Biol 130 Worksheet Unit 2b Part 1; Fall 2013

Cellular Chemistry Biomolecules - Proteins

Terms to Learn:
-carbon
-helix
-strand, -sheet
amino group
carboxyl
chiral carbon, chirality

condensation reaction
conformation
heterodimer
hydrolysis
monomer
optical (stereo) isomers

peptide, protein
peptide bond
polar
polypeptide backbone
primary structure
protein domain

protein subunit
quaternary structure
secondary structure
side chain, R group
tertiary structure
zwitterion

Match each definition with one of the terms above:

1) three dimensional relationship of the different polypeptide chains in a multi-subunit protein or protein complex
2) common folding pattern in proteins in which a linear sequence of amino acids folds into a tight right-handed coil
stabilized by internal hydrogen bonding between backbone atoms
3) the amino acid sequence of a protein
4) a carbon that is attached to four different atoms, or four different groups of atoms, also known as an asymmetric
carbon
5) molecules that are non-superimposable mirror images of each other
6) a portion (module) of a protein is capable of folding independently into a tertiary structure of its own
7) regular local folding patterns in a protein, including -helix and -sheet

Questions:
1. What is meant by polar or polarized in these situations?
- a chemical bond
- a polypeptide chain
- a football versus a volleyball
- American public opinion on government-funded universal healthcare
How is the use of polar similar and different in these contexts?
2. A short polypeptide is shown below. Identify the N-terminus, the C-terminus, the -carbon and the side chains. Mark
the atoms involved in the peptide bonds and those that form each amino acid.

3. What are four weak (non-covalent) interactions that determine the

conformation of a protein? What is the significance of amino acid
R-groups with respect to these interactions?
4. Examine the segment of -sheet shown to the right. For each strand
of the sheet, decide whether it is parallel or anti-parallel to each of its
neighbours. How can you tell? (gray lines are H-bonds)