Molecular Biology & Biochemistry - Biol 99

Protein Structure and Function “Portfolio” part III

For all components of the “portfolio” assignment series:
•    hand drawing is required
•    any explanations longer than a sentence must be typed
•    labeling and short explanations may be neatly handwritten
•    everything must be neat and legible
•    drawings should be sufficiently large and spread out that all components are easily distinguished and sufficient detail is included
•    no cut and paste from hard copy sources or electronic sources


I.  Thermodynamics Descriptions and Calculations   due March 30, 2010
•    Describe (in mathematical terms or equations) the First Law of Thermodynamics
•    Describe (in mathematical terms or equations) the Second Law of Thermodynamics
•    What is entropy?  Define it in mathematical terms or equations and in English
•    What is enthalpy?  Define it in mathematical terms or equations and in English
•    Describe (in mathematical terms or equations) the relationship between enthalpy and entropy

II.  Gibbs Free Energy Calculations   due April 1, 2009
•    Describe (in mathematical terms or equations) the Gibbs free energy
•    Describe (in mathematical terms or equations) the relationship between E and G: for this, a series of equations is required (~ a proof)
•    Explain why we use G rather than E to describe biological systems
•    What is ΔG?  Define it mathematically and in English
•    Describe (in mathematical terms or equations) ΔGo: for this, a series of equations is required (~ a proof)
•    Describe (in mathematical terms or equations) ΔG’: for this, a series of equations is required (~ a proof)
•    Describe (in mathematical terms or equations) ΔGo’: for this, a series of equations is required (~ a proof)

III.  Rates of Reaction and Equilibrium Constants   due April 6, 2009
•    Describe (in mathematical terms or equations) Keq
•    Describe (in mathematical terms or equations) K’eq
•    What is k?  Give an example of how this term is used
•    Define K in terms of k (or multiple k terms) using mathematical terms, and in English
•    Define or describe the rate of a reaction, V, in terms of K and k terms

IV.  Michaelis-Menton Model   due April 6, 2009

A.  Simple conditions
•    Show a representative reaction equation for a substrate binding an enzyme followed by product formation and enzyme release
•    In that reaction equation, show rates of all forward and back reactions
•    Define V
•    Explain Vo = k2 [ES] : show mathematical derivation and explain, in English, Vo and k2
•    Define KM, the Michaelis-Menton constant: show mathematical derivation
•    Explain Vmax = k2 [E]T : show mathematical derivation and explain, in English, Vmax
•    Describe ΔV: why would V change?

B.  Altered or complex conditions
•    What might cause a change in [that is, what sort of change in the components of the system might have this effect?]
    •    Vmax and KM ?
    •    Vmax but not KM ?
    •    KM but not Vmax ?