BIOCHEMISTRY HOMEWORK SET A
Which of the following explains the usefulness of trypsin and chymotrypsin
NAME:
D___1. Which of the following correctly defines the isoelectric point (pI) of
an amino acid or protein?
A. the equilibrium constant for the ionization of the substance
B. the ion constant of water
C. negative log of the concentration of H+
D. pH at which a molecule is electrically neutral
E. pH at which an equivalent distribution of acid and conjugate base exists in
solution
C___2. The blood contains many compounds that serve to buffer the pH of
the fluid such as bicarbonate and phosphate ions. Which of the following
most correctly defines the meaning of the term buffering?
A. a solution containing a large concentration of a base such that the pH will
not change significantly when an acid is added
B. a solution containing a large concentration of an acid such that the pH will
not change significantly when more acid is added
C. a solution or substance which resists changes in pH when small quantities
of an acid or base are added to it
D. pH at which a molecule or solution is neutrally charged
E. pH at which an equivalent distribution of acid and conjugate base exists in
solution
B___3. The parents of an 18mo girl are alarmed at the rapid deterioration in
her motor skills and the appearance of an engorged belly. PE and laboratory
examination reveals that the child is suffering from Gaucher disease. Which
of the following carbohydrate-containing compounds would be expected to
be elevated in macrophages from this patient?
A. abnormal glycogen D. GM2 ganglioside
B. Cerebrosides E. neuraminic acid
C. Glycosaminoglycans
B___4. You are examining a patient complaining of cramping in the lower
belly, bloating, gas, and diarrhea. These symptoms appear within 30 minutes
to 2 hours after the ingestion of dairy products. . Which of the following is
the sugar this patient should avoid?
A. Glucose D. fructose
B. Lactose E. galactose
C. Sucrose
C___5. You are treating a 4yo child who has been afflicted with recurrent
infections. The child exhibits retarded development, weakness, and weight
loss. PE shows absent tonsils and blood work reveals a lack of lymphocytes.
Which of the following compounds would be expected to be elevated in the
blood of this patient?
A. Bilirubin D. deoxythymidine
B. Cytosine E. xanthine
C. Deoxyadenosine
D___6. A 7yomale child exhibits delayed motor development,
overexaggerated reflexes, and spasticity. The boy has a tendency to chew his
lips and fingers often causing tissue damage and bleeding. The most likely
diagnosis in this case is Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. Which of the following
compounds would be expected to be elevated in the urine of this patient?
A. Adenosine D. uric acid
B. Guanine E. xanthine
C. Hypoxanthine
E___7. Which of the following represents a nucleic acid form containing the
greatest amount of free energy?
A. Adenine D. adenosine diphosphate
B. Adenosine E. adenosine triphosphate
C. adenosine monophosphate
C___8. In the β-sheet structure of proteins, the hydrogen bond on the
peptide bond nitrogen of one of the peptides will most likely form a
hydrogen bond with which of the following?
A. hydrophilic side chains in the adjacent sheet segment
B. hydrophobic side chains in the adjacent sheet segment
C. peptide bond carbonyl in the adjacent sheet segment
D. peptide bond carbonyl within 3 amino acids of the same segment
E. water in the surrounding medium
B___9. Digestive enzymes have been used in the study of protein structure.
in studies of protein structure?
A. efficiency as exopeptidases
B. high specificity for particular peptide bonds
C. high stability because of the presence of disulfide cross-links
D. high turnover rates
E. rapid digestion of proteins to yield amino acids and small oligopeptides
A___10. You are studying the characteristics of protein secondary structure.
You find that the protein you are examining forms an α-helical structure
more rapidly in an alcohol medium than it does in water. Which of the
following is the best explanation for this difference?
A. competition for hydrogen bonding is lower for ethanol than for water
B. ethanol forms covalent interactions with the peptide
C. hydrophobic forces are greater in ethanol than in water
D. the peptide aggregates in water but not in ethanol
E. van der Waals interactions are lower in ethanol than in water
C___11. Mutational studies on collagen proteins demonstrate that
substitution of one particular amino acid significantly affects the normal
structure of the collagen molecules. Which of the following amino acids is
absolutely required for the stable formation of the collagen triple helix?
A. Alanine D. phenylalanine
B. Cysteine E. tryptophan
C. Glycine
E___12. Eukaryotic ribosomes consist of 2 subunits designated as 40S and
60S. The S value is most dependent on which of the following properties of
the subunit?
A. composition of the RNA bases
B. interactions between the RNA and protein components
C. protein content
D. RNA content
E. shape and size of the subunit
C___13. Which of the following is the primary source of the H+ that leads to
displacement of O2 from hemoglobin in the tissues?
A. 2,3-BPG D. phosphoric acid
B. bicarbonate ion E. water
C. carbonic acid
E___14. Beta-thalassemias are genetic disorders in the synthesis of the β-
globin chains in hemoglobin. Therapy for severe anemia involves multiple
transfusions. What is the most serious complication of transfusion therapy?
A. cardiac arrhythmias D. increased blood viscosity
B. copper overload E. iron overload
C. globin overload
B___15. Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a significant cause of mortality
in the United States. Which of the following statements about CO is correct?
A. competes with CO2 for a common binding site on hemoglobin
B. competes with O2 for a common binding site on hemoglobin
C. has a lower affinity for hemoglobin than does O2
D. irreversibly binds to hemoglobin
E. is normally a perfusion-limited gas
D___16. Which of the following types of bonds is primarily responsible for
the aberrant aggregation of deoxy HbS molecules resulting from the
glutamate to valine mutation in the sixth position of the β-globin chain?
A. Amide D. hydrophobic
B. Covalent E. ionic
C. Disulfide
A___17. Digoxin is a member of the cardiac glycoside family of drugs. This is
used to treat patients with atrial fibrillation. Cardiac glycosides function by
inhibiting which class of membrane transporter?
A. Antiporters C. symporters
B. facilitative diffusers D. uniporters
C___18. A patient who presents with unique facial features, recurrent
infections, persistent leukocytosis, defective neutrophil chemotaxis, and
severe growth and mental retardation would likely be manifesting these
symptoms due to a deficiency in which of the following transport proteins?
A. aquaporin
B. F-type ATPase A___28. Although α-lipoic acid is not truly a vitamin, it is an essential
C. GDP-fucose transporter (FUCT1, SLC35C1) cofactor for several important enzymes. An inability to maintain adequate
D. Na+/K+-ATPase levels of this lipidderived molecule would result in which of the following
E. P-type ATPase consequences?
A. decreased insulin sensitivity
C___19. You have a patient presenting with neuropsychiatric symptoms, B. decreased production of reactive oxygen species, ROS
progressive chronic liver disease, Parkinsonian tremors, diminished facial C. increased energy generation from carbohydrates
expressions, and choreoathetosis. These symptoms are associated with a D. increased hepatic production of triglycerides
deficiency in which of the following? E. loss of the ability to clot blood
A. Aquaporin D. Na+/K+-ATPase
B. ATP7A E. SLC40A1 (ferroportin) A___29. Which of the following is associated with increased glucose uptake
C. ATP7B due to its ability to prevent phosphorylation of downstream effectors of the
insulinsignaling cascade?
E___20. Deficiency in the copper transporter ATP7A would most likely be A. α-lipoic acid D. vitamin E
associated with which of the following symptoms? B. vitamin A E. vitamin K
A. excessive thirst, dry chapped skin C. vitamin D
B. hemochromatosis
C. hepatic failure, movement disorder such as dystonia A___30. A patient presents with pale skin, sunken eyes, sore gums, muscle
D. recurrent infections, severe growth retardation pain, loose teeth, and corkscrew-shaped hair. A deficiency in which of the
E. wiry brittle hair following vitamins would result in the observed symptoms?
A. ascorbic acid D. riboflavin
C___21. Cardiotonic steroids, produced by the adrenal glands, heart tissue, B. Biotin E. thiamin
and hypothalamus are specific inhibitors of which of the following? C. Pyridoxal
A. Aquaporins D. P-type ATPases
B. F-type ATPases E. SLC type transporters B___31. A deficiency of vitamin B12 in humans results in anemia primarily
C. Na+/K+-ATPases because it is which of the following?
A. a cofactor in the biosynthesis of purine nucleotides required for the
C___22. Ouabain is a poisonous compound found in the ripe seeds of the synthesis of DNA
African plant Strophanthus gratus. This compound is poisonous due to the B. involved in the conversion of N5-methyl-THF to THF
fact that it is a potent inhibitor of which of the following? C. necessary for the absorption of folic acid from the gut
A. Aquaporins D. P-type ATPases D. required for the conversion of cystathionine to cysteine
B. F-type ATPases E. SLC type transporters E. utilized as a cofactor in synthesis of thymidine nucleotides
C. Na+/K+-ATPases
D___32. The ability of rod cells in the eye to respond to light and transmit
B___23. Cardioactive steroids, like digoxin, exert a positive ionotropic effect that response to the optic nerve requires that the 11-cis form of vitamin A be
on heart muscle cells. Because of this activity they can be used clinically to attached to which of the following proteins?
increase contraction of a failing heart. Which of the following proteins is A. cGMP phosphodiesterase D. scotopsin
important in the mechanism of action of digoxin on the cardiac muscle cell? B. Na+ channel E. transducing
A. N-type calcium channels D. potassium channels C. Rhodopsin
B. Na+/Ca2+ exchange protein (NCX) E. sodium channels
C. plasma membrane calcium ATPase (PMCA) B___33. Vitamin K serves as a coenzyme in reactions that result in the
modified activity of several enzymes of the blood coagulation cascade.
B___24. A 3-day-old male neonate is diagnosed with meconium ileus. You Which of the following amino acid modifications requires the activity of
should be concerned that he has which of the following conditions? vitamin K?
A. Alkaptonuria D. phenylketonuria A. aspartate to β-carboxyaspartate D. lysine to β-methyllysine
B. cystic fibrosis E. Wilson disease B. glutamate to γ-carboxyglutamate E. proline to hydroxyproline
C. hemophilia A C. lysine to hydroxylysine

A___25. You are studying the electrophysiological characteristics of cardiac B___34. A 23yo man has been consuming large quantities of raw egg whites
pacemaker cells. Which of the following is the primary determinant of the as part of his current body-building routine. He has developed a rash and
resting membrane potential in these cells? severe muscle pain. Blood work indicates he has anemia. His diet prevents
A. background potassium conductance intestinal absorption of a vitamin leading to inhibition in the synthesis of
B. background sodium conductance which of the following?
C. delayed rectifier potassium current A. DNA D. protein
D. sodium-calcium exchange current B. fatty acid E. RNA
E. transient outward current C. Glycogen

D___26. Drugs that inhibit the plasma membrane Na+/K+ ATPase decrease A___35. After metabolic conversion in the body, coenzyme forms of folate
which of the following cellular processes? and vitamin B12 are both involved in methylation of which of the following?
A. cell-to-cell communication via gap junctions A. Homocysteine D. serotonin
B. cellular uptake of iron by reticulocytes B. Norepinephrine E. uridylic acid
C. endocytosis of low-density lipoproteins C. Pyridine
D. export of calcium from cardiac muscle cells
E. transport of glucose into adipose tissue cells B___36. You are examining a 48yo man brought by his wife because of a
recent change in his mental status. PE shows horizontal and vertical
B___27. Wernicke encephalopathy results from a deficiency of vitamin B1. nystagmus, bilateral facial nerve palsy, and truncal ataxia. The most likely
Which of the following represents classical symptoms associated with this explanation for these findings is a deficiency in which of the ff vitamins?
disorder? A. Folate D. vitamin C
A. megaloblastic anemia B. vitamin B1 E. vitamin D
B. nausea, peripheral neuropathy, mental depression, ophthalmoplegia C. vitamin B6
C. numbness, tingling, weakness, sore smooth tongue, anorexia, diarrhea,
pallor of the skin and mucous membranes
D. seizure disorders
E. weight loss, diarrhea, dementia, and dermatitis