This quiz is in a \"take home\" format. While you are allowed to use both living

Question

This quiz is in a "take home" format. While you are allowed to use both living and non-living references to formulate your response, all written work must be your own. Any material from other sources that is longer than seven words must include quotation marks and a reference notation. Improper use of material from other sources (i.e. Plagiarism) will result in a grade of zero The quiz is due on Monday, April 20th, 2015. Please answer both questions. There are over 500 human genes that code for protein kinases. Please explain the implications for this observation. Hypothesis: The evolution of biological membranes was an essential step in the origin of life. Give arguments supporting or challenging this hypothesis.

Explanation / Answer

1. There are about 500 genes for protein kinases. This indicates that the protein kinases are important for many cellular and metabolic processes. These kinases can add a phosphate to a substrate and activate/inactivate that substrate. In addition protein kinases also play an important role in signal transduction where activation and inactivation of substrate occurs. These enzymes are also important in the process of regulation of many important pathways.

2. The evolution of biological membranes is an essential step in the origin of life. By observing the membranes of most of the species we find that the biological membrane is consistent. The membrane has different properties of fluidity, diferential permeability and also protection of the contents of the cell. IT lets in molecules desirable to the cell but prevents the entry of molecules harmful to the cell. In the absence of this membrane, many species would have been terminated or gone extinct.

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