KENYATTA UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS 2016/2017

SECOND SEMESTER EXAMINATION FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF
MEDICINE AND BACHELOR OF SURGERY

HMB 102: ENZYMOLOGY

DATE_______________________TIME________________________
INSTRUCTIONS

Section A: Answer ALL the questions (5 marks each)

1. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the causative agent of acquired immune deficiency
syndrome (AIDS), has an RNA genome that codes for (i) ________ different proteins. (ii)
________ of these are structural proteins, (iii) ________ are enzymes, and (iv) ________ are
accessory proteins that are required for viral gene expression and assembly of new viral
particles. HIV’s structural proteins and its three enzymes are initially synthesized as (v)
________ whose individual members are later (vi) ________ by proteolysis.

2. Vertebrates also express two globins: (i) ________, which is present mainly in (ii) ________,
retina, and endocrine tissues, and (iii) ________, which occurs in most tissues. (iv) ________
protects neurons (nerve cells) from damage under conditions of (v) ________ by preventing
reperfusion injury in much the same way as does myoglobin in muscle.

3. Sickle cell anemia is due to a (i) ________ defect resulting from an alteration in the
molecular structure of a protein. (ii) ________ from patients with sickle cell anemia has a
different electrical charge than hemoglobin from healthy individuals. This is caused by a
single (iii) ________ difference: (iv) ________ at position A3 in the β-chain is replaced by
(v) ________ in sickle cell hemoglobin.

4. Infinite ligand-binding cooperativity as assumed in deriving the (i) ________ equation is a

physical impossibility. (ii) ________ is a noninteger parameter related to the (iii) ________
among interacting ligand-binding sites. The quantity, (iv) ________, the Hill constant, (v)
________ with the degree of cooperativity of a reaction and provides a convenient
characterization of a ligand binding reaction.

5. (i) ________ is the major toxic compound that accumulates in blood as a result of kidney
failure. This compound is degraded to (ii) ________ and (iii) ________ by the enzyme (iv)
________ and the products are removed from the blood. (v) ________ is removed naturally
by expiration but (vi) ________ is adsorbed onto a suitable material such as charcoal.

6. (i) ________ refers to the enzymatic degradation and (ii) ________ of blood clots from the
circulatory system. The process is mediated by serine protease (iii) ________. (iv) ________
 catalyzes the enzymatic degradation of the fibrin strands present in the clot. (v) ________ is
derived from (vi) ________, its circulating zymogen.

Section B: Answer ALL the questions (5 marks each)

1. With respect to what we learned in lecture, give one means by which short term high-altitude
adjustment is accomplished in erythrocytes? Explain how this adjustment can help restore
normal oxygen delivery.

2. Give a definition for the following and, where necessary use both algebraic and text
expressions for your description (Sketch graphs where necessary).
a) Maximum velocity (Vmax)
b) Michaelis constant (KM)
c) Substrate inhibition

3. Give a well labeled reaction scheme that explains product inhibition.

4. Explain the assumptions used in deriving the simple Michaelis-menten kinetics equation.

5. Identify three suicide inhibitors that are clinically used to manage specific disease and state
their mechanism of action.

6. Show mathematically two situations that can lead to the conversion of the sigmoid MWC
model equation to that of a rectangular hyperbola.

Section C: Answer ANY FOUR questions (10 marks each)

1. Sketch a graph for the expected data (transformed) from an enzyme catalyzing a reaction that
follows Michaelis-menten kinetics. Be certain to indicate the slopes and intercepts (both X
and Y) where the kinetic parameters may be obtained. Do this for the following mathematical
transformations of the Michaelis-menten expression.
a) Hanes plot
b) Eadie-Hofstee plot

2. Define the terms: (2.5 marks each)

a) Competitive inhibition
b) Noncompetitive inhibition
c) Uncompetitive inhibition
d) Irreversible inhibitor

3. Give a well labeled reaction scheme that explains the bell shaped curve obtained when the
initial reaction velocity of an enzyme is plotted against changes in pH.

3. Discuss the use of enzymes, Lactase, α-amylase and L-Asparaginase as therapeutic agents.

4. Explain the physiological roles of hemoglobin and myoglobin in blood and muscle.
5. Give well labeled reaction schemes of the major mechanistic classes of bisubstrate reactions.

6. Give the principle and procedure of the two diagnostic enzyme systems used in metabolite
assays.

Section D: Answer ALL the Questions (1 mark each)

1. Succinate dehydrogenase catalyses the dehydrogenation of succinate. Malonate HOOC-

CH-COOH is used to interrupt the action of this enzyme. Choose the inhibition type:
A) Limited proteolysis
B) Competitive
C) Non-competitive
D) Dephosphorylation

2. During the necropsy of a 20-year-old girl a pathologist concluded that the death of the patient
had resulted from poisoning by cyanides. The activity of what enzyme is mostly inhibited by
cyanides?
A). Malate dehydrogenase
B). Cytochrome oxidase
C). Heme synthase
D). Aspartate aminotransferase

3. During the necropsy of 40-year-old women a pathologist concluded that the death of the
patient had resulted from poisoning by carbon monoxide (CO). The activity of what enzyme is
inhibited by CO?
A). Malate dehydrogenase
B). Cytochrome oxidase
C). Heme synthase
D). Aspartate aminotransferase
E). Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase.

4. A newborn develops dyspepsia after the milk feeding. When the milk is substituted by the
glucose solution the dyspepsia symptoms disappear. The newborn has the subnormal activity of
the following enzyme:
A) Amylase
B) Maltase
C) Invertase
D). Lactase.

5. Pathological processes associated with the development of hypoxia can be caused by

incomplete reduction of an oxygen molecule in the electron transport chain and accumulation of
hydrogen peroxide. Choose the enzyme which breaks the hydrogen peroxide.
A) Catalase.
B) Cytochrome oxidase
C) Succinate dehydrogenase
D) Aconitase
6. The determination of activity of what enzyme in the urine is required as a diagnostic test for
the verification of acute pancreatitis?
A) Amylase
B) Lactate dehydrogenase
C) Creatine kinase
D) Alanine aminopeptidase

7. Post-translational covalent modification is an important factor in the regulation of the

enzymes' activity. Choose the mechanism of regulation of glycogen phosphorylase and glycogen
synthetase activities from the following:
A) ADP-ribosylation
B) Methylation
C) Adenylation
D) Phosphorylation-dephosphorylation

8. In the practice of alcoholism treatment, the use of desulphiram, which is the inhibitor of
alcohol dehydrogenase, is widespread. The increase of what metabolite in blood results in the
evolving of disgust to alcohol?
A) Methanol
B) Ethanol
C) Propionic aldehyde
D) Acetic aldehyde.

9. In a human body chymotrypsin is produced by the pancreas as the inactive precursor called
chymotrypsinogen. What intestinal lumen enzyme leads to the transforming of
chymotrypsinogen into the catalytically active enzyme molecule?
A) Aminopeptidase
B) Enterokinase
C) Pepsin
D) Trypsin.

10. For diagnostics of certain illnesses the determination of blood transaminases activity is
required. Which vitamin is a component of the cofactor for these enzymes?
A) B1
B) B2
C) B3
D) B6

11. Which of the following characteristics is not shared by both hemoglobin and myoglobin?
A) Possess a heme prosthetic group
B) Binding O2 reversibly
C) Secondary structure is almost completely alpha-helix
D) Is a multisubunit protein

12. When oxygen binds to a subunit of hemoglobin:

A) CO2 is displaced from the oxygen binding site
B) A large conformational change occurs at the a1b2 interface
C) The subunit changes from the T t the R conformation
D) B and C

13. Hemoglobin of an adult person is a tetramer consisting of two identical α- and two identical
β-polypeptide chains. What is this kind of the protein structure called?
A) Primary.
B) Secondary.
C) Tertiary.
D) Quaternary

14. At high temperature the rate of enzyme action decreases because the increased heat:
A) Changes the pH of the system
B) Alters the active site of the enzyme up to denaturation
C) Neutralize acids and bases in the system
D) Increases the concentration of enzymes

15. Zymogen is:

A) Enzyme poison
B) Enzyme modulator
C) Enzyme precursor
D) Enzyme inhibitor

16. Which of the following is not correct concerning 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate (BPG)?

A) It binds at a distance from the heme groups
B) It binds with lower affinity to fetal hemoglobin than to adult hemoglobin
C) It increases the affinity of hemoglobin for O2.
D) It is an allosteric modulator

17. Which of the statement is true regarding KM?

A) It is the measure of the stability of the ES complex
B) It is the measure of the stability of the affinity of an enzyme for its substrate
C) A high KM indicates weak substrate binding
D) All of these

18. The catalytic efficiency of two enzymes can be compared by:

A) Formation of the product
B) KM values
C) pH of optimum value
D) Molecular size of the enzyme

19. What factor is responsible for inhibition of the enzymatic process during feedback inhibition?
A) Enzyme
B) End product
C) Temperature
D) Substrate
20. Which one of the following statements regarding enzyme inhibition is correct?
A) Competitive inhibition is seen when a substrate competes for binding to an inhibitor protein
B) Noncompetitive inhibition of an enzyme can be overcome by adding large amounts of
substrates
C) Noncompetitive efficiency inhibitors often bind to the enzyme reversibly
D) Competitive inhibition is seen when the substrate and the inhibitor compete for the active site
of the enzyme