Chapter 1
An Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry · 3 exercises
Problem 1
The hormone adrenaline interacts with proteins located on the surface of cells and does not cross the cell membrane. However, larger steroid molecules, such as estrone, cross cell membranes and interact with proteins located in the cell nucleus. Why is a large steroid molecule able to cross the cell membrane when a smaller molecule such as adrenaline cannot?
5 step solution
Problem 4
Teicoplanin is an antibiotic which 'caps' the building blocks used in the construction of the bacterial cell wall such that they cannot be linked up. The cell wall is a barrier surrounding the bacterial cell membrane and the building blocks are anchored to the outside of this cell membrane prior to their incorporation into the cell wall. Teicoplanin contains a very long alkyl substituent which plays no role in the capping mechanism. However, if this substituent is absent, activity drops. What role do you think this alkyl substituent might serve?
4 step solution
Problem 5
The Ras protein is an important protein in signalling processes within the cell. It exists freely in the cell cytoplasm, but must become anchored to the inner surface of the cell membrane in order to carry out its function. What kind of modification to the protein might take place to allow this to happen?
4 step solution