BILD 1		       					Dr. Nigel Crawford
Winter 1997						Due: Jan. 16, 1997
PROBLEM SET #1


1.  If a triglyceride is treated with base (NaOH), the ester bonds are 
broken regenerating the original components of the molecule.  Draw 
this reaction, showing the structures of a triglyceride molecule and its 
breakdown products.  Give names to each of the breakdown products.

2.  A molecule of nucleic acid has the sequence 
CTTGTCCAGTCTGGACAA.  Is this oligonucleotide RNA or DNA?  This 
molecule can fold back on itself and form hydrogen bonds between the 
nitrogen bases producing a hairpin structure.  Draw this structure.

3.  Draw a glycosidic linkage between a glucose molecule and a 
threonine molecule given the threonine residue is part of a 
polypeptide chain.

4.  Hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions usually involve 
hydrogen atoms.  How do these chemical interactions differ?

5.  Phospholipids are important constituents of membranes.  Draw a 
phospholipid, showing the hydrophobic regions and the hydrophilic 
regions.  How would this molecule interact with another phospholipid 
molecule?

6.  Is valine considered a hydrophobic or hydrophilic amino acid?  
Draw its structure, showing any hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions 
of the molecule.  Consider valine as a free amino acid first then as part 
of a polypeptide chain.

7.  Histones are positively charged proteins that bind tightly to DNA.  
Which amino acids would be found in histones that would confer the 
positive charge and what part of DNA would they bind?

8.  100 millimoles (0.1 moles) of ammonia are dissolved in 1 liter of 
water and completely ionize (form ammonium ion).  What would be 
the concentration of OH- anions and what would be the pH?

9.  List the four macromolecules found in all cells.  Name the central 
linkages that connect the monomer units of these molecules and draw 
a picture of the linkage.