Molecular Fabric of Cells (eBook)

Front Cover 1
The Molecular Fabric of Cells 4
Copyright Page 5
Table of Contents 8
Contributors 7
How to use an open learning text Preface 9
Preface 10
The Biotol Project 6
Chapter 1. Cells - the basic units of living systems, 12
1.1 Introduction 13
1.2 Living systems as agents of chemical change 13
1.3 The development of the cell theory 15
1.4 Prokaryotic cells 16
1.5 Eukaryotic cells 19
Summary and objectives 25
Chapter 2. Amino acids 26
2.1 Introduction and roles 27
2.2 Amino acids 28
2.3 Ionisation of amino acids 35
2.4 Identification and reactions of amino acids 48
Summary and objectives 49
Chapter 3. Proteins 50
3.1 The peptide bond and primary structure of proteins 51
3.2 Determination of the primary structure of proteins 54
3.3 Protein conformation and stabilising forces in proteins 57
3.4 Secondary structure of proteins 65
3.5 Tertiary structure of proteins 70
3.6 Quaternary structure of proteins 71
3.7 Factors affecting protein conformation 73
3.8 Purification of proteins 76
Summary and objectives 80
Chapter 4. Nucleic acids 82
4.1 Introduction 83
4.2 Components of nucleic acids 84
4.3 Nucleosides 88
4.4 Nucleotides 89
4.5 DNA 97
4.6 RNA 115
4.7 Genetic engineering - an outline 126
4.8 Hybridisation in molecular biology and biotechnology 132
Summary and objectives 137
Chapter 5. Carbohydrates 138
5.1 Classes of carbohydrates 139
5.2 Monosaccharides 140
5.3 Isomerism in monosaccharides 141
5.4 Properties of monosaccharides 149
5.5 Disaccharides 151
5.6 Polysaccharides 153
Summary and objectives 161
Chapter 6. Lipids 162
6.1 Neutral fats 163
6.2 Phospholipids 169
6.3 Steroids, carotenoids, vitamins and waxes 172
6.4 Lipoproteins 177
Summary and objectives 178
Chapter 7. Biological membranes 180
7.1 Roles of membranes 181
7.2 Composition of membranes 183
7.3 Membrane lipids and aggregates 184
7.4 Membrane proteins 188
7.5 Properties of membranes 189
7.6 Models of membrane structure 193
Summary and objectives 195
Chapter 8. Enzymes 196
8.1 Introduction 197
8.2 Introduction to enzymatic catalysis 197
8.3 The assay of enzymes 212
8.4 Effect of substrate concentration on enzyme activity 221
8.5 Effect of pH and temperature on enzyme activity 229
8.6 Effect of inhibitors on enzyme activity 233
8.7 Effect of cofactors 243
8.8 Mechanisms of enzymatic catalysis 246
8.9 Allosteric enzymes and regulation of enzyme activity 249
8.10 Other methods of regulating enzyme activity 257
8.11 Enzyme classification 259
8.12 Enzyme technology 261
Summary and objectives 265
Responses to SAQs 266
Responses to Chapter 1 SAQs 266
Responses to Chapter 2 SAQs 267
Responses to Chapter 3 SAQs 270
Responses to Chapter 4 SAQs 271
Responses to Chapter 5 SAQs 276
Responses to Chapter 6 SAQs 279
Responses to Chapter 7 SAQs 281
Response to Chapter 8 SAQs 282
Appendix 1 292