WGU C785 FINAL EXAM ELITE
REVIEW WITH ACTUAL QUESTIONS
AND VERIFIED ANSWERS FULL
SOLUTION 2026
‣ What is the basic structure of an amino acid? What do they look like?
Answer: amino group (NH2 or NH3), carboxyl group (COO or COOH),
alpha carbon (C), and variable group
‣ How do you identify the 3 different types of side chains: non-
polar/hydrophobic, polar, and charged? Answer: Non-polar/hydrophobic
- end with CH or "can't have" water. Polar - end with OH, SH, or NH.
Charged - end with a charge
‣ what kinds of bonds do each of the 3 different types of side chains
make? Answer: ionic, hydrophobic/non-polar, charged
‣ What are the 4 levels of protein structure? Answer: Primary - linear
structure, Secondary - Folded into helix or pleated sheet caused by
hydrogen bonding, tertiary - 3D structure caused by side chain
interactions, quaternary - 1+ amino acid chains combine = multiple
subunits MUST have 1+ subunit
,‣ What enviormental change breaks each type of bond? Answer:
hydrophobic - temperature change, ionic - salt or decreased pH,
hydrogen - temperature, change in pH, disulfide - reducing agents
‣ what type of amino acid side chain leads to protein aggregration?
Answer: hydrophobic bonds
‣ how do environmental changes affect protein folding? Answer:
Extreme temp can cause hydrogen bonds to break apart = malformation
of protein folding
‣ how do mutations affect protein structure? Answer: Can cause
structure to change. Protein loses form = loses function. May form a
different protein.
‣ What is an electron? Answer: Negatively charged atom on outer ring
for bonding
‣ What is energy: Answer: Power derived fro chemical interaction
‣ what are covalent bonds? Answer: chemical bond, atoms share 1+
valence electrons
‣ what is an ionic bond? Answer: bond between positive and negative
,‣ what is a hydrogen bond? Answer: weak bond between positive and
negative
‣ with an amino? Answer: piece of amino acid, NH2 or NH3
‣ what is a carboyxl? Answer: piece of amino acid, COO or COOH
‣ What is hydrophobic? Answer: Doesn't like water, end with CH
‣ what is hydrophilic? Answer: Water Lovering, end with OH, NH, or
SH
‣ what is disulfide bond? Answer: strongest bond between reduction
agents, formed between SH's.
‣ what are zwitterions? Answer: amino with positive and negative
charges = overall charge of zero
‣ what is a polypeptide Answer: polymer of amino acids
‣ What is dehydration synthesis? Answer: Process of forming peptide
bonds
‣ what is hydrolysis? Answer: adding water to destroy bonds
, ‣ what is an alpha helix? Answer: twisted secondary structure, formed by
hydrogen bonds
‣ what is a beta sheet? Answer: folded second structure shape, formed by
hydrogen bonds
‣ what is denaturation? Answer: loss of shape duet o interruption of
chemical bonds; occurs via extreme salt, temp, pH
‣ what is aggregation? Answer: clumping of inner or outer cellular
proteins caused by misfolded proteins leading to diseases such as
Alzheimers, ALS, Parkinson's
‣ how do enzymes catalyze reactions? Answer: bind with substrates to
decrease activation energy required and decrease reaction rate
‣ how do enzymes affect reaction rate and activation energy? Answer:
decrease activation energy and decrease reaction rate
‣ what are the 4 steps of the enzymatic cycle? Answer: enzyme
recognizes substrate, substrate attracts the enzyme; enzyme-substrate
complex is formed; enzyme-product complex formed; product is
released, enzyme recycled
‣ how do environmental changes affect enzymes? Answer: High heat,
pH change, high salt concentration, and reducing agents can cause an
enzyme to lose its form/lose function
REVIEW WITH ACTUAL QUESTIONS
AND VERIFIED ANSWERS FULL
SOLUTION 2026
‣ What is the basic structure of an amino acid? What do they look like?
Answer: amino group (NH2 or NH3), carboxyl group (COO or COOH),
alpha carbon (C), and variable group
‣ How do you identify the 3 different types of side chains: non-
polar/hydrophobic, polar, and charged? Answer: Non-polar/hydrophobic
- end with CH or "can't have" water. Polar - end with OH, SH, or NH.
Charged - end with a charge
‣ what kinds of bonds do each of the 3 different types of side chains
make? Answer: ionic, hydrophobic/non-polar, charged
‣ What are the 4 levels of protein structure? Answer: Primary - linear
structure, Secondary - Folded into helix or pleated sheet caused by
hydrogen bonding, tertiary - 3D structure caused by side chain
interactions, quaternary - 1+ amino acid chains combine = multiple
subunits MUST have 1+ subunit
,‣ What enviormental change breaks each type of bond? Answer:
hydrophobic - temperature change, ionic - salt or decreased pH,
hydrogen - temperature, change in pH, disulfide - reducing agents
‣ what type of amino acid side chain leads to protein aggregration?
Answer: hydrophobic bonds
‣ how do environmental changes affect protein folding? Answer:
Extreme temp can cause hydrogen bonds to break apart = malformation
of protein folding
‣ how do mutations affect protein structure? Answer: Can cause
structure to change. Protein loses form = loses function. May form a
different protein.
‣ What is an electron? Answer: Negatively charged atom on outer ring
for bonding
‣ What is energy: Answer: Power derived fro chemical interaction
‣ what are covalent bonds? Answer: chemical bond, atoms share 1+
valence electrons
‣ what is an ionic bond? Answer: bond between positive and negative
,‣ what is a hydrogen bond? Answer: weak bond between positive and
negative
‣ with an amino? Answer: piece of amino acid, NH2 or NH3
‣ what is a carboyxl? Answer: piece of amino acid, COO or COOH
‣ What is hydrophobic? Answer: Doesn't like water, end with CH
‣ what is hydrophilic? Answer: Water Lovering, end with OH, NH, or
SH
‣ what is disulfide bond? Answer: strongest bond between reduction
agents, formed between SH's.
‣ what are zwitterions? Answer: amino with positive and negative
charges = overall charge of zero
‣ what is a polypeptide Answer: polymer of amino acids
‣ What is dehydration synthesis? Answer: Process of forming peptide
bonds
‣ what is hydrolysis? Answer: adding water to destroy bonds
, ‣ what is an alpha helix? Answer: twisted secondary structure, formed by
hydrogen bonds
‣ what is a beta sheet? Answer: folded second structure shape, formed by
hydrogen bonds
‣ what is denaturation? Answer: loss of shape duet o interruption of
chemical bonds; occurs via extreme salt, temp, pH
‣ what is aggregation? Answer: clumping of inner or outer cellular
proteins caused by misfolded proteins leading to diseases such as
Alzheimers, ALS, Parkinson's
‣ how do enzymes catalyze reactions? Answer: bind with substrates to
decrease activation energy required and decrease reaction rate
‣ how do enzymes affect reaction rate and activation energy? Answer:
decrease activation energy and decrease reaction rate
‣ what are the 4 steps of the enzymatic cycle? Answer: enzyme
recognizes substrate, substrate attracts the enzyme; enzyme-substrate
complex is formed; enzyme-product complex formed; product is
released, enzyme recycled
‣ how do environmental changes affect enzymes? Answer: High heat,
pH change, high salt concentration, and reducing agents can cause an
enzyme to lose its form/lose function
