Question 1

Which of the following compounds has an ester group?

A. This is an addition reaction, because electrons and

protons are added to ubiquinone to form ubiquinol.

a. A B. This is an addition reaction, because hydrogen atoms

b. B are added to ubiquinone to form ubiquinol.
c. C C. This is a redox reaction, wherein ubiquinone is
d. D reduced to ubiquinol and ubiquinone is the oxidizing
agent.
Question 2 D. This is a redox reaction, wherein ubiquinone is
Which of the following compounds has a ketone group? reduced to ubiquinol and ubiquinone is the reducing
agent.

Question 4
The overall chemical reaction of aerobic respiration is:
C6H12O6 + 6 O2 → 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + Energy
Please analyze this reaction carefully, and choose the
description which describes it best.

A. This is a reduction, because oxygen is reduced to

water.
B. This is an oxidation, because glucose is oxidized to
carbon dioxide.
C. This is a redox reaction, wherein oxygen is the
electron acceptor and carbon and hydrogen atoms
are the electron donors.
D. This is oxidation, because oxygen atom can be found
in at least one of the reactant molecules.

Question 5
The following diagram depicts the tetrahedral active site
intermediate formation during serine protease catalyzed
peptide bond hydrolysis. Aspartate (Asp), histidine (His), and
serine (Ser) are amino acids of the serine protease, which are
A. A close to each other and can interact to catalyze the
B. B breakdown of certain peptide bonds in proteins. The protein
C. C is R'NHCOR in the diagram below. You can see hydrogen
D. D bonds between the enzyme's Asp and His, and also the His is
taking away a hydrogen from the Ser hydroxyl group. Which
Question 3 of the following statements best describes the Ser attack on
Below is the conversion of ubiquinone to ubiquinol. This the peptide bond?
reaction takes place in the inner mitochondrial membrane,
and ubiquinone and ubiquinol are two forms of coenzyme Q
in the electron transport chain. Please analyze the following
reaction carefully, and choose the statement which describes
it best.
 A. +1, -1
A. Ser is a strong acid; this is why Ser gives His a proton. B. +4, +2
The result is a stable tetrahedral intermediate. C. +3, 0
D. -2, -1
B. The hydrogen is a strong electrophile, and it attacks
the peptide bond forming a negatively charged Question 8
oxyanion. Use the following structural formula to calculate the
C. The deprotonated Ser is a strong nucleophile, and it oxidation state number of the carbon atom in urea.
attacks the peptide bond forming a negatively
charged oxyanion.
D. Ser is a strong base, and it attacks the peptide bond
forming a negatively charged oxyanion.

Question 6 A. +2
The following diagram depicts lactase catalyzed cleavage of B. -2
lactose. Glu-1749 is the side chain of the active site glutamate C. +4
amino acid in the lactase enzyme. Lactose is a disaccharide; it D. -4
is composed of a galactose and a glucose. Downregulated
lactase expression results in lactose intolerance. Please Question 9
analyze the following diagram carefully, and choose the Fill in the blanks. A simplified outline of the catabolism of
statement which describes it best. proteins, polysaccharides, and fats can be seen below.
Nutrients are ______ when they are converted to acetyl-CoA.
The citric acid cycle produces the ______ form of
nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, which is _________ by
the electron transport chain.

A. Glucose leaves after the Glu-1749 electrophile attack

on the glycosidic carbon of the galactose, and
galactose is freed after water reacts with the
hemiacetal carbon.
B. Glucose leaves after the Glu-1749 electrophile attack
on the glycosidic carbon of the galactose, and
galactose is freed after water reacts with the acetal
carbon.
C. The acetal carbon of the galactose receives two
nucleophile attacks: the first nucleophile is Glu-1749
and the second one is water.
D. The hemiacetal carbon of the galactose receives two
nucleophile attacks: the first nucleophile is Glu-1749
and the second one is water. A. Reduced, oxidized, reduced
B. Reduced, oxidized, oxidized
Question 7 C. Oxidized, oxidized, reduced
Fill in the blanks. Use the following structural formula to D. Oxidized, reduced, oxidized
identify carbon 1 and 6. The oxidation state number of
carbon atom 1 is ___, and the oxidation state number of Question 10
carbon atom 6 is ____. Fill in the blank.The rearrangements that result in the
common cyclic forms of D-glucose can be seen below. The
cyclic form is a(n) ______.
 A. Ether
A. B.
B. Ester
C. Acetal
D. Hemiacetal

Question 11
Fill in the blank. Sucrose, the common table sugar, is a
disaccharide, which is formed from glucose and fructose
monosaccharides. The structural formula of sucrose is shown
below. The glycosidic linkage between glucose and fructose A. A
makes sucrose a(n) ______. B. B
C. C
D. D

Question 14
Fill in the blank. The diagram of protein synthesis can be seen
below. The addition of new amino acids during protein
A. Ether synthesis is a(n) _____ reaction.
B. Ester
C. Acetal
D. Hemiacetal

Question 12
Fill in the blank. Sucrose, the common table sugar, is a
disaccharide, which is formed from glucose and fructose
monosaccharides. The structural formula of sucrose is shown
below. The formation of sucrose from glucose and fructose is
a(n) _____ reaction.

A. Substitution
A. Substitution
B. Elimination
B. Elimination
C. Condensation
C. Condensation
D. Redox
D. Redox
Question 15
Question 13 At the initial step of β-oxidation, acyl-CoA (the general
Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P) is an intermediate of structural formula is shown below) is converted in an
glycolysis. The formula of G3P is shown below. G3P is elimination reaction. What is the product of this reaction?
converted to the next intermediate in a redox reaction
catalyzed by a dehydrogenase enzyme. What is the product
of this reaction?
 C. Choline. Choline is linked to the phosphate group in
phospholipids.
D. An amino acid. Amino acids are the building blocks
of proteins.

Question 19
What does the structural formula below show, and what is its
function?

A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
A. N-acetylglucosamine. N-acetylglucosamine is a
building block of bacterial cell wall.
B. A nucleotide. Nucleotides are the building blocks of
Question 16 nucleic acids.
Fill in the blank. Glycolysis produces ATP via _____ . C. An amino acid. Amino acids are the building blocks
of proteins.
D. Uracyl. Uracyl is a building block of RNA.
A. Substrate level phosphorylation
B. Redox reaction
Question 20
C. Oxidation
What does the structural formula below show, and what is its
D. Isomerization
function?
Question 17
What does the structural formula below show, and what is its
function?

A. N-acetylmuramic acid. N-acetylmuramic acid is the

building block of bacterial cell wall.
A. A coenzyme. Coenzymes are organic cofactors that B. A nucleotide. Nucleotides are the building blocks of
are essential for the biological activity of certain nucleic acids.
enzymes. C. An amino acid. Amino acids are the building blocks
B. A monosaccharide. Monosaccharides are the of proteins.
building blocks of polysaccharides. D. Tryptophan. Tryptophan is a building block of
C. Choline. Choline is linked to the phosphate group in proteins.
phospholipids.
D. An amino acid. Amino acids are the building blocks Question 21
of proteins. How many chiral carbon atoms can be found in the following
organic molecule?
Question 18
What does the structural formula below show, and what is
its function?

A. A coenzyme. Coenzymes are organic cofactors that

are essential for the biological activity of certain A. 2
enzymes. B. 3
B. A monosaccharide. Monosaccharides are the C. 4
building blocks of polysaccharides. D. 5
Question 22
How many chiral carbon atoms can be found in the following
organic molecule?

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4

Question 26
A. 2 How many chiral carbon atoms can be found in the following
B. 3 organic molecule?
C. 4
D. 5

Question 23
How many chiral carbon atoms can be found in the following
organic molecule?
A. 1
B. 3
C. 5
D. 6

Question 27
Fill in the blank. Triglycerides ______ chiral carbon atoms.

A. Always have 1
A. 1
B. Always have 2
B. 2
C. Always have 3
C. 3
D. Do not always have
D. None

Question 24 Question 28
How many chiral carbon atoms can be found in the following The following diagram depicts energy level changes during
organic molecule? chemical reactions. One of the lines represents a reaction
without a catalyst. What can be the relationship of the two
energy profiles on the diagram?

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. None A. The reaction without a catalyst must be the red line.
The green line cannot be the same reaction
Question 25 catalyzed by an enzyme, because the energy levels
How many chiral carbon atoms can be found in the following of the green and red products are different.
organic molecule? B. The red line is the enzyme catalyzed reaction,
because enzymes speed up reactions and produce
higher energy level products. The green line is the
reaction without a catalyst.
 C. The red and green lines represent two different
reactions; it is unclear if any of these reactions are
enzyme catalyzed or not.
D. Both the red and green lines represent enzyme
catalyzed reactions; the green and red energy peaks
represent the breaking of the chemical bonds in the
substrates.
Question 29
The following diagram depicts energy level changes during
chemical reactions. One of the lines represents a reaction
without a catalyst. Could the other line be the energy profile
of an enzyme catalyzed reaction?
A. The red and green lines represent two different
reactions; it is unclear if any of these reactions are
enzyme catalyzed or not.
B. Both the red and green lines represent enzyme
catalyzed reactions; the green and red energy peaks
represent the breaking of the chemical bonds in the
substrates.
C. The green and the red lines may represent the same
reaction; the red is without a catalyst, and the green
is enzyme catalyzed.
D. The green and the red line represent different
reactions, because the green and red activation
energies are different.
Question 30
The following diagram depicts energy level changes during
chemical reactions. Which line represents an endergonic, and
which one represents an exergonic reaction?
A. The green line represents an endergonic reaction;
the red line represents an exergonic reaction.
B. The red line represents an endergonic reaction; the
green line represents an exergonic reaction.
C. Both the green and the red lines represent
endergonic reactions.
D. Both the green and the red lines represent exergonic
reactions.
Question 31
You are a scientist and you want to set up a protein
phosphorylation reaction using PKA. You purchased PKA from
a biotech company, and the datasheet tells you that PKA
requires ATP, cAMP and Mg2+. What could be the role of
these reaction mixture ingredients?
A. ATP and cAMP are coenzymes; Mg 2+is a cofactor.
B. ATP is a substrate; cAMP and Mg 2+ are cofactors.
C. ATP, cAMP, and Mg2+ are cofactors.
D. ATP is a substrate; cAMP is a coenzyme, and Mg 2+ is
a cofactor.
Question 32
You are a scientist and you would like to set up a carbon
fixation reaction in the test tube. You would like to make
glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate [G3P] from carbon dioxide; you
would like to mirror the Calvin-Benson cycle. What should
you consider, when you design your experiment?
A. This will be an exergonic reaction, which will
produce ATP and other possible high-energy
molecules as well.
B. This will be an exergonic reaction; thus, cooling will
be necessary if you would like to avoid the high-
energy G3P-driven explosion.
C. This will be an endergonic reaction; thus, you will
need an enzyme to catalyze it.
D. This will be an endergonic reaction; thus, you will
need high energy compounds that can provide the
energy, which will be stored in G3P.
Question 33
Fill in the blank. Bile acids emulsify_____ and expose them for
_______ in the small intestine.
A. Cholesterol, the pancreatic hydrolase
B. Chylomicrons, apolipoprotein B-100
C. LDL, LDL receptor
D. Triglycerides, the pancreatic lipase
Question 34
Fill in the blank. Bile acid can emulsify fats, because it is
_____.
A. Hydrophilic
B. Amphipathic
C. Lipophilic
D. Hydrophobic
Question 35
Fill in the blank. Triglycerides combine with bile to form
_____________ and enter the central lacteal of the villi.

A. Low density lipoproteins
B. High density lipoproteins
C. Chylomicrons
D. Very low density lipoproteins
Question 36
β-oxidation breaks down fatty acids to acetyl-CoA, but odd-
numbered fatty acids cannot be fully converted into acetyl-
CoA. How are odd-numbered fatty acids metabolized?
A. Odd-numbered fatty acids contribute to the
regulation of the Szent-Györgyi-Krebs cycle's
intermediates through giving rise to succinyl-CoA.
B. Odd-numbered fatty acids do not occur naturally,
and there is no metabolic pathway to break them
down fully. If industrially produced odd-numbered
fatty acids are consumed, then the last three carbon
atoms will be excreted as a waste in the form of
propionic acid.
C. Eukaryotic cells cannot break down the last three
carbon atoms containing propionyl-CoA, but bacteria
in the gastrointestinal tract can. Bacteria will
produce methane gas from propionyl-CoA, and this
will result in gastrointestinal discomfort.
D. β-oxidation breaks down fatty acids to acetyl-CoA
and propionyl-CoA. Both acetyl-CoA and propionyl-
CoA can step into the Szent-Györgyi-Krebs cycle, and
they can be used to generate NADH and FADH2 for
the electron transport chain.
Question 37
What is the contribution of fatty acids metabolism to the
production of metabolites for biosynthesis and to energy
production?
A. Metabolites for biosynthesis are produced by fatty
acid catabolism; only anabolism makes energy.
B. Metabolites for biosynthesis are produced by fatty
acid anabolism; only catabolism makes energy.
C. Metabolites for biosynthesis are produced by fatty
acid catabolism and anabolism; only catabolism
makes energy.
D. Metabolites for biosynthesis are produced by fatty
acid catabolism; both anabolism and catabolism
make energy.
Question 38
Fill in the blank. The synthesis of__________ is the first step
of fatty acid synthesis; this metabolite inhibits carnitine
palmitoyltransferase, which controls fatty acid oxidation.
A. Malonyl-CoA
B. Acetyl-CoA
C. Citric acid
D. Succinyl-CoA
Question 39
Fill in the blanks. ___________ the end product of β-
oxidation, which contributes to ___________ in the first step
of the Szent-Györgyi-Krebs cycle. An increased level of the
latter activates fatty acid synthesis through the activation of
acetyl-CoA carboxylase.
A. Carbon dioxide is, NADH and FADH2
B. Acetyl-CoA is, oxaloacetic acid
C. Acetyl-CoA is, citric acid
D. Acetyl-CoA and glycerol are, ATP
Question 40
Fill in the blank. Both fatty acid synthesis and catabolism
takes place through a series of ___________ reactions.
A. Elimination
B. Dehydration synthesis
C. Substitution
D. Redox
Question 41
Medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency
affects 1 in 17000 people in the United States. Why should
MCAD deficient people avoid prolonged fasting?
A. High glucagon level during fasting activates fatty acid
oxidation, which cannot be completed due to MCAD
deficiency. Fatty acids will be increasingly retained in
the adipose tissue, and this will result in obesity.
B. High glucagon levels during fasting activate fatty acid
oxidation, which in turn inhibits glucose oxidation. If
glucose oxidation cannot be inhibited as the result of
MCAD deficiency, then the brain will not get
sufficient glucose.
C. This is a common misconception. MCAD deficient
people are simple lucky, because they can eat fatty
food. Most of the consumed fat is excreted in the
form of medium chain fatty acids, and their adipose
tissue cannot accumulate in excess.
D. MCAD deficient people do not have efficient fatty
acid catabolism in their brain, because most of the
fat energy is lost during the excretion of medium
chain fatty acids.
Question 42
Fill in the blanks. The transcription factor, __________,
regulates both the synthesis and the cellular uptake of
cholesterol. Thus, this transcription factor is directly involved
in _________.
A. SCREBP, artherosclerotic plaque formation
B. SCREBP, development of high blood pressure
C. Sterol, risk level of cardiac arrest
 D. Sterol, cardiovascular disease

Question 43
The simplified diagram of the sterol biosynthesis is shown
A. A
below. What is the name of the growing red-blue structure in
B. B
this pathway?
C. C
D. D

Question 46
The chemical structure of a free fatty acid is shown below.
How would you characterize this fatty acid?

A. 18:4 ω-3
B. 18:3 ω-4
C. 18:3 ω-6
D. 18:4 ω-6

Question 47
The chemical structure of a free fatty acid is shown below.
How would you characterize this fatty acid?

A. 18:9 ω-2
B. 18:6 ω-9
C. 18:2 ω-6
D. 18:2 ω-6
A. Mevalonate
B. Lanosterol
Question 48
C. HMG-CoA
You can see the space-filling models of two fatty acids below
D. Isoprene
(1 and 2). Which fatty acid is essential, and which one is non-
essential for humans?
Question 44
Which of the following is a five-carbon organic compound and
is a precursor of terpenoid biosynthesis?

A. Mevalonate
B. Lanosterol
C. HMG-CoA
D. Isoprene

Question 45
Which of the following reactions produces mevalonate?

A. 1
B. 2
C. Both
D. None

Question 49
Fill in the blank. Linoleic acid and linolenic acid cannot be
synthesized in human tissues, because ____________.
 A. Human cells can synthesize only mono-unsaturated
fatty acids.
B. Humans are diploid organisms; only polyploid
organisms have enough genes for the biosynthesis of
theses fatty acids.
C. The corresponding biosynthetic pathway was lost
during evolution.
D. Human cells cannot synthesize unsaturated fatty
acids. A. 1 is an α anomer, and 2 is a β anomer.
B. 2 is an α anomer, and 1 is a β anomer.
Question 50 C. Both are α anomers.
The following diagram shows the catabolism of the three D. Both are β anomers.
main nutrient groups, including carbohydrates. Which arrow
represents a pathway that is utilized in every cell? Question 53
Which enzyme is a key regulator of glycolysis?

A. Hexokinase
B. Glucose 6-phosphate
C. Phosphofructokinase
D. Pyruvate kinase

Question 54
Fill in the blank. ATP is required for the activity of
phosphofructokinase, but high ATP level inhibits its activity.
This is because ATP _____________.

A. Is both a substrate and an allosteric inhibitor of

A. Monosaccharide -> Acetyl-CoA
B. Citric acid cycle
C. Oxidative phosphorylation
D. Polysaccharide -> monosaccharide
Question 51
Why can termites digest cellulose?
A. Their digestive tract secretes β-glucosidase.
B. Bacteria in their digestive tract secrete β-glucosidase
C. Their digestive tract secretes α-glucosidase.
D. Bacteria in their digestive tract secrete
glucosidase.
Question 52
Which of the following structural formula show an α, and
which one shows a β anomer?
phosphofructokinase
B. Is both an allosteric activator and an allosteric
inhibitor of phosphofructokinase
C. Is used only when there is plenty in the cell
D. Level decreases immediately in the presence of
phosphofructokinase
Question 55
Fill in the blank. Both ATP and citric acid are allosteric
inhibitors of the phosphofructokinase enzyme. High levels of
these compounds indicate that ________________.
A. The cellular respiration is not going on efficiently,
α-
but the ATP level is sufficient
B. The cellular respiration is efficiently going on, and it
is producing sufficient ATP
C. Phosphofructokinase expression is inhibited by ATP
and citric acid
D. Phosphofructokinase is a subject of negative
feedback inhibition as the first enzyme of the
glycolytic pathway

Question 56
Fill in the blank. Fermentation recycles ______, thus glycolysis
can produce more ATP.

A. FADH2
B. NADP+
C. NAD+
D. AMP
 A. Cyclic, NADH
Question 57 B. Cyclic, NADPH
What is the final electron acceptor during fermentation? C. Linear, NADPH
D. Linear, NADH
A. A coenzyme
B. NADH Question 61
C. ATP The following diagram shows an outline of the Calvin-Benson
D. An organic molecule Cycle. Why is this pathway called a "cycle?"

Question 58
58. Fill in the blanks. Louis Pasteur, a French chemist, was the
first to determine that the presence of some microorganism
results in ____fermentation, while other microorganisms
produce _____.

A. Alcoholic, acid
B. Acidic, carbon dioxide
C. Alcoholic, carbon dioxide
D. Ethanol, lactic acid

Question 59
The following diagram shows an outline of cellular
respiration. Why is the Citric Acid Cycle called a "cycle," but
the glycolysis and the electron transport chain is not?

A. Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, the three carbon

containing sugar, is built by three consecutive steps.

B. The Calvin-Benson cycle requires the presence of a

starter molecule (ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate) for the
carbon fixation, and this starter molecule is recycled
after the synthesis of the three carbon sugar.

C. It is a historical nomenclature; there is no particular

A. The two carbon atoms of the CoA linked acetyl group
are catabolized in two consecutive steps.
B. The citric acid cycle requires the presence of a
starter molecule (oxaloacetate) for the catabolism of
the CoA linked acetyl group, and this starter
molecule is recycled after the catabolism of the
acetyl group.
C. It is a historical nomenclature; there is no particular
reason to call a pathway "cycle."
D. It takes two rounds for the citric acid cycle to release
the remaining carbon atoms of one glucose molecule
in the form of carbon dioxide.
Question 60
Fill in the blanks. The cyclic and the linear light reactions
produce ATP, but only the ______ light reaction makes
_______.
reason to call a pathway "cycle."
D. Because it takes three rounds for the Calvin-Benson
cycle to synthesize one triose molecule from carbon
dioxide.
Question 62
Fill in the blank. A eukaryotic cell that has insufficient amount
of oxaloacetate _____.
A. Will complete the cellular respiration of glucose to
carbon dioxide, because the involved pathways do
not produce net oxaloacetate.
B. Will not be able to survive, because it cannot
complete cellular respiration.
C. Will produce two ATP molecules per glucose, and it
will recycle NAD+ with fermentation.
D. Will have increased carbon dioxide binding, thus it
will be able to perform carbon fixation more
efficiently.

Question 63
Fill in the blank. A eukaryotic cell that lacks ribulose 1,5- What is different in the Szent-Györgyi-Krebs and the Calvin-
bisphosphate is a(n) _________. Benson cycles?

A. Chemoautotroph A. The Szent-Györgyi-Krebs cycle breaks down a triose

B. Photoheterotroph to carbon dioxide; the Calvin-Benson cycle
C. Autotroph synthesizes a triose from carbon dioxide.
D. Heterotroph B. The Calvin-Benson cycle requires NADH, while the
Szent-Györgyi-Krebs makes NADH.
Question 64 C. The Szent-Györgyi-Krebs cycle breaks down an
Fill in the blank. A eukaryotic cell which harvests light energy organic molecule to carbon dioxide; the Calvin-
with only the cyclic light reaction _____________. Benson cycle synthesizes an organic molecule from
carbon dioxide.
A. Will need a light reaction independent NADPH D. The Szent-Györgyi-Krebs cycle requires high energy
source to perform carbon fixation molecules for carbon dioxide production; the Calvin-
B. Can fully support carbon fixation with the cyclic light Benson cycle produces high energy molecules as a
reaction byproduct of triose synthesis.
C. Will employ an NADPH independent way of carbon
fixation Question 68
D. Will become heterotroph Why are BRCAs not synthesized in human tissues?

Question 65 A. Human cells can synthesize only polar amino acids.

Glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway are
alternatives, but the pentose phosphate pathway is less B. Humans are diploid organisms; only polyploid
efficient in ATP production. Is there a special need for the organisms have enough genes for the biosynthesis of
pentose phosphate pathway in the cell? BRCAs.
C. The corresponding biosynthetic pathway was lost
A. Glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway are during evolution.
completely interchangeable. D. Human cells cannot synthesize apolar amino acids.
B. The pentose phosphate pathway produces
metabolites for the synthesis of essential amino
acids. Question 69
C. The pentose phosphate pathway is used, when the Fill in the blank. Essential amino acids are those that cannot
cell has high ATP levels, and it is not very important be produced by an organism, e.g. _____ has no essential
to extract as much energy as possible from one amino acid, but all amino acids are essential for _______.
glucose molecule.
D. The pentose phosphate pathway produces essential A. Escherichia coli, algae
metabolites for nucleotide synthesis and NADPH. B. Escherichia coli, Lactobacteria
C. Plants, humans
D. Lactobacteria, humans.
Question 66
What is similar in the Szent-Györgyi-Krebs and the Calvin- Question 70
Benson cycles? Fill in the blanks. Metabolic diseases may render an otherwise
nonessential amino acid to become essential. For example,
A. Both the Calvin-Benson and the Szent-Györgyi-Krebs the inherited metabolic disease _______, moves _______ to
cycles have key metabolites that are necessary to the essential amino acid category in affected individuals.
start the cycle: oxaloacetic acid for the Szent-
Györgyi-Krebs cycle, and ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate A. Phenylketonuria, phenylalanine
for the Calvin-Benson cycle. B. Maple syrup urine disease, branched chained amino
B. Both the Calvin-Benson and the Szent-Györgyi-Krebs acids
cycles make ATP and other high energy molecules. C. Alkaptonuria, tyrosine
D. Phenylketonuria, tyrosine
C. Both metabolic cycles result in the production of
carbon dioxide. Question 71
D. The primary role of both pathways is the production How many amino acids are essential?
of NADH and FADH2 for the electron transport chain.
A. For some species all amino acids are essential, for
others none are essential.
Question 67 B. There are nine essential amino acids.
 C. Plants and fungi have none; for every other species,
9 amino acids are essential.
D. There are 10 essential amino acids.

Question 72
Complete the sentence. Ornithine is essential in the urea
cycle, because ______________.

A. It is converted to arginine, and arginine is used in

protein synthesis
B. The urea cycle requires the presence of ornithine as
a starter molecule, and it is being recycled as the
nitrogen leaves the cycle in the form of urea
C. Ornithine delivers the nitrogen from amino acid
catalysis into the cycle
D. Ornithine is cycling between the cytosol and the
mitochondria during the cycle

Question 73
What is a common way of regulating amino acid synthesis?

A. Many amino acids are allosteric inhibitors of an early

step of their own anabolic pathway.
B. Many amino acids are competitive inhibitors of their
own anabolic pathway.
C. Many amino acids are allosteric activators of an early
step of their own anabolic pathway.
D. Most amino acids originate from the breakdown of
proteins; the amino acid anabolic pathways are
hardly used and are not regulated anymore.
Question 74 A. The biological role of this cycle is to fix nitrogen.
Which compound reacts with carbamoyl phosphate in the
urea cycle? B. The biological role of this cycle is to synthesize
arginine.
C. The biological role of this cycle is to eliminate
nitrogen.
D. The biological role of this cycle is to synthesize
ornithine.

Question 76
What regulates the committed step of the urea cycle?

A. The excess of glutamate

B. Low levels of urea
C. High levels of ornithine
D. The absence of citrulline

Question 77
Which statement best describes the metabolism of amino
A. A
acids?
B. B
C. C
A. Glutamate is involved in both amino acid synthesis
D. D
and amino acid breakdown.
B. Glutamate is involved only in the deamination of
Question 75
other amino acids.
What is the biological function of the following pathway?
C. The amino acid catabolism and the amino acid
synthesis pathways do not overlap.
D. Pyridoxal phosphate is a coenzyme for
transamination reactions.

Question 78
Which of the following best describes a transaminases
catalyzed reaction?

A. It is an elimination reaction, because it results in the

removal of the amino group from the amino acid.

B. It is a substitution reaction, because the amino

group is exchanged to ketone group.
C. It is an oxidation, because the α-carbon is oxidized in
the product.
D. It is a redox reaction, because the α-carbon is
oxidized in the product.

Question 79
Which enzymes are used during both the biosynthesis and
the catabolism of amino acid?

A. Transaminases
B. Transcarbamilases
C. Phosphoenolpyrivate kinase and phosphatase

D. Dighydroxiacid dehydratases

Question 80
What is the fate of the carbone skeleton during amino acid
catabolism?
 A. It can be stored in fats. C. Szent-Györgyi-Krebs cycle
B. It can be stored in glucose. D. Alanine cycle
C. It can be stored in fats and glucose.
D. It always released as carbon dioxide.
Question 81
Which metabolic pathway has the intermediate which is used Question 87
to start the biosynthesis of all branch chain amino acids? What is the heterocyclic intermediate of the purine
nucleotide interconversion?
A. Glycolysis
B. Calvin-Benson cycle A. AMP
C. Szent-Györgyi-Krebs cycle B. IMP
D. Alanine cycle C. GMP
D. Uric acid
Question 82
Fill in the blank. If the urea cycle does not work efficiently, the Question 88
blood ____ levels will increase. Which nucleotides are used as energy source by the cell?

A. Amino acid A. ATP is the only nucleotide that is used as the source
B. Ammonia of energy in anabolic reactions.
C. Glutamine B. ATP is the most commonly used, but GTP, CTP, and
D. Glutamate UTP are used as well.
C. GTP is used during protein synthesis, but every other
Question 83 anabolic pathway utilizes ATP.
Fill in the blank. High ammonia levels _______. D. ATP is the energy source in anabolic reactions, but
catabolic reactions use GTP, CTP, and UTP.
A. Result from the breakdown of urea in the urea cycle.
Question 89
B. Result in unnecessary amino acid production, and Which metabolite is involved in both the salvage of adenine
excessive protein synthesis. and the biosynthesis of adenosine-5'-monophosphate?
C. Decrease glutamate levels, thus it interferes with
neuronal signal transduction. A. inosine-5'-monophosphate
D. Result from the breakdown of carbamoyl phosphate B. Hypoxanthine
at the end of the urea cycle. C. Ribose-5-phosphate
D. 5-phosphoribosyl-1-ribophosphate
Question 84
Which metabolic pathway has the intermediate which is used Question 90
to start the biosynthesis of all aromatic amino acids? The relative activity of kinases determines the nucleotide
levels in the cell. Which nucleotides have the highest levels?
A. Glycolysis
B. Calvin-Benson cycle A. The NMP levels are highest, because the cell invests
C. Szent-Györgyi-Krebs cycle in NDP and NTP synthesis only as needed.
D. Alanine cycle B. The NMP levels are highest, because the nucleoside
kinases are the most active.
Question 85 C. The NTP levels are highest, because the NDP kinases
Which metabolic pathway has the intermediate which is used are the most active.
to start the biosynthesis of threonine and glutamate? D. The NDP levels are highest, because the NMP
kinases are the most active.
A. Glycolysis
B. Calvin-Benson cycle Question 91
C. Szent-Györgyi-Krebs cycle Fill in the blanks. ___________ is synthesized from glutamine
D. Alanine cycle for pyrimidine biosynthesis, but for amino acid catabolism, it
is derived from ____________ bicarbonate.
Question 86
Which metabolic pathway has the intermediate which is used A. α-ketoglutarate, carbamate or
to start the biosynthesis of histidine? B. α-ketoglutarate, ammonia and
C. Carbamoyl phosphate, carbamate or
A. Pentose phosphate pathway D. Carbamoyl phosphate, ammonia and
B. Calvin-Benson cycle
 c. Allopurinol, which is an isomer of hypoxanthine

d. Oxypurinol, which is an isomer of hypoxanthine

Question 97
Question 92 Fill in the blank. The biosynthesis of purine and pyrimidine
Fill in the blanks. The __________cycle catabolizes AMP to nucleosides utilize _____, which is an activated sugar.
___________.
a. Adenosine-5'-triphosphate
A. Calvin-Benson, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate b. 5-Phosphoribosil-1-phosphate
B. Purine nucleotide, fumarate c. 5-Phosphoribosil-1-pyrophosphate
C. Szent-Györgyi-Krebs, fumarate d. Guanosine-5'-triphosphate
D. Citric acid, oxaloacetic acid
Question 98
Question 93 Fill in the blank. De novo nucleotide synthesis results in ____,
The most common genetically inherited SCID affects the which can be reduced to ______ as needed.
enzyme adenosine deaminase. This deficiency results in
which of the following? a. Ribonucleotides, deoxyribonucleotides
b. Deoxyribonucleotides, ribonucleotides
a. dATP accumulation and the general inhibition of c. Inosine-5'-monophosphate, guanine-5'-
dNTP synthesis from NTPs monophosphate
b. dATP accumulation and the general inhibition of RNA d. Uric acid, adenosine-5'-monophosphate
synthesis
c. AMP accumulation and the selective inhibition of Question 99
GMP synthesis Fill in the blank. Vitamin B12 deficiency inhibits DNA
d. AMP accumulation and the selective inhibition of synthesis, because it ____.
IMP synthesis
a. Is the precursor of tetrahydrofolate
Question 94 b. Interferes with dTMP synthesis
Fill in the blank. Glutamine and _____ are building blocks of c. Interferes with dUMP synthesis
pyrimidine base biosynthesis. d. Activates glycine synthesis

a. Aspartate Question 100

b. 10-formyl tetrahydrofolate What are the regulators of ribonucleotide reductase?
c. Glycine
d. 5-Phosphoribosil-1-phosphate a. The active site of the enzyme is a complement only
to the ribose part of the nucleotide, and its activity is
Question 95 allosterically regulated by the dGTP: GTP ratio.
Fill in the blanks. Glutamine, aspartate, and _________ are
building blocks of __________ base synthesis. b. ATP is an activator and dATP is an inhibitor of this
enzyme, and all four dNTPs are produced
a. 10-formyl tetrahydrofolate, purine and pyrimidine simultaneously.
c. Each ribonucleotide reductase enzyme is specific to
b. 10-formyl tetrahydrofolate, purine one NTP substrate, and its activity is negatively
c. Glycine, pyrimidine regulated by high levels of the corresponding dNTP.
d. 5-Phosphoribosil-1-phosphate, purine and
pyrimidine d. ATP is an activator and dATP is an inhibitor of this
enzyme. Furthermore, all four dNTPs adjust the
Question 96 specificity of this broad spectrum enzyme.
The end product of purine base metabolism is uric acid, and
its accumulation may lead to gout formation. Which drug may
be used to lower uric acid levels?

a. PRPP, which inhibits de novo IMP synthesis

b. Hypoxanthine, which inhibits xanthine oxidase
ANSWER KEY 58. A
59. B
1. A 60. C
2. D 61. B
3. C 62. C
4. C 63. D
5. C 64. A
6. D 65. D
7. A 66. A
8. C 67. C
9. D 68. C
10. D 69. B
11. C 70. D
12. C 71. A
13. D 72. B
14. C 73. A
15. A 74. A
16. A 75. C
17. A 76. A
18. D 77. A
19. B 78. D
20. C 79. A
21. A 80. C
22. D 81. C
23. A 82. B
24. A 83. C
25. A 84. A
26. C 85. C
27. D 86. A
28. C 87. B
29. C 88. B
30. A 89. D
31. D 90. C
32. D 91. D
33. D 92. B
34. B 93. A
35. C 94. A
36. A 95. B
37. C 96. C
38. A 97. C
39. C 98. A
40. D 99. B
41. B 100. D
42. A
43. D
44. A
45. D
46. A
47. D
48. B
49. C
50. A
51. B
52. B
53. C
54. A
55. B
56. C
57. D