Biochemistry Continuous Assessment Test 1

WEILL BUGANDO UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

OF HEALTH SCIENCES
MD1 CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT TEST
BIOCHEMISTRY (BC100)
2nd DECEMBER 2009

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
This paper comprises three sections A, B and C
Answer ALL questions
Time allocated is 3 hours
SECTION A: Multiple Choice Questions: Circle the Letter of the Most Correct Answer.
1. The similarity between the peptide bond and
phosphodiester bond is that:
a. They are covalent bond
b. They are rigid and planar
c. They link residues in the polymers
d. They are not hydrolysed by
heating
e. a, c and d

3. The amino acid with the maximum

buffering capacity at physiological pH
is:
a. Lysine
b. Arginine
c. Histidine
d. Glutamine
e. Aspartate

2. Secondary structure of a protein is stabilized

by the following forces EXCEPT:
a. Disulphide bond
b. Van der Waal forces
c. Hydrophobic interaction
d. The hydrogen bond formed by the
polar side chains of various amino
acids
e. The hydrogen bond formed between
the carbonyl oxygen and the amino
group located in the protein
backbone

4. Regarding buffers, which of the

following statements is NOT correct?
a. The maximum buffer activity
of the buffer system is within
1 of its pKa.
b. The pH of the buffer system is
equal to its pKa when the
concentration of the acid is
equal to that of its conjugate
base

Biochemistry Continuous Assessment Test 1

c. All amino acids are buffers

because they have dissociable
carboxylic and amino ends
d. Buffers are solutions that
accommodates the changes in pH
e. None of the above

d. Glycerol and gangliosides

e. Cholesterol and
prostaglandins
9. According to the chemical and
biological classifications of fatty acids,
we can classify palmitic acid as:
a. Monounsaturated and essential
b. polyunsaturated and essential
c. Polyunsaturated and non
essential
d. Saturated and essential
e. Saturated and non essential

5. Regarding the peptide bond, which of

the following statement is NOT correct?
a. It is rigid and planar
b. It is polar and charged
c. It is in trans configuration
d. It has partial double bond
character
e. It is in cis configuration when
proline is the next amino acid

10. The following group of lipids can act

as pulmonary surfactant and
component of membranes:
a. Steroids
b. Glycosides
c. Triacylglycerols
d. Fatty lipids
e. Phospholipids

6. Regarding amino acids, which of the

following statements is NOT correct?
a. Tyrosine, threonine and serine
contain the hydroxyl group
b. Lysine, arginine and histidine are
basic amino acids
c. Cysteine and methionine are
sulphur containing amino acids
d. Tryptophan and Phenylalanine
are the only aromatic amino
acids
e. Aspartate and glutamate are
acidic amino acids

11. The following compounds are

synthesized from cholesterol
a. Vitamin A, D, E and K
b. Vitamin D, fatty acids and
glycerol
c. Vitamin E, D and steroid
hormones
d. Vitamin D, Estrogen and
cortisol
e. None of the above

7. The following heteropolysaccharide can

be used in blood transfusions to prevent
the blood from clotting and treatment of
venous thrombosis.
a. Hyaluronic acid
b. Chondroitin- 4- Sulfate
c. Chondroitin- 6- Sulfate
d. Heparin
e. Dermatan Sulfate

12. Cell differentiation results due to:

a. Differences in function of cells
b. Differences in the DNA content
c. Differences in gene
expression
d. Differences in the original cell
where they differentiated from
at the beginning
e. Only a and c

8. The following compounds are

phospholipids:
a. Lecithins and cephalins
b. Diacylglycerols and cephalins
c. Galactosides and cerebrosides

Biochemistry Continuous Assessment Test 1

13. The fluidity of the cell membrane is

controlled by:
a. Cholesterol content
b. Amount of unsaturated fatty
acids
c. Temperature
d. All of the above
e. Only a and b

17. Brown adipose tissue is characterized

by the following:
a. Present in large quantities in
adult humans
b. Mitochondrial content higher
than white adipose tissue
c. Oxidation and phosphorylation
are tightly coupled
d. Absent in hibernating animals
e. All of the above

14. Regarding the assymmetry of the cell

membrane:
a. The one due to proteins is not
absolute
b. The one due to carbohydrates
is absolute
c. The one due to phospholipids is
absolute
d. The lecithins only exist on the
outer surface
e. None of the above

18. The following processes in the cell

takes place in the mitochondrial matrix
EXCEPT:
a. Heme synthesis
b. Apoptosis
c. TCA cycle
d. Glycolysis
e. Oxidation of fatty acids
19. Glycogenin in the molecule of
glycogen acts as:
a. Binding site for enzymes
b. Primer
c. Branching points for glucose
molecules
d. All of the abov
e. None of the above

15. Regarding the mitochondria, the

following statements are true:
a. Its the only place which contains
DNA in the cell
b. The DNA contained in
mitochondria codes for all
proteins destined to matrix
c. It exports only few proteins to
for use
d. The number of mitochondria
varies depending on the cell
type and metabolism
e. Only c and d

20. The principal lung surfactant is

a. Phosphatidylcholine.
b. Phosphatidylinositol.
c. Phosphatidic acid.
d. Cardiolipin.
e. Sphingomyelin

16. Lactase catalyses the breakdown of:

a. Alpha 1-3 glycosidic bond
b. Alpha 1-4 glycosidic bond
c. Beta 1-4 glycosidic bond
d. Beta 1-6 glycosidic bond
e. None of the above

21. In nature most glycosaminoglycans are

found covalently linked to protein
cores. Which of the following is not?
a. Hyaluronic acid
b. Chondroitin sulfate
c. Heparin
d. Dermatan sulfate
e. Heparan sulfate

Biochemistry Continuous Assessment Test 1

22. All of the following statements about

integral membrane proteins are true
EXCEPT
a. They are associated with lipid in
the membrane.
b. They can be transmembranous.
c. They are amphipathic.
d. They are symmetrically
distributed within the membrane.
e. They are only removed from the
membrane by drastic treatments.

c. Because this is a mutant form

of hemoglobin in which a
glutamic acid of each beta
chain has been replaced by a
valine, it has a tendency to
form insoluble aggregates.
d. This is a frameshift mutation
e. Aggregation of molecules of
this form of hemoglobin is
promoted by high oxygen
concentration.

23. The correct structure for palmitic acid is

a. CH3(CH2)12COOH
b. CH3(CH2)14COOH
c. CH3(CH2)16COOH
d. CH3(CH2)18COOH
e. CH3(CH2)119COOH

27. At their isoelectric point proteins have

a. No ionized groups.
b. No positively charged groups.
c. No negatively charged groups.
d. Equal numbers of positively
and negatively charged
groups.
e. None of the above

24. Hyaluronic acid consists of repeating

units of
a. Glucose and fructose.
b. gGucuronic acid and Nacetylglucosamine.
c. Galactose and Nacetylgalactosamine.
d. Glucuronic acid and Nacetylgalactosamine.
e. Glucuronic acid and galactose.

28. All of the following are a part of our

current concept of biological
membranes EXCEPT
a. A fluid lipid bilayer.
b. Proteins can move laterally in
the plane of the membrane.
c. Non-covalent association of
protein with the lipid bilayer.
d. Proteins are symmetrically
distributed on both sides of the
membrane.
e. Glycosylation of the peripheral
proteins on the outer bilayer
gives the cell its
immunological properties

25. Which one of the following classes of

histones is not a component of
nucleosomes?
a. H1
b. H2A
c. H2B
d. H3
e. H4

29. The complementary sequence for 5'TCTAAG-3' is

a. 5'-AGATTC-3'
b. 5'-AGATAC-3'
c. 5'-AAATTT-3'
d. 5'-CATAGA-3'
e. 5'-CTTAGA-3'

26. Which of the following statements about

HbS is correct?
a. This is a type of thalassemia.
b. This is a form of hemoglobin
modified by the addition of a
cysteine at the C-terminus.

Biochemistry Continuous Assessment Test 1

30. All of the following statements

regarding the Watson-Crick B-form of
DNA are true EXCEPT
a. Two chains are coiled around a
common axis forming a righthanded helix.
b. There are 10 base pairs per turn.
c. The bases are found on the
outside of the helix and the
sugar phosphate backbone on
the inside.
d. The two chains run in opposite
directions.
e. Adenine is always paired with
thymine, guanine with cytosine.

34. The pK for following acids are as

follows: acetoacetic acid 3.6, pyruvic
acid 2.5, -hydroxy butyric acid 4.0,
propionic acid 4.9 and lactic acid 3.9.
Assuming the sum of HA + A- is
identical based on the acids listed
above, which acid will offer great
buffering at pH 5.0?
a. Acetoacetic acid
b. Pyruvic acid
c. -hydroxy butyric acid
d. Propionic acid
e. Lactic acid
35. In normal life specificity of
interactions may be encountered in all
of the following EXCEPT:
a. The immune system
b. Tropism of some viruses
c. The hormone signaling
d. Any other ligand-receptor
binding
e. None of the above

31. Which of the following compounds has a

cyclopentanophenanthrene ring in its
structure?
a. Arachidonic acid
b. Cholesterol
c. Ganglioside
d. Squalene
e. Vitamin A

36. The following statements are true

about hemoglobin varieties EXCEPT:
a. Hemoglobin A is an adult
form that replaces
Hemoglobin F at age of 9
months
b. hemoglobin F is found in
embryonic life
c. Hemoglobin A2 is a minor
component of hemoglobin in
most MDI
d. a and b
e. None of the above

32. The pH of a solution can be determined

by:
a. log [base]/[acid]
b. log [acid]/[base]
c. log[acid-base]
d. pK +log[base]/[acid]]
e. pK+ log[acid]/[base]
33. The ability of a buffer to resist pH
changes with added acid or base is
affected by:
a. The pH of the solution
b. The concentration of the buffer
c. The dissociation constant of the
buffer acid
d. The pK of the buffer
e. All of the above

37. The following bonds are important in

the intermolecular associations of
biomolecules.
a. Hydrophobic bonds
b. Ionic bonds in aqueous solution
c. Hydrogen bonds
d. All of the above
e. Covalent bond

Biochemistry Continuous Assessment Test 1

41. The following statement about Protein

purification is NOT correct
a. Dialysis is useful for removing
a salt or other small molecule
from a protein.
b. Dialysis can distinguish
between proteins effectively
based on their size.
c. Gel-Filtration Chromatography
separates proteins based on
their size.
d. Affinity Chromatography takes
advantage of the specific
binding of many proteins for
specific chemical groups.
e. None of above.

38. Proteins destined to the extracellular

compartment are:
a. Synthesised by free ribosomes
in the cytosol
b. Passed first in the mitochondria
before being sent to the golgi
apparatus
c. Received at the Cis end of the
Golgi apparatus from the ER
d. A and C
e. Synthesized only from the
mRNA derived from
mitochondrial DNA
39. The following statements are true
regarding the combination of Oxygen
and hemoglobin.
a. The association is such that Iron
in heme is converted to Fe(III)
state
b. The association is a cooperative
one, such that binding of first
oxygen deters entry of second,
third and fourth
c. The combination is regulated
allosterically
d. Both B and C
e. None of the above.

42. The following statement about Protein

purification is NOT correct
a. In Gel-Filtration
Chromatography the sample is
applied to the top of a column
consisting of porous beads
b. In Gel-Filtration
Chromatography small
molecules flow more rapidly
through this column and
emerge first than large
molecule.
c. Gel filtration Chromatography
is also known as Molecular
exclusion chromatography or
Size exclusion chromatography
d. Proteins can be separated on
the basis of their net charge by
ion-exchange chromatography.
e. None of above.

40. The following statement about Protein

purification is NOT correct
a. Most proteins are soluble at high
salt concentrations, an effect
called salting out.
b. The salt concentration at which a
protein precipitates differs from
one protein to another.
c. Salting out can be used to
fractionate proteins.
d. Proteins can be separated from
small molecules by dialysis
through a semipermeable
membrane.
e. None of the above

Biochemistry Continuous Assessment Test 1

43. The following statement about ionexchange chromatography is NOT

correct
a. If a protein has a net positive
charge it will bind to a column of
beads containing negatively
charged carboxylate groups.
b. If a protein has a net negative
charge it will bind to a column of
beads containing positively
charged diethylaminorthyl
groups.
c. A mixture of proteins is applied
to a column that contains a resin
to which negatively or positively
group is tightly attached.
d. If the attached group is
negatively charged the column
becomes an Anion-exchange
Column
e. None of the above.

c. The gel serves as a molecular

sieve that enhances separation.
d. Large proteins move rapidly
through the gel than the
small proteins.
e. When the electrophoresis is
complete, the proteins in the
gel can be visualized by
staining them with silver or
Coomassie blue, which reveals
a series of bands.
46. The following statement about Protein
purification is NOT correct.
a. Isoelectric focusing can
separate proteins
electrophoretically on the basis
of their relative contents of
acidic and basic residues.
b. At isoelectric point (pl),
proteins electrophoretic
mobility is high.
c. Isoelectric focusing can be
combined with SDS-PAGE to
form Two-Dimensional
Electrophoresis that offers very
high resolution separations of
proteins.
d. In Two-Dimensional
Electrophoresis, proteins are
separated on the basis of
isoelectric point and mass.
e. None of the above.

44. A protein bound to affinity

chromatography and ion exchange
chromatography column can then be
eluted (released) by:
a. Increasing the concentration of
sodium chloride or another salt
b. Changing the pH in the eluting
buffer
c. Changing temperature of the
solution
d. a and b
e. None of the above
45. Regarding Gel Electrophoresis, one of
the following statements is NOT correct.
a. A molecule with a net charge will
move in an electric field, a
phenomenon termed
electrophoresis.
b. It offers a powerful means of
separating proteins and other
macromolecules, such as DNA
and RNA.

Biochemistry Continuous Assessment Test 1

47. The following statement about Protein

purification is NOT correct.
a. Proteins can be separated and
purified according to their Size,
solubility, charge, and binding
affinity.
b. The key approaches to analyze
and purify proteins are
Electrophoresis, Chromatography
and Ultracentrifugation.
c. The amino acid sequence can be
determined once the protein is
purified.
d. The primary structure of the
protein is amino acid
composition a protein.
e. The first step in determining the
primary structure of a protein is
to identify to composition of
amino acids.

49. During protein sequencing one of the

following statement is NOT correct
a. Dabsly chloride or Dansly
chloride are used to label the N
terminal of the protein.
b. Edman degration reaction can
be used to precisely sequence
protein with more than 100
amino acids.
c. Carboxypeptidase cleaves the
amino acid at the C terminal of
the protein.
d. The individual amino acids
obtained by acid hydrolysis
of the protein are separated
by Cation-exchange
Chromatography.
e. None of the above
50. Boiling protein with 6N HCl at 1100 C
for 24 hours
a. Is used for determination of
amino acid composition of a
protein.
b. Cleaves the peptide bonds and
releases the individual amino
acids.
c. Glutamate and Aspartate are
hydrolyzed to Glutamine and
Asparagine respectively.
d. Tryptophan is largely
destroyed.
e. None of the above.

48. The following statement regarding

ultracetrifugation is NOT correct.
a. The rate sedimentation is
expressed by Svedberg units
b. A particle of more mass
sediments faster than a particle of
less mass, if they have the same
shape and density.
c. A particle will sedment faster in a
less denser medium.
d. The frictional coefficient of a
compact particle is larger than
that of an extended particle of
the same mass.
e. Elongated particles sediment
more slowly than the spherical
ones of the same mass.

Biochemistry Continuous Assessment Test 1

SECTION B: Write short notes on each of the following: (5 marks each)

1. Biochemical basis of Sickle cell disease
2. Lactose intolerance
3. Mitochondria
4. Essential fatty acids
5. Denaturation of proteins

SECTION C: ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS (25 marks)

1. a). With examples define the term biomolecules
b). Describe the structure of the cell membrane and explain the function of different
biomolecules present in the cell membrane.
2. Describe the ion exchange chromatography.
3. A Biochemist was analyzing a peptide extracted from pathogenic bacteria.
a. Cleavage of the peptide with Cyanogen Bromide yielded three peptide fragments with the
following sequences; Leu-Phe-Glu-Val-Ala-Cys; Thr-Lys-Met and Ser-Tyr-Met.
b. Cleavage of this peptide with Chymotrypsin also gave three fragments of peptides with the
following sequences; Glu-Val-Ala-Cys; Met-Thr-Lys-Met-Leu-Phe and Ser-Tyr.
QUESTIONS:
i. What is the amino acid sequence of this bacterial peptide?
ii. What is the net charge of the peptide from the bacteria at pH 7, pH 2 and pH 10?
iii. How many fragments will be produced if the above peptide from the virus is cleaved by Trypsin
and what will be the sequences of these fragments?

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