Latihan Biokimia I

1. Give structures for the following fatty acids

(a) all-cis-5,8,11,14-Eicosatetraenoic
(b) Hexadecanoic acid
(c) 18:1c∆9

2. Given these molecular components — glycerol, fatty acid, phosphate, long-chain

alcohol, and carbohydrate — answer the following:
(a) Which two are present in both waxes and sphingomyelin?
(b) Which two are present in both fats and phosphatidylcholine?
(c) Which are present in a ganglioside but not in a fat?

3. Peptide hormones (such as insulin, a protein) must bind to receptors on the

outside surfaces of their target cells before their signal is transmitted to the inside
of the cell. In contrast, the receptors for steroid hormones (such as estradiol) are
found inside cells. What features of these two different hormones explain the
locations of their receptors?

4. In tropical cities like New Delhi, India, coconut oil, which contains 86%
saturated fat, turns into a nearly solid gel state during winter, even though it
exists in a liquid state during summer. Explain this phenomenon.

5. Catalytic hydrogenation, used in the food industry, converts double bonds in the
fatty acids of the oil triacylglycerols to single bonds. How does this affect the
physical properties of the oils?

6. A common structural feature of membrane lipids is their amphipathic nature. For

example, in phosphati- dylcholine, the two fatty acid chains are hydrophobic and
the phosphocholine head group is hydrophilic. For each of the following
membrane lipids, name the components that serve as the hydrophobic and
hydrophilic units: (a) phosphati- dylethanolamine; (b) sphingomyelin; (c)
galactosylcerebro- side; (d) ganglioside; (e) cholesterol.

7. Draw the structure of the omega-6 fatty acid 16:1.

8. A common procedure for cleaning the grease trap in a sink is to add a product
that contains sodium hydroxide. Explain why this works.

9. Compo- sitional analysis of a certain lipid shows that it has exactly one mole of
fatty acid per mole of inorganic phosphate. Could this be a glycerophospholipid?
A ganglioside? A sphingomyelin?

10. In contrast to water- soluble vitamins, which must be part of our daily diet, fat-
soluble vitamins can be stored in the body in amounts sufficient for many
months. Suggest an explanation for this difference.

11. Rank the following in order of increasing solubility in water: a triacylglycerol, a

diacylglycerol, and a monoacylglycerol, all containing only palmitic acid.