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HUMBIO 3A MIDTERM STUDY GUIDE
This is NOT a complete listing of what you need to know for the exam--consider this a guide.
Also, do NOT consider all topics listed here as equally important. Use your own judgement,
based on how much time we spent on these topics in class, to plan your studying time. Good
luck!!!
Scale, Organelles, and Chemical Components of Cells
-Approx. size of atoms, proteins, organelles, cells (see section handout)
-General function of all organelles and evolutionary origin
-Main elements in cells
-General structure of amino acids, fatty acids, monosaccharides, nucleotides
-Covalent and non-covalent bonds
-Hydrolysis and condensation reactions
Protein Structure and Function
-Amino acids! General structure, names, functions when mentioned in class
-Levels of protein structure
-Geometry of alpha helices and beta sheets -- and where they might be placed (amphipathic,
etc..)
-Hydrophobic interactions
-Forces that lead to protein folding
-Allostery and protein regulation
Thermodynamics, Kinetics, & Enzymes
-Equilibrium; backwards & forwards reactions (reversible)
-Spontaneity vs. Speed of a reaction
-Redox Potentials
-Free energy diagram (know axes, typical shapes for spontaneous & nonspontaneous reactions,
activation energy, transition state, interpretation)
-Enzymes (role, catalytic ability, effect on free energy diagram)
-Enzyme kinetics diagram a.k.a. Michaelis-Menten (know axes, typical shape & why, changing
slopes within the graph, Km graphical definition & affinity interpretation, Vmax)
-Calculations using Michaelis Menten equation
-Enzyme Inhibition -- noncompetitive vs competitive (how they shift Michaelis-Menten curve's
Vmax & Km and why)
-Vocab: delta G, activation energy, transition state, catalyst, equilibrium, allosteric, Km, Vmax
Cell Membranes
-Fatty acid structure & characteristics
-Phospholipid structure & characteristics
-Aggregation of lipid molecules in water (monolayer, bilayer)
-Asymmetry of cell membranes & location of glycolipids
-Factors influencing fluidity & why (saturation, tail length, cholesterol)
-Selective permeability
-Membrane proteins
-Location of protein and lipid glycosylation
-Vocab: saturated, unsaturated, amphipathic, phospholipid, micelle, flippase
Membrane Transport
-Membrane transport proteins: carrier and channel proteins
-Ion distribution inside and outside cells
-Active and passive transport
-Electrochemical gradient
-Coupled transport
-Membrane potential
-Nernst equation
Protein Sorting
Know the sequential events & actors for each of the following pathways. Be able to compare
them:
-Cytoplasmic proteins
-Nuclear proteins
-Proteins of mitochondria and chloroplasts
-ER proteins (know the possible destinations for proteins)
-Vesicle budding and fusion
-Vocab: nuclear import receptor, nuclear pore, nuclear localization signal, signal peptidase,
SRP, SRP receptor, chaperone proteins, exocytosis, endocytosis
Energy, Mitochondria and Chloroplasts
-Coupling unfavorable reactions to favorable reactions
-For the following processes, know where they happen, what goes in and what comes out:
Glycolysis
Fermentation
Pyruvate oxidation
Kreb's Cycle
Electron Transport
Photosynthesis
-How the proton gradient is formed
-Oxidation and reduction
-ATP Synthase and how it works.
-Structure of mitochondria and chloroplasts (and prokaryotic origin)
-Vocab: oxidative phosphorylation and chemiosmotic coupling
Cell Signaling: recognition and transduction
-Types of cell signaling: endocrine, paracrine, neuronal, contact-dependent
-Ion-channel-linked receptor
-Cytosolic receptors for NO and steroid hormones
-Enzyme-linked receptor: receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK)
-Self-phosphorylation
-Restricted localization
-RAS
-Protein Kinase C
-G-protein-linked receptor / 7-pass transmembrane receptor
-G-protein: alpha, beta, gamma subunits
-Effectors: Phospholipase C, Adenylyl cyclase
-Where do you use: ATP, GTP, GDP, cAMP, AMP
-Protein Kinase A (PKA)
-Kinases and Phosphatases
-Calcium Ions and their roles
-Amplification
Immunology
-Specific/Nonspecific Immunity
-Cellular/Humoral Responses
-Antigen
-Antibody (structure identification)
-Gene Rearrangement
-Clonal Selection Theory
-Classes of Immunoglobulins and Function
-MHC complexes
-T helper cells
-T cytotoxic cells
-CD4 / CD8
-Class switching
-Cytokines
-Plasma Cells
-B cells
-Macrophages
-AIDS
Cell Cycle and Cancer
-Stages of the cell cycle
-Cyclin, CDK, MPF, p53, p21, Rb, Ras
-Apoptosis
-Senescence
-Oncogenes
-Tumor suppressor genes
-Cancer cell traits
-Tumor growth