Detective Biology

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. Unlike some other biological molecules, you are soluble. More specifically, you are water soluble, meaning that you can interact with water molecules via hydrophilic groups at your surface. Which other term is used to describe molecules which interact with hydrophobic solvents? Lipid soluble Carbonyl soluble Alkane soluble Alcohol soluble

2. Your structure is carefully controlled by the chemical character of the units of which you are composed. Which weak and transient, yet widespread chemical interactions, also known as London dispersion forces, are involved in keeping many biological structures together? Van der Waals forces Ionic bonds Salt bridges Dative covalent bonds

3. You are not only found in animals, but in plants, fungi and prokaryotes (e.g. bacteria). One example of the type of molecule you are, called RuBisCO, is found in plants and is one of the most abundant molecules in the planet. Which process, associated with photosynthesis, is this molecule involved with? The citric acid cycle The link reaction The carnatine shuttle system The Calvin cycle

4. You may also be involved with other important processes, such as the conversion of glucose into pyruvate - glycolysis. Where, specifically, does glycolysis occur in the human body? In the cell cytoplasm In the lumen of the digestive tract In the hypothalamus In the dermis of the skin

5. As well as in photosynthesis and glycolysis, you may be found in the nucleus of a cell, where DNA replication and mRNA synthesis occur. What is the fate of mRNA after it is synthesised? It attaches to ribosomes in the nucleus It attaches to amino acids in the nucleus It attaches to amino acids in the cytoplasm It attaches to ribosomes in the cytoplasm

6. Although you are commonly found in humans, bacteria are needed to perform some functions which you cannot carry out. True or false - the human body is made up of almost as many bacterial cells as our own cells. True False

7. You are not only useful for processes in the human body, but you are now used in many industrial processes, and even in laundry detergents. For these uses, specific types of organisms are of interest. What general name is given to organisms which live in very cold or very hot conditions? Extremophiles Saprophytes Bathophiles Halophytes

8. There have been many man-made products which carry out the same functions which you are capable of performing, but none have even come close to doing it with the same efficiency. However, a huge step was taken in 2010 when it was claimed that the first synthetic life-form had been created in a U.S laboratory. What quirky name was given to this organism? Synthia Petricia Eve Pippetta

9. Unfortunately, many examples of the type of molecule which you are are rather unimaginatively named. Which molecule is a protein which is involved with proteolysis, and is similarly unimaginatively named for its widespread presence in the cell? Surroundin Ubiquitin Commonin Loadsavitin

10. Having gathered together the clues provided in the previous 9 questions, can you identify the type of biological molecule you are? Answer: (One Word)