SAT Subject Test Biology E/M

Biochemistry
Uses of isotopes
I-131: Diagnose and treat certain diseases of the thyroid gland
C-13: Act as tracer; incorporated into molecules of CO2 and used to track metabolic pathways
Carbohydrates
1g releases 4 calories when burned
Lipids
1g releases 9 calories when burned
Proteins
1g releases 4 calories when burned
Disaccharides
Glucose + Glucose -> Maltose + Water
Glucose + Fructose -> Sucrose + Water
Glucose + Galactose -> Lactose + Water
Nucleic Acids
Purines Adenine, guanine
Pyrimidines Thymine, cytosine, uracil
Enzymes
Cofactors (minerals)
Coenzymes (vitamins)
Optimum pH for gastric enzyme: 4
Optimum pH for intestinal enzyme: 8
Prions
Misfolded and infectious proteins that cause several brain diseases, including mad cow
disease
The Cell
Cell size
Eukaryotes: 10 100 m, eg. Red blood cell 8 m
Prokaryotes: 1 10 m
Plastids
1. Chloroplasts photosynthesis
2. Leucoplasts storage of starch
3. Chromoplasts storage of carotenoid pigments
Cytoskeleton
1. Microtubules thick hollow tubes forming cilia, flagella and spindle fibers
2. Microfilaments made of actin; support the shape of cell; enable

Animal cells to form cleavage furrow during cell division

Amoeba to move by sending out pseudopods
Skeletal muscles to contract by sliding along myosi filaments

Active transport
Receptor-mediated endocytosis enables a cell to take up large quantities of very specific
substances
Microscope
Magnification = Magnification of eyepiece x Magnification of objective lens
Image is upside-down and backward from the actual specimen placed onto the slide
Cell Division
Cell cycle
Interphase G1 , S, G2
Mitosis Prophase (longest), metaphase, anaphase (shortest), telophase
Cytokinesis
Meiosis
Synapsis pair up
Crossing over homologous chromatids exchange genetic material
Photosynthesis
Light dependent reaction (in grana)
Photolysis of water: 2H2O -> 4H+ + 4e + O2
Electrons flow through ETC
ATP released through photophosphorylation
Photolysis of water replaces lost electron from chlorophyll a and provide H2 for dark reaction
NADP is reduced
Light independent reaction (in stroma)
Carbon fixation incorporation of CO2 into sugar
Calvin cycle
Enzyme: Rubisco (ribulose biphosphate carboxylase)
3-carbon sugar produced: G3P/ glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate/ PGAL
ATP is used
Other types of photosynthesis
1. C-4 Photosynthesis for dry environments; Hatch-Slack pathway; leaf Kranz
anatomy; eg. Corn, sugarcane, crabgrass
2. CAM plants crassulacean acid metabolism; for dry conditions; stomata close during
the day and open at night
Cellular Respiration
ATP
Adenosine + 3 Phosphates
Anaerobic respiration
1. Alcohol fermentation yeast

2. Lactic acid fermentation skeletal muscles

Aerobic respiration
1. Glycolysis in cytoplasm
1 Glucose + 2 ATP -> 2 Pyruvate + 4 ATP + 2 NADPH
2. Krebs Cycle/ citric acid cycle in matrix of mitochondria
Each turn produces 1 ATP and FADH2 + 3 NADPH, CO2
3. Electron transport chain
Proton gradient created
Produces most ATP during cellular respiration
4. Oxidative phosphorylation & Chemiosmosis
Classical Genetics