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Biochemistry

The pH scale

An acidic solution is one in which [H+ ] > [OH- ]

•In an acidic solution, [H+ ] > 10-7 , pH < 7.

•A basic solution is when [OH- ] > [H+ ].

•In a basic solution, [OH- ] > 10-7 , pOH < 7, and pH >7.

• When the pH = 7, the solution is neutral.

•Physiological pH range is 6.5 to 8.0

 

By rearranging the above equation we arrive at the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation:

pH = pKa + log[A-]/[HA]

It should be obvious now that the pH of a solution of any acid (for which the equilibrium constant is known, and there are numerous tables with this information) can be calculated knowing the concentration of the acid, HA, and its conjugate base [A-].

At the point of the dissociation where the concentration of the conjugate base [A-] = to that of the acid [HA]:

pH = pKa + log[1]

The log of 1 = 0. Thus, at the mid-point of a titration of a weak acid:

pKa = pH

In other words, the term pKa is that pH at which an equivalent distribution of acid and conjugate base (or base and conjugate acid) exists in solution.

 

Titration of a weak acid with a strong base

• A weak acid is mostly in its conjugate acid form

• When strong base is added, it removes protons from the solution, more and more acid is in the conjugate base form, and the pH increases

• When the moles of base added equals half the total moles of acid, the weak acid and its conjugate base are in equal amounts. The ratio of CB / WA = 1 and according to the HH equation, pH = pKa + log(1) or pH = pKa.

• If more base is added, the conjugate base form becomes greater till the equivalance point when all of the acid is in the conjugate base form.

The Effects of Enzyme Inhibitors

Enzymes can be inhibited

  • competitively, when the substrate and inhibitor compete for binding to the same active site or
  • noncompetitively, when the inhibitor binds somewhere else on the enzyme molecule reducing its efficiency.

The distinction can be determined by plotting enzyme activity with and without the inhibitor present.

Competitive Inhibition

In the presence of a competitive inhibitor, it takes a higher substrate concentration to achieve the same velocities that were reached in its absence. So while Vmax can still be reached if sufficient substrate is available, one-half Vmax requires a higher [S] than before and thus Km is larger.

Noncompetitive Inhibition

With noncompetitive inhibition, enzyme molecules that have been bound by the inhibitor are taken out

  • enzyme rate (velocity) is reduced for all values of [S], including
  • Vmax and one-half Vmax but
  • Km remains unchanged because the active site of those enzyme molecules that have not been inhibited is unchanged.

Sphingosine is an amino alcohol present in sphingomyelins (sphingophospholipids).  They do not contain glycerol at all.

Sphingosine is attached by an amide linkage to a fatty acid to produce ceramide. The alcohol group of sphingosine is bound to phosphorylcholine in sphingomyelin structure. .

Sphingomyelins are important constituents of myelin and are found in good quantity in brain and nervous tissues.

LIPOPROTIENS

Lipoproteins Consist of a Nonpolar Core & a Single Surface Layer of Amphipathic Lipids

The nonpolar lipid core consists of mainly triacylglycerol and cholesteryl ester and is surrounded by a single surface layer of amphipathic phospholipid and cholesterol molecules .These are oriented so that their polar groups face outward to the aqueous medium. The protein moiety of a lipoprotein is known as an apolipoprotein or apoprotein,constituting nearly 70% of some HDL and as little as 1% of Chylomicons. Some apolipoproteins are integral and cannot be removed, whereas others can be freely transferred to other lipoproteins.

There  re five types of lipoproteins, namely chylomicrons, very low density lipoproteins(VLDL)  low density lipoproteins (LDL), high density Lipoproteins (HDL) and free fatty acid-albumin complexes.

PHOSPHORUS

Serum level of phosphate is 3-4 mg/dl for adults and 5-6 mg/dl in children. Consumption of calcitriol increases phosphate absorption.

Functions of phosphorus
(a) Plays key role in formation of tooth and bone

(b) Production of high energy phosphate compounds such as ATP, CTP, GTP etc.,

(c) Synthesis of nucleotide co-enzymes such as NAD and NADP

(d) Formation of phosphodiester backbone structure for DNA and RNA synthesis

Hypophosphatemia is the condition which leads to decrease in absorption of phosphorus. it leads to hypercalcamia

Hyperphosphatemia, increase in absorption of phosphate was noticed. Hyperphosphatemia leads to cell lysis, hypocalcemia and thyrotoxicosis.

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