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Author Topic: VCE Biology Question Thread  (Read 3571839 times)  Share 

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slothpomba

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #495 on: February 08, 2014, 03:04:11 pm »
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I wound up drawing those diagrams. An inhibitor is competitive if it competes for the active site with another molecule. It's non-competitive if its action is at another site, in this diagram i drew an allosteric site (fairly sure you dont need to know what it is for VCE purposes).








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MM1

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #496 on: February 08, 2014, 03:47:44 pm »
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Can non-competitive inhibition be reversed? If so, by what means?

vox nihili

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #497 on: February 08, 2014, 03:51:32 pm »
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I wound up drawing those diagrams. An inhibitor is competitive if it competes for the active site with another molecule. It's non-competitive if its action is at another site, in this diagram i drew an allosteric site (fairly sure you dont need to know what it is for VCE purposes).

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

These diagrams want to make me cry, perfect  :'(
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slothpomba

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #498 on: February 08, 2014, 03:53:06 pm »
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Can non-competitive inhibition be reversed? If so, by what means?

Would you like to perhaps share some of your own reasoning or thoughts first? They don't need to be right at all but its worth a shot!

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nerdmmb

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #499 on: February 08, 2014, 04:04:42 pm »
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Do all cells respond to neurotransmitters?

Also, can someone please explain whether neurotransmitters control the release of hormones?

I'm confused..

MM1

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #500 on: February 08, 2014, 04:18:14 pm »
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Would you like to perhaps share some of your own reasoning or thoughts first? They don't need to be right at all but its worth a shot!

Well from what I've read, both competitive and non-competitive inhibition is reversible. I know that competitive inhibition can be reversed by increasing the substrate concentration to eventually 'force' the competitive inhibitor to release it self from the active site. [Does it lose its avidity for the enzyme?]

However, I'm not sure how non-competitive inhibition is reversed? And even though it somehow may be reversed, does the enzyme retain it's conformation shape since it alters?

« Last Edit: February 08, 2014, 04:27:49 pm by MM1 »

anon9884

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #501 on: February 08, 2014, 04:22:46 pm »
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Is it important to know the structural differences between various types of lipids, carbohydrates and other biomolecules? For example, the structural differences between cellulose and starch?
I have a sac coming up and i'm unsure whether I should spend time on this area!  :)

MM1

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #502 on: February 08, 2014, 04:24:15 pm »
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Do all cells respond to neurotransmitters?

Also, can someone please explain whether neurotransmitters control the release of hormones?

I'm confused..

Neurotransmitters are only released by neurons. Therefore, only neurons respond to them.

Glands in the brain such as the hypothalamus and pituitary control the release of hormones.
The function of a neurotransmitter is to transmit signals from a neuron to a target cell across a synapse. From my understanding, they don't have anything to do with hormones.

MM1

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #503 on: February 08, 2014, 04:33:44 pm »
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Is it important to know the structural differences between various types of lipids, carbohydrates and other biomolecules? For example, the structural differences between cellulose and starch?
I have a sac coming up and i'm unsure whether I should spend time on this area!  :)

Probably not that important, but I think it would be good to know. For example, take lipids. They take many forms - triglycerides, phospholipids, steroids, cholesterol. They all have a different composition which largely affects their function. 
Some carbohydrates may be soluble (inulin) and others insoluble (cellulose and starch).

I think it would be beneficial to know how their different structure is related to their specific function.

Good-luck with your SAC- I'd recommend you encompass all areas of study to have a fuller understanding. :)

slothpomba

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #504 on: February 08, 2014, 04:36:02 pm »
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Do all cells respond to neurotransmitters?

Also, can someone please explain whether neurotransmitters control the release of hormones?

I'm confused..

What would make a cell respond to a neurotransmitter? What makes a cell respond to any signal (hormone, etc)?

Well from what I've read, both competitive and non-competitive inhibition is reversible. I know that competitive inhibition can be reversed by increasing the substrate concentration to eventually 'force' the competitive inhibitor to release it self from the active site. [Does it lose it's avidity for the enzyme?]

However, I'm not sure how non-competitive inhibition is reversed? And even though it somehow may be reversed, does the enzyme retain it's conformation shape since it alters?

You answered the question correctly there (at least in concepts, i wont judge it on it's execution). It still has affinity for the enzyme, it's just that theres so much substrate that its overwhelming the inhibitor. It makes more sense in terms of university level understanding of enzyme kinetics, it definitely becomes more intuitive but your understanding is basically correct there. If you're doing VCE Chemistry, they might briefly touch upon this kind of thing.

Non-competitive inhibition can be reversed via the same mechanism, i believe (i could be wrong, been awhile since ive done biochemistry). I'm not sure if this level of knowledge is required for VCE, it certainly wasn't required when i did it. The conformational shape may or may not change depending on several factors which are beyond the scope of VCE.

Neurotransmitters are only released by neurons. Therefore, only neurons respond to them.

Glands in the brain such as the hypothalamus and pituitary control the release of hormones.
The function of a neurotransmitter is to transmit signals from a neuron to a target cell across a synapse. From my understanding, they don't have anything to do with hormones.

This isn't 100% correct but i'm not sure what you need to know for this regarding VCE. The wording is a bit misleading as well. Whilst only neurons respond to neurotransmitters (true for VCE anyway), it's not that only neurons are doing things. The neurons attached to your leg muscle will be stimulated but as a result of that, your leg muscle responds to the signal and twitches.

Neurotransmitters and hormones are connected in a way that is probably beyond VCE. Neurotransmitters and hormones are similar in that they are both signalling mechanisms, they allow one part of the body or one cell to do another part of the body or another cell to do something.
« Last Edit: February 08, 2014, 04:37:47 pm by slothpomba »

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vox nihili

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #505 on: February 08, 2014, 04:48:21 pm »
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Neurotransmitters are only released by neurons. Therefore, only neurons respond to them.

Glands in the brain such as the hypothalamus and pituitary control the release of hormones.
The function of a neurotransmitter is to transmit signals from a neuron to a target cell across a synapse. From my understanding, they don't have anything to do with hormones.

Muscle cells can also respond to neurotransmitters. Some neurotransmitters function as hormones as well. I would assume that you do need to know this for year twelve as well I think.
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nerdmmb

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #506 on: February 08, 2014, 05:11:35 pm »
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Thank-you :)
I was also wondering, do we need to know about diabetes?

Yacoubb

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #507 on: February 08, 2014, 05:19:04 pm »
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Thank-you :)
I was also wondering, do we need to know about diabetes?

You don't need to know about diabetes. :)

nerdmmb

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #508 on: February 08, 2014, 05:53:03 pm »
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Are all hormones made of proteins?

anon9884

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #509 on: February 08, 2014, 05:53:41 pm »
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Probably not that important, but I think it would be good to know. For example, take lipids. They take many forms - triglycerides, phospholipids, steroids, cholesterol. They all have a different composition which largely affects their function. 
Some carbohydrates may be soluble (inulin) and others insoluble (cellulose and starch).

I think it would be beneficial to know how their different structure is related to their specific function.

Good-luck with your SAC- I'd recommend you encompass all areas of study to have a fuller understanding. :)

Thank you so much for your help! I really appreciated it!  :)