What is biotransformation?

1) What is biotransformation?
2) What is the general outcome in terms of chemical properties?
3) What class or group of proteins are involved?

PART 2
4) List and briefly describe five different metabolic
mechanisms for biotransforming xenobiotics from both phase I and phase II (also
give which phase they are a part of).

PART 3
Some epoxides are highly reactive compounds. (If you use
sources other than the textbook, provide a link or a citation.)
5) Describe the biotransformation process for converting a
xenobiotic into an epoxide metabolite.
6) Give an example and name the enzyme involved.

PART 4
7) One well-known pathways of biotransformation is the
transformation of ethanol (CH3CH2OH) into acetaldehyde (CH3CHO).
Then acetaldehyde is then transformed to acetate (CH3COO-).
Link for more information on this reaction here:
https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa72/aa72.htm (Note: searching for
acetic acid instead of acetate may be beneficial): [I recommend exploring chemicals with
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/]
a)
What are the
two enzymes that are mainly responsible for these two steps?
b)
Is this a
Phase I or Phase II reaction? What type? Why?
c)
Describe the
change in the polarity of ethanol to acetate. What does that mean for what is
likely to happen to these molecules in the body?
d)
Think about
the molecular properties of these molecules. How are their boiling points and
polarity connected? Compare the boiling points to non-polar propane (-44 °F),
which has a similar molecular weight.
e)
Look up
information on vapor pressure from a reputable source. How is boiling point
connected to vapor pressure?

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