SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY 50 years ago, pregnant women who were prescribed thalidomide for morning sickness gave birth to children with birth defects. Thalidomide is a mixture of two enantiomers; one reduces morning sickness, but the other causes severe birth defects. Today, the FDA has approved this drug for non-pregnant individuals with Hansen's disease (leprosy) or newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, a blood and bone marrow cancer. The beneficial enantiomer can be synthesized and given to patients, but over time, both the beneficial and the harmful enantiomer can be detected in the body. Propose a possible explanation for the presence of the harmful enantiomer.
Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solutionChapter 4 Solutions
CAMP BIO L/M&MOD MSTG(LOOSELEAF BUNDLE)
Additional Science Textbook Solutions
Loose Leaf For Integrated Principles Of Zoology
Microbiology: An Introduction (13th Edition)
Essentials of Human Anatomy & Physiology (11th Edition)
Anatomy & Physiology: The Unity of Form and Function
- Alchemists were the forerunners of modern-day chemists. Many of these medieval scholars and philosophers spent their lives trying to transform lead (atomic number 82) into gold (atomic number 79). Explain why they never succeeded.arrow_forwardChemistry Ninhydrin is used to turn amino acids in fingerprints purple, make a good way to stain fingerprints. The reaction of ninhydrin with amino acids is different for proline than the other amino acids. For 19 amino acids including glycine, it takes two ninhydrin molecules to react with the amino acid to produce the purple pigment products. For proline, only one ninhydrin molecule reacts and the color of the product is not normally purple. Can someone help me solve problems a-c? Thank you! Will thumbs up if correct!arrow_forwardThalidomide is an example of how important understanding chemistry is for medicine, what is true about thalidomide? a. it is a complex molecule with no application b. it is a widely used wonder drug c. the drug exists as two isomers one is useful for medicine and the other is useful for energy d. the drug exists as two isomers one is useful for medicine and the other interfeees with fetal development e. the drug is no longer made because of the high synthesis costarrow_forward
- Like oxygen, sulfur forms two covalent bonds. However, sulfur is far less electronegative. In fact, it is approximately as electronegative as carbon. How would the properties of the various classes of biological molecules be altered if you were to replace all the oxygen atoms with sulfur atoms?arrow_forwardEVOLUTION CONNECTION The percentages of naturallyoccurring elements making up the human body (see Table 2.1)are similar to the percentages of these elements found in otherorganisms. How could you account for this similarity amongorganisms?arrow_forwardAbundant trans bonds make partially hydrogenated vegetable oil a very unhealthy food choice. Vegetable oil can also be hydrogenated until it becomes fully saturated with hydrogen atoms. Would the physical properties of the hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils differ? If so, how and why would the differences occur? Do you think that full hydrogenation makes vegetable oil more or less healthy to eat, or does it have no effect?arrow_forward
- Draw the reaction between sphingosine and arachidonic acid. Draw out the full structures.arrow_forwardA 1.4-mg dose of ricin is considered lethal for most humans. Ricin has a molecular weight of 65 kDa. How many molecules of ricin are in a lethal dose? _______ molecules of ricinarrow_forwardAbundant trans bonds make partially hydrogenated vegetable oil a very unhealthy food choice. Vegetable oil can be hydrogenated until it becomes fully saturated with hydrogen atoms. Would the physical properties of the hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils differ? If so how and why would the differences occur? Do you think that full hydrogenation makes vegetable oil more or less healthy to eat, or does it have not effect?arrow_forward
- Biologically, how expensive are you? The elements that make up the typical adult body can be purchased from chemical supply companies for about $3,000-$4,000. However, each of those elements must be chemically bonded to together to produce the complex biological molecules of life (proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, lipids). Using sophisticated laboratory equipment, highly trained scientists can synthesize these complex biological molecules from basic elemental building blocks, but this costs millions of dollars!Consider the differences in worth between the elemental and biomolecular components of life. Explain the difference in terms of the characteristics of life.arrow_forwardIn 1976, a team of chemists in the United Kingdom was developing new insecticides by modifying sugars with chlorine (Cl2), phosgene (Cl2CO), and other toxic gases. One young member of the team misunderstood his verbal instructions to test a new molecule. He thought he had been told to taste it. Luckily for him, the molecule was not toxic, but it was very sweet. It became the food additive sucralose. Sucralose has three chlorine atoms substituted for three hydroxyl groups of sucrose (table sugar): The altered sugar binds so strongly to the sweet-taste receptors on the tongue that the human brain perceives it as 600 times sweeter than sucrose. Sucralose was originally marketed as an artificial sweetener called Splenda, but it is now available under several other brand names. Researchers investigated whether the body recognizes sucralose as a carbohydrate by feeding sucralose labeled with 14C to volunteers. Analysis of the radioactive molecules in the volunteers urine and feces showed that 92.8 percent of the sucralose passed through the body without being altered. Some people are worried that the chlorine atoms impart toxicity to sucralose. How would you respond to that concern?arrow_forwardIn 1976, a team of chemists in the United Kingdom was developing new insecticides by modifying sugars with chlorine (Cl2), phosgene (Cl2CO), and other toxic gases. One young member of the team misunderstood his verbal instructions to test a new molecule. He thought he had been told to taste it. Luckily for him, the molecule was not toxic, but it was very sweet. It became the food additive sucralose. Sucralose has three chlorine atoms substituted for three hydroxyl groups of sucrose (table sugar): The altered sugar binds so strongly to the sweet-taste receptors on the tongue that the human brain perceives it as 600 times sweeter than sucrose. Sucralose was originally marketed as an artificial sweetener called Splenda, but it is now available under several other brand names. Researchers investigated whether the body recognizes sucralose as a carbohydrate by feeding sucralose labeled with 14C to volunteers. Analysis of the radioactive molecules in the volunteers urine and feces showed that 92.8 percent of the sucralose passed through the body without being altered. Some people are worried that the chlorine atoms impart toxicity to sucralose. How would you respond to that concern?arrow_forward
- Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap...BiologyISBN:9781337408332Author:Cecie Starr, Ralph Taggart, Christine Evers, Lisa StarrPublisher:Cengage LearningBiology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap...BiologyISBN:9781305073951Author:Cecie Starr, Ralph Taggart, Christine Evers, Lisa StarrPublisher:Cengage Learning
- Biology: The Dynamic Science (MindTap Course List)BiologyISBN:9781305389892Author:Peter J. Russell, Paul E. Hertz, Beverly McMillanPublisher:Cengage LearningBiology Today and Tomorrow without Physiology (Mi...BiologyISBN:9781305117396Author:Cecie Starr, Christine Evers, Lisa StarrPublisher:Cengage LearningHuman Biology (MindTap Course List)BiologyISBN:9781305112100Author:Cecie Starr, Beverly McMillanPublisher:Cengage Learning