Biosc 1000

Lecture 18 Sample Problem Answers

1. In lipid bilayers, there is an order-disorder transition similar to the melting of a
crystal. In a lipid bilayer in which most of the fatty acids are unsaturated, would
you expect this transition to occur at a higher temperature, a lower temperature, or
the same temperature as it would in a lipid bilayer in which most of the fatty acids
are saturated? Why?
The transition temperature is lower in a lipid bilayer with mostly unsaturated
fatty acids compared with one with a high percentage of saturated fatty acids. The
bilayer with the unsaturated fatty acids is already more disordered (fatty acid
tails pack less tightly because of unsaturation) than the one with a high
percentage of saturated fatty acids.

2. What is the energetic driving force for the formation of phospholipid bilayers?
Hydrophobic interactions among the hydrocarbon tails of the lipids are the main
energetic driving force in the formation of lipid bilayers.

3. Why do membrane proteins not flip-flop?

Besides their large size (compared to phospholipids), proteins have both
hydrophobic and hydrophilic sequences. The hydrophobic sequences would not
favor entering an aqueous environment in transit and vice versa.
4. What differentiates passive and active transport?
Energy is required in the active processes. Active processes are
thermodynamically unfavorable.
5. How do the functions of channels and pumps differ?
Channels facilitate diffusion down a concentration gradient, essentially providing
hydrophilic environments to allow charged and polar molecules to pass through
the membrane. Pumps facilitate thermodynamically unfavorable reactions, so in
addition to providing the appropriate environment, they need to couple energy
release to transport.

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Biosc 1000

6. What distinguishes a secondary transporter from a pump

The secondary transporter moves one molecule against its concentration gradient
coupled to the movement of a second molecule down the concentration gradient
produced by a pump.
7. A plot of the glucose transport rate versus glucose concentration for a passive
glucose transporter in red blood cells is shown below.
a. Explain why the plot yields a hyperbola?
The hyperbolic curve shows that the
transporter can become saturated with
glucose, so the rate cannot increase in direct
proportion to the concentration.

rate

b. What quantitative information does the plot

tell us about the transporter?

[glucose]

The maximal rate is akin to the Vmax for an enzyme

reaction, which means we can also define something like a
KM, reflecting the affinity of the transporter for glucose.
8. Using the formula to calculate the G of a charged molecule, calculate the G of
Ca2+ transport at 37 when sarcoplasmic reticulum [Ca2+] = 1mM, cytoplasmic
[Ca2+] = 0.1 M and the membrane potential is -50mV (cytoplasmic negative)

G = RTln(cin/cout) + ZFV
Out of the sarcoplasmic reticulum & in to the cytoplasm
= (8.3145 J/Kmol) (310K)ln (10-7M/10-3 M) + (2)(96,485 J/Vmol)
(-0.05 V)
=(2577) (-9.2) +( 1.929 x 105 J/Vmol) (-0.05 V)
= - 2.37 x 104 J/mol 9.65 x 103 J/mol
= -3.34 x 104 J/mol = -33.4 kJ/mol

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