Biochemistry Mnemonics

A

Adrenaline mechanism: “ABC of Adrenaline”

• Adrenaline–> activates Beta receptors–> increases Cyclic AMP
  • Author: Usman Ahmad

B

B vitamin names: “The Rhythm Nearly Proved Contagious”

­ In increasing order:

• Thiamine (B1)
• Riboflavin (B2)
• Niacin (B3)
• Pyridoxine (B6)
• Cobalamin (B12)
  • Reference: http://medicalmnemonics.com/

BUN:creatinine elevation &  causes: ABCD

• Azotremia (pre-renal)
• Bleeding (GI)
• Catabolic status
• Diet (high protein parenteral nutrition)
  • Author: Anthony Chan

C

Citric acid cycle compounds: “Can I Keep Selling Sex For Money, Officer?”

• Citrate
• Isocitrate
• alpha Ketogluterate
• Succinyl CoA
• Succinate
• Fumerate
• Malate
• Oxaloacetate
  • Author: Ramon Ter-Oganesyan and Rebecca University of California Irvine

Carbon monoxide: electron transport chain target: “CO blocks CO”:=

• Carbon monoxide (CO) blocks Cytochrome Oxidase (CO)
  • Reference: http://medicalmnemonics.com/

Coagulation common pathway: factors in order: 10 + 5 – 2 = 13

• Coagulation common pathway:
• Factor X to Factor V to Factor II to Factor XIII

• • Author: John Chung University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine

D

DNA bond strength (nucleotides): “Crazy Glue”

• Strongest bonds are between Cytosine and Guanine, strong like Crazy Glue (3 H-bonds), whereas the A=T only have 2 H-bonds.
• ­ This is relevant to DNA replication, as the weaker A=T will be the site where RNA primer makes the initial break.
  • Author: Lior Greenberg Technion Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, Israel

E

Essential amino acids: “PVT. TIM HALL always argues, never tires”

• Phe
• Val
• Thr
• Trp
• Ile
• Met
• His
• Arg
• Lue
• Lys
• ­ Always argues: the A is for Arg, not Asp.
• ­ ‘Never tires’: T is not Tyr, but is both Thr and Trp
  • Reference: http://medicalmnemonics.com/

Electron transport chain: Rotenone’s site of action

• Rotenone is a site specific inhibitor of complex one.
  • Author: Other/Miscellaneous

Enzyme kinetics: competitive vs. non-competitive inhibition

• With Kompetitive inhibition: Km increases; no change in Vmax.
• With Non-kompetitive inhibition: No change in Km; Vmax decreases.
  • Author: Patricia Sanchez INTEC University, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Enzymes: classification: “Over The HILL”

• Oxidoreductases
• Transferases
• Hydrolases
• Isomerases
• Ligases
• Lyases
• ­Enzymes get reaction over the hill. See diagram
  • Author: Kenny Livingstone St. Andrews medical student

Enzymes: competitive inhibitors

• “Competition is hard because we have to travel more kilometers (Km) with the same velocity”:
• With competitive inhibitors, velocity remains same but Km increases
  • Author: Waqas H. Sheikh BVI Co.

Enzymes: competitive inhibitors: “Competition is hard because we have to travel more kilometers (Km) with the same velocity”

• With competitive inhibitors, velocity remains same but Km increases
  • Author: Waqas H. Sheikh BVI Co.

F

Folate deficiency: causes: A FOLIC DROP

• Alcoholism
• Folic acid antagonists
• Oral contraceptives
• Low dietary intake
• Infection with Giardia
• Celiac sprue
• Dilatin
• Relative folate deficiency
• Old
• Pregnant
  • Author: Robert O’Connor University College Dublin

Fabry’s disease: FABRY’S

• Foam cells found in glomeruli and tubules/ Febrile episodes
• Alpha galactosidase A deficiency/ Angiokeratomas
• Burning pain in extremities/ BUN increased in serum/ Boys
• Renal failure
• YX genotype (male, X linked recessive)
• Sphingolipidoses
  • Author: Rinku Uberoi UNIBE

G

Glycogen storage: Anderson’s (IV) vs. Cori’s (III) enzyme defect: ABCD

• Anderson’s=Branching enzyme.
• Cori’s=Debranching enzyme.
• ­ Otherwise, can’t really distinguish clinically.
  • Reference: http://medicalmnemonics.com/

Glycogen storage: names of types I through VI: “Viagra Pills Cause A Major Hardon”

• Von Gierke’s
• Pompe’s
• Cori’s
• Anderson’s
• McArdle’s
• Her’s
• Author: Chris Reed Medical College of Wisconsin

Glycolysis steps: “Goodness Gracious, Father Franklin Did Go By Picking Pumpkins (to) Prepare Pies”

• Glucose
• Glucose-6-P
• Fructose-6-P
• Fructose-1,6-diP
• Dihydroxyacetone-P
• Glyceraldehyde-P
• 1,3-Biphosphoglycerate
• 3-Phosphoglycerate
• 2-Phosphoglycerate (to)
• Phosphoenolpyruvate [PEP]
• Pyruvate
• ­ ‘Did’, ‘By’ and ‘Pies’ tell you the first part of those three: di-, bi-, and py-.
• ­ ‘PrEPare’ tells location of PEP in the process.
  • Author: Ken Evans Saskatchewan Health, Acute and Emergency Services

G6PD: oxidant drugs inducing hemolytic anemia: AAA

• Antibiotic (eg: sufamethoxazole)
• Antimalarial (eg: primaquine)
• Antipyretics (eg: acetanilid, but not aspirin or acetaminophen)

• • Author: Andrew J. Vasil UMD School of Medicine, Duluth, MN

G protein type for respective receptors: “KISS and KICK till you’re SICK of SEX” (QISS and QIQ till you’re SIQ of SQS):

• ­ This gives the G-protein type (Gq, Gi, or Gs) for all the receptors. Receptors are in alphabetical order:
• alpha1=Q
• alpha2=I
• beta1=S
• beta3=S
• M1=Q
• M2=I
• M3=Q
• D1=S
• D2=I
• H1=Q
• H2=S
• V1=Q
• V2=S
  • Author: Khawaja Atif Farooq and Julien Pham Rawalpindi Medical College, Horizon Medical Institute, Pakistan and University of Washington

H

Hypervitaminosis A: signs and symptoms: “Increased Vitamin A makes you HARD”

• Headache/ Hepatomegaly
• Anorexia/ Alopecia
• Really painful bones
• Dry skin/ Drowsiness
  • Author: Usman Ahmad KMC

Hemoglobin binding curve: causes of shift to right: “CADET, face right!”

• CO2
• Acid
• 2,3-DPG (aka 2,3 BPG)
• Exercise
• Temperature
  • Reference: http://medicalmnemonics.com/

I

Infantile Beriberi symptoms or Get 5 of ’em with BERI: Breathless/ Big hearted, Eatless, Restless, Insomnia:

• Restlessness
• Sleeplessness
• Breathlessness
• Soundlessness (aphonia)
• Eatlessness (anorexia)
• Great heartedness (dilated heart)
• Author: Usman Ahmad KMC
  • Reference: http://medicalmnemonics.com/

Insulin & function: INsulIN stimulates 2 things to go

• IN 2 cells: Potassium and Glucose
  • Reference: http://medicalmnemonics.com/

M

Metabolism sites: “Use both arms to HUG”

• Heme synthesis
• Urea cycle
• Gluconeogenesis
• ­ These reactions occur in both cytoplasm and mitochondria.
  • Author: Rinku Uberoi

P

Phosphorylation cascade: action during low glucose: “In the Phasted State, Phosphorylate”

• The phosphorylation cascade becomes active when blood glucose is low
  • Reference: http://medicalmnemonics.com/

Porphyrias: acute intermittent porphyria symptoms: 5 P’s

• Pain in abdomen
• Polyneuropathy
• Psychologial abnormalities
• Pink urine
• Precipitated by drugs (eg barbiturates, oral contraceptives, sulpha drugs)
  • Author: Anuradha

Phenylketonuria, which enzyme is deficient: PHenylketonuria is caused by a deficiency of

• Phenylalanine
• Hydroxylase
  • Reference: http://medicalmnemonics.com/

Pompe’s disease type: “Police = Po + lys”

• Pompe’s disease is a lysosomal storage disease (alpha 1,4 glucosidase).
  • Author: Lior Greenberg Technion Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, Israel

Pyruvate: products of complete oxidation: “4 Naked Fun 3 Coeds + 1 Guy”

­ Complete oxidation of pyruvate yields:

• 4 NADH
• FADH2
• 3 CO2
• 1 GTP
  • Author: Lior Greenberg Technion Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, Israel

T

Tangier’s disease & hallmark: “Tangierene tonsils”

• Hallmark is large orange tonsils.
• ­ Important clinical note: there is no increased risk of atherosclerosis, just like eating tangerenes.
  • Author: Lior Greenberg Technion Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, Israel