Life Science

PYQs and Question Analysis (Part-III)

Lecture No.- 21

By- Dr. Debasish Kar

1) Biochemistry – Question analysis
1) Biochemistry - PYQs and Question analysis
Biochemistry: PYQs and Question analysis
Which one of the following is the most appropriate statement regarding folded proteins?
(a) Charged amino acid side chains are always buried.
(b) Charged amino acid side chains are seldom buried.
(c) Non-polar amino acid side chains are seldom buried.
(d) Tyrosine residues are always buried.
Which one of the following is the most appropriate statement regarding folded proteins?
(a) Charged amino acid side chains are always buried.
(b) Charged amino acid side chains are seldom buried.
(c) Non-polar amino acid side chains are seldom buried.
(d) Tyrosine residues are always buried.

Ans: (d)
Buried charges, when they do occur, are assumed to play an essential role in catalysis and ligand binding, or in stabilizing
structure as, for instance, helix caps. Tyrosine residues are always buried during protein folding.
Under certain conditions pyruvate can be allowed to decarboxylate into acetyl CoA and CO2. For evolution of 14C labeled
carbon in CO2, which carbon atom must be radiolabelled in glucose prior to glycolysis?
(a) C1 or C6 (b) C2 or C3
(c) C3 or C4 (d) C5 or C2
Under certain conditions pyruvate can be allowed to decarboxylate into acetyl CoA and CO2. For evolution of 14C labeled
carbon in CO2, which carbon atom must be radiolabelled in glucose prior to glycolysis?
(a) C1 or C6 (b) C2 or C3
(c) C3 or C4 (d) C5 or C2

Ans: (c)

C3 and C4 have to be radiolabelled.

On buyout density centrifugation of certain DNA band was observed as low peak as compare to other DNA. It means
(a) DNA is AT rich (b) DNA is GC rich
(c) Equal AT to GC ratio (d) Single Stranded DNA
On buyout density centrifugation of certain DNA band was observed as low peak as compare to other DNA. It means
(a) DNA is AT rich (b) DNA is GC rich
(c) Equal AT to GC ratio (d) Single Stranded DNA

Ans: (b)

The DNA band corresponding to a high density will be DNA which is GC rich.
Which statement is correct for following biological reaction:
C6H12O6+6O2→6CO2+6H2O
(a) Entropy of system will increase
(b) Enthalpy for system will increase
(c) Free Energy for system will increase
(d) No change would be seen in free energy
Which statement is correct for following biological reaction:
C6H12O6+6O2→6CO2+6H2O
(a) Entropy of system will increase
(b) Enthalpy for system will increase
(c) Free Energy for system will increase
(d) No change would be seen in free energy

Ans: (a)

Entropy, the measure of a system's thermal energy per unit temperature that is unavailable for doing useful work. During
this reaction, energy is produced outwards which increases the entropy.
Proton motive force during oxidative phosphorylation is generated in mitochondria by
(a) exchanging protons for sodium ions
(b) pumping protons out into intermembrane space
(c) pumping hydoxyl ions into the mitochondria
(d) hydrolysis of ATP
Proton motive force during oxidative phosphorylation is generated in mitochondria by
(a) exchanging protons for sodium ions
(b) pumping protons out into intermembrane space
(c) pumping hydoxyl ions into the mitochondria
(d) hydrolysis of ATP

Ans: (b)

In mitochondria, energy released by the electron transport chain is used to move protons from the mitochondrial matrix
(N side) to the intermembrane space (P side).
Two 18-residue helical peptides A and B are enantiomers. They can be distinguished by
(a) recording their MALDI mass spectrum.
(b) hydrolysis followed by amino acid analysis
(c) sequencing by Edman’s method.
(d) examining their circular dichroism spectra
Two 18-residue helical peptides A and B are enantiomers. They can be distinguished by
(a) recording their MALDI mass spectrum.
(b) hydrolysis followed by amino acid analysis
(c) sequencing by Edman’s method.
(d) examining their circular dichroism spectra

Ans: (d)

Enantiomers have identical chemical and physical properties in an achiral environment. Optical isomers were given their
name because they were first able to be distinguished by how they rotated plane-polarized light. Hence they can be
distinguished by CD spectra.
Acetyl-(Ala)18-CONH2 exists in a-helical conformation in solution. Most of the backbone dihedral angles (φ, y) will be —
(a) –60⁰, –30⁰ (b) 60⁰, 30⁰
(c) –60°, –30° (50%) and 60°, 30° (50%) (d) –80°, 120⁰
Acetyl-(Ala)18-CONH2 exists in a-helical conformation in solution. Most of the backbone dihedral angles (φ, y) will be —
(a) –60⁰, –30⁰ (b) 60⁰, 30⁰
(c) –60°, –30° (50%) and 60°, 30° (50%) (d) –80°, 120⁰

Ans: (a)

Residues in α-helices typically adopt backbone (φ, ψ) dihedral angles around (−60°, −45°). Hence the most
appropriate answer
would be A.
The lifetime of a peptide bond in proteins is very large (~1000 years). Which statement below is INCORRECT with respect
to stability of the peptide bond?
(a) The free energy of hydrolysis is negative
(b) The free energy of hydrolysis is positive and large
(c) The energy barrier to be crossed to go to the hydrolyzed state is large
(d) The peptide bond can be hydrolyzed by 6N HCl at 100°C.
The lifetime of a peptide bond in proteins is very large (~1000 years). Which statement below is INCORRECT with respect
to stability of the peptide bond?
(a) The free energy of hydrolysis is negative
(b) The free energy of hydrolysis is positive and large
(c) The energy barrier to be crossed to go to the hydrolyzed state is large
(d) The peptide bond can be hydrolyzed by 6N HCl at 100°C.

Ans: (b)

ΔG for ATP hydrolysis in intact cells, usually designated ΔGP, is much more negative than ΔG°' in most cells ΔGP
ranges from -50 to -65 kJ/mol. Hence its not positive and large, so the statement B is incorrect.
Following are three single stranded DNA sequences that form secondary structures.
(a) ATTGAGCGATCAAT
(b) ATTGAGCGATATCAAT
(c) AGGGAGCGATCCCT
Based on their stability, which one is correct?
1. (a) = (b) = (c) 2. (c) > (a) > (b)
3. (b) > (c) = (a) 4. (b) > (c) > (a)
Following are three single stranded DNA sequences that form secondary structures.
(a) ATTGAGCGATCAAT
(b) ATTGAGCGATATCAAT
(c) AGGGAGCGATCCCT
Based on their stability, which one is correct?
1. (a) = (b) = (c) 2. (c) > (a) > (b)
3. (b) > (c) = (a) 4. (b) > (c) > (a)

Ans: (2)

C is the most stable as it has the highest GC%, followed by the same GC% in A and B, but B is more in length than A with
the same GC%, hence A is more stable than B.
When bacteria growing at 20°C are warmed at 37⁰C, they are most likely to synthesize membrane lipids with more
1. short chain saturated fatty acids
2. short chain unsaturated fatty acids
3. long chain saturated fatty acids
4. long chain unsaturated fatty acid
When bacteria growing at 20°C are warmed at 37⁰C, they are most likely to synthesize membrane lipids with more
1. short chain saturated fatty acids
2. short chain unsaturated fatty acids
3. long chain saturated fatty acids
4. long chain unsaturated fatty acid

Ans: (3)

The fluidity of a lipid bilayer varies with temperature. The fatty acids tails of phospholipids also affect membrane fluidity.
Fatty acids can vary in length, and the number of double bonds in the hydrocarbon chain. If unsaturated fatty acids are
compressed, the “kinks” in their tails push adjacent phospholipid molecules away, which helps maintain fluidity in the
membrane.
In proteins, hydrogen bonds form as follows: Donor (D)-H— -Acceptor (A). Hydrogen bond is more favorable if the angle
between D-H and A is
(a) <90⁰ (b) 180⁰
(c) >180⁰ (d) 120⁰
In proteins, hydrogen bonds form as follows: Donor (D)-H— -Acceptor (A). Hydrogen bond is more favorable if the angle
between D-H and A is
(a) <90⁰ (b) 180⁰
(c) >180⁰ (d) 120⁰

Ans: (b)

The angle the bond forms is also important in determining the strength of the hydrogen bond. The closer the
hydrogen bond is to correct geometry, the stronger the bond. If the angle is 180⁰ angle between D-H and A, then its more
favourable.
The reaction of glutamate and ammonia to glutamine and water has a value of + 14 kJ mol-1 for ∆Go. This is coupled with
the ATP reaction (ATP + H2O ? ADP + phosphate). The ∆Go for this reaction is -30 kJ mol-1. The ∆Go (KJ mol-1) for the
coupled reaction Glutamate + NH3 + ATP? Glutamine + ADP + Phosphate under equilibrium condition is
(a) 16 (b) –44
(c) –16 (d) 44
The reaction of glutamate and ammonia to glutamine and water has a value of + 14 kJ mol-1 for ∆Go. This is coupled with
the ATP reaction (ATP + H2O ? ADP + phosphate). The ∆Go for this reaction is -30 kJ mol-1. The ∆Go (KJ mol-1) for the
coupled reaction Glutamate + NH3 + ATP? Glutamine + ADP + Phosphate under equilibrium condition is
(a) 16 (b) –44
(c) –16 (d) 44

Ans: (c)
The ∆Go of the coupled reaction is = ∆Go1 + ∆Go2 = (+14) + (-30) = -16 kJ/mol
Reaction products inhibit catalysis in enzymes by
(a) covalently binding to the enzyme
(b) altering the enzyme structure
(c) occupying the active site
(d) form a complex with the substrate.
Reaction products inhibit catalysis in enzymes by
(a) covalently binding to the enzyme
(b) altering the enzyme structure
(c) occupying the active site
(d) form a complex with the substrate.

Ans: (b)
The allosteric inhibitor binds to an enzyme at a site other than the active site. The shape of the active site is altered so
that the enzyme can no longer bind to its substrate. Reaction products allosterically regulate catalysis of the enzyme.
Which one of the following is unfavorable for protein folding?
(a) Hydrophobic interaction (b) van der Waals interaction
(c) Conformational entropy (d) Hydrogen bonding
Which one of the following is unfavorable for protein folding?
(a) Hydrophobic interaction (b) van der Waals interaction
(c) Conformational entropy (d) Hydrogen bonding

Ans: (c)
Conformational entropy is the entropy associated with the number of conformations of a molecule and is unfavourable
during protein folding.
2 mins Summary

1) Question analysis - Biochemistry