of mitochondrial genome sequencing with respect to the creation of phylogenic maps? Relate your answer to the film seen in class with respect to the controversies surrounding the dis/agreement of molecular evidence with the fossil record.
- From which major chemical class of hormones would you expect an immediate response? A delayed response? Why, mechanistically?
- Name two specific second messenger systems in which increased cytosolic calcium plays a direct role, and state what the role is for each. Where is the calcium coming from in each case?
- What is the difference between kinases associated with G - protein - mediated responses vs. those associated with catalytic receptor - mediated - responses? What is similar about the two?
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