Question

13. Imagine that "Torus W" is a hormone, a signaling protein made in the liver that travels to the small intestine to act on intestinal cells. Torus W is produced and excreted from liver cells. Describe in detail the pathway the Torus W protein follows in the liver cell, from its synthesis to being excreted out of the cell. Please use 4-6 complete sentences to answer this question.

14. Hemoglobin is a transport protein composed of four polypeptides subunits that come together to make the functional protein. Based on this information, hemoglobin's functionality is reached at which level of protein structure?

	Primary
	Quaternary
	Tertiary
	Secondary

34. The antibiotic penicillin works by blocking the formation of the cell wall that is present in certain types of bacteria: it kills these bacteria without harming human cells (because human cells lack cell walls). Using this strategy: imagine you are a scientist who is trying to develop a new drug. You want to develop a drug that will kill plants (weeds) in your backyard, without harming any animals. Give three possible parts of the cell you would target AND explain why?

Answer 1

13. Steps in the production of a secretory protein:
a. Transcription of the gene in the nucleus to produce the mRNA (The RNA undergoes post-transcriptional modifications to produce mature mRNA)
b. Export of the mRNA into the cytoplasm
c. Translation of the mRNA on the ribosomes located on the RER to produce the nascent polypeptide
d. The entry of the nascent polypeptide into the ER lumen where it undergoes post-translational modifications
e. Export of the protein to the Golgi complex
f. Further modifications and packaging of the protein into vesicles
g. Release of the protein in the form of secretory vesicles

14. Hemoglobin is a heterotetramer of four subunits = α2β2
It represents the quaternary structure = Interactions among the constituent subunits in a multimeric protein

15. Structures/processes that can be specifically targetted in a plant cell:
a. Cell wall biosynthesis
b. Chloroplast structure and function
c. Plasmodesmata structure and function