Blog Post 4: Reflection on Gen Chem II

Reflection:

Most valuable lesson:
The most valuable lesson that I learned this semester in chemistry was time management. Keeping up with all other classes and chemistry is definitely time consuming and requires a lot planning to ensure that study and homework time is used effectively.

Most challenging concept:
The most challenging chemistry concepts for me were the redox reactions; I had the most trouble setting up and balancing the equations.

Advice for future chem students:
I would advise future chemistry students to make sure that they take this course in a semester where they take on a light course load. This course requires a lot of time spent studying and doing the homework assignments, and the subject is not an easy one, so it would be much less stressful if students took this course  alongside easier courses during the semester.

Fumarase

Fumarase or fumarate hydratase is an enzyme that catalyzes the reversible reaction of hydration/dehydration of fumarate to malate. Fumarase comes in two forms: mitochondrial and cytosolic. This enzyme participates in three metabolic pathways; the Krebs Cycle (Cytric Acid Cycle), CO₂ fixation and in renal cell carcinoma. This enzyme belongs to the family of lysases, which cleave carbon-oxygen bonds.

Molecular Weight: 54,637 Da; 49,456.49 g/mol

Chemical Formula:

I was unable to locate a specifuc chemical formula for this enzyme from the web or from the Protein Data Bank website. However, I was able to find information as to how fumrase is typically found within a lab setting. Fumarase is typically extraccted from the porcine heart and is usually placed within a potassium phoshate suspension. This is often used in the lab to demponstrate the following raction process within the Krebs Cycle: L-Malate ^Fumarase > Fumarate + H₂O

Structure:

 

Active Site Structure

3D Rotatable Structure can be found on http://www.proteopedia.org/wiki/index.php/Fumarase

Reaction Catalyzed

The role of fumarase in the citric acid cycle is to enable a transition step in the assembly of energy in the form of NADH. In the cytosol, the enzyme metabolizes fumarate, which ends up as a byproduct of the urea cycle as well as amino acid catabolism. Studies have revealed that the active site is composed of amino acid residues from three of the four subunits within the tetrameric enzyme. This process takes place in the mitochondria.

Catalytic Activity: (S)-malate = fumarate + H₂O

http://www.mitosciences.com/krebs_cycle_pathway_diagram.html

 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22569531 

http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/MSDS/MSDS/DisplayMSDSPage.do?country=US&language=en&productNumber=F1757&brand=SIGMA&PageToGoToURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sigmaaldrich.com%2Fcatalog%2Fproduct%2Fsigma%2FF1757%3Flang%3Den

Warfarin

Warfarin is an anticoagulant also known as Coumadin. It is an odorless, colorless or white crystalline powder available commercially as a dust or liquid concentrate in various formulations. It is also found in anticoagulant medications and pesticides.

·         IUPAC name: (RS)-4-hydroxy- 3-(3- oxo- 1-phenylbutyl)- 2H- chromen- 2-one

·         2-dimensional structure:

 

 http://webdelprofesor.ula.ve/ciencias/bahsas/Compounds/mol/sillymolecules2.htm

·         3-D Structure:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Warfarin-from-xtal-3D-balls.png

·         Chemical formula: C₁₉H₁₆O₄

·         Molecular weight: 308.3 g/mol

·         Physical properties

o    Melting Point: 161⁰C

• Boiling points: Decomposes at 760 torr
• H2O solubility: Insoluble in H2O
• Benzene Solubility: Insoluble in Benzene

Intermolecular forces present in the molecule: Warfarin has dispersion forces, as well as dipole- dipole forces. It is capable of forming hydrogen bonds with other molecules. Warfarin also has 41 sigma bonds and 9 pi bonds.

Sources:

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/healthguidelines/warfarin/recognition.html