Lecture 5

BCH 369: Worksheet 3

Due: Feb 12, 2016

Question 1-2: Case Study on Structure of Insulin

An SDS-PAGE gel is run or proinsulin and insulin. Samples were treated with -mercaptoethanol prior to
electrophoresis.
How many bands will appear on the gel in the proinsulin sample?
one, because there are bands for each unique protein

How many bands will appear on the gel in the insulin sample?
One as well
Question 7
Explain why mass spectrometry, which is highly accurate, cannot distinguish Leu and Ile.
Mass spectrometry cannot distinguish because the two are chemically identical

Question 9
Myoglobin transfers oxygen obtained from hemoglobin to mitochondrial proteins involved in the catabolism
of metabolic fuels to produce energy for the muscle cell. Using what you have learned in this chapter about
myoglobin and hemoglobin, what can you conclude about the structures of these mitochondrial proteins?

These mitochondrial proteins probably have the oxygen receiving part of the protein trapped in the
center so water cant readily react with it. Perhaps they have heme groups.

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Lecture 6

BCH 369: Worksheet 3

Due: Feb 12, 2016

Question 2-3
Hemoglobin is 50% saturated with oxygen when pO2 = 26 torr. If hemoglobin exhibited hyperbolic binding
(as myoglobin does) with 50% saturation at 26 torr, what would be the fractional saturation when pO2 = 30
torr? What would be the fractional saturation when pO2 = 100 torr? What does this tell you about the
physiological importance of hemoglobins sigmoidal oxygen-binding curve?

Y=0.5357 for pO2=30

Y=0.7937 for pO2=100
Sigmoidal O2 binding is an important quality of hemoglobin so it binds less in the tissue and more in the
lungs. This allows it to release O2 in the tissue because the binding affinity is so low.

Question 6: Case Study on Hemoglobin

You recall reading in the medical literature about a dramatic new drug treatment for sickle cell anemia, and
youd like to try it on this patient. The drug is hydroxyurea, and is thought to function by stimulating the
afflicted persons synthesis of fetal hemoglobin. In a clinical study, patients who took hydroxyurea showed a
50% reduction in frequency of hospital admissions for severe pain, and there was also a decrease in the
frequency of fever and abnormal chest x-rays. Why would increasing the synthesis of fetal hemoglobin result
in alleviating the symptoms of sickle cell anemia?
So binding affinity can increase and the oxygen-deprived cells will bind to the hemoglobin better. Fetal
hemoglobin has better affinity.

Question 7
Phalloidin, a peptide isolated from a poisonous mushroom, binds to F-actin but not G-actin. How does the
addition of phalloidin affect cell motility?
It could prevent polymerization of the actin strand

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