Central Luzon Doctors' Hospital Educational Institution

CC CHEM 3 LAB: Biochemistry

Activity 1
Name:
Section:

● Protein Denaturation
1. Define denaturation.
2. What physical and chemical agents are capable of denaturing proteins? Give types of bonds or
attractive interactions disrupted by these denaturing agents.
3. What concentration of alcohol is most effective as a disinfectant? Why?
4. Explain how protein denaturation using heat, alcohol and heavy metal ions is used in the medical field.
5. What amino acids in a protein are reactive with heavy metal ions? Explain and illustrate with an
equation.

● Color Reactions
1. Xanthoproteic Reaction
a. Giive the principle involved in this test. Illustrate with an equation.
b. What group in an amino acid is identified by this test?
c. Name the amino acids that will be positive with this test.
d. What is the isoelectric point? Explain how pH changes in a protein solution affect its solubility.
e. Given the tripeptide aspartylalanylglycine:
i. show the structure of the tripeptide in the presence of
1. excess acid
2. excess base
ii. What is its isoelectric pH (IpH)-acidic, basic, or neutral?

2. Biuret Test
a. What is the principle involved in the biuret test?
b. What is the role of the reagents in the test? Illustrate with an equation and name the compound
responsible for the visible result.
c. Will all proteins give a positive biuret test? Why? Will all peptides give a positive Biuret test?
Explain.
d. Account for the difference in test results between egg white and aspartame. Show the structure
of aspartame to prove your point.
e. In the extraction of blood proteins, explain the function of the following reagents:
i. 23% Na₂SO
ii. ether
f. What is the chemical composition of the precipitate at the interface after centrifugation?
g. What group in a peptide or a protein accounts for a positive Biuret test?
h. Give the importance of the Biuret test in protein hydrolysis.

3. Ferric Chloride Test

a. Give the principle involved in the ferric chloride test. What is its purpose?
b. Identify the role of FeCl, in this test.
c. What group/amino acid is responsible for a positive FeCl, test?
d. Illustrate the reaction involved in this test with an equation.

4. Hopkins-Cole Test
 a. Give the principle involved in the Hopkins-Cole test. What is its purpose?
b. Give the composition of the Hopkins-Cole reagent and identify its role in the test.
c. Show the equation involved in this test.
d. What compound is responsible for a positive result?
e. What group/amino acid present in a protein is identified by this test?

5. Ninhydrin Test
a. Give the principle involved in the ninhydrin test. What is its purpose?
b. Identify the role of ninhydrin in this test.
c. Show the equation involved in this test.
d. What compound is responsible for a positive ninhydrin test?
e. What group/amino acid in a protein is identified by this test?
f. Will all amino acids give a positive ninhydrin test? Explain.

6. Sakaguchi Test
a. What is the principle involved in this test? What is its purpose?
b. Why should NaOH be added first before the other reagents? Illustrate with an equation the
effect of adding NaOH to arginine.
c. What is the purpose of the other reagents?
d. What group in arginine responds to this test?

7. Lead Acetate Test

a. Give the principle involved in this test. What is its purpose?
b. What is the role of NaOH in this test?
c. Illustrate with an equation the reaction between Pb(CH,COO), and the product obtained after
heating with NaOH.
d. What compound is responsible for the visible result?
e. What group/amino acid is identified by this test?