1.2: Macromolecules Flashcards
What are the four major classes of biological macromolecules
carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Which 4 elements make up 96% of living matter?
Carbon, Nitrogen, Hydrogen and Oxygen
What are the 8 types of proteins
Enzymatic; Defensive; Storage; Transport; Hormonal; Receptor; Contractile/motor; Structural
What is the backbone of a lipid?
Glycerol
What are the various chemical bonds called?
Covalent bond, ionic bond, hydrogen bond, hydrophobic interaction and van der Waals attraction
What are the various ways in which a carbon framework can vary?
In length, in double bond position, in branching and in the presence of rings
In the hydrolysis reaction, is H2O broken up or created?
Broken up
In the hydrolysis reaction, is a polymer broken up or created?
Broken up
In the dehydration reaction, is H2O broken up or created
Created
In the dehydration reaction, is a polymer broken up or created?
Created
What happens during the hydrolysis and dehydration reactions?
Polymers are broken up into monomers or created from monomers
What are the 3 parts to the nucleic acid monomer?
Nitrogenous base; pentose (5 carbon sugar); phosphate group
Name the 4 expressions of proteins structures
- primary, 2. secondary, 3. tertiary and 4. quaternary
Which one of the 4 macromolecules is not a polymer?
Lipids
How many essential amino acids are there?
20
The ‘essential amino acids’ are essential to the human diet because…?
They cannot be produced by any of the chemical reactions that occur in human cells
The building blocks of nucleic acid molecules are called?
Nucleotides
All lipids have in common that…?
They are hydrophobic
Oils are liquid at room temperature because…?
They are unsaturated
Animal fats are solid at room temperature because…?
They are saturated
Explain the terms ‘saturated’ in relation to lipids
Saturated contains only single bonds, all carbon atoms have been ‘saturated’ with hydrogen atoms.
Explain the term ‘unsaturated’ in relation to lipids
Unsaturated contains one or more double bonds, NOT all carbon atoms have been ‘saturated’ with hydrogen atoms
What is cholesterol?
A type of lipid found in the structure of animal cell membranes
What happens in the process of ‘hydrogenation’?
Unsaturated fats are turned into saturated fats by artificially adding hydrogen.
Do all fatty acids attached to a glycerol have to be the same?
No, they can be a combination of saturated and unsaturated fats, of varying length, and levels of saturation.
A protein is a coiled up string of …?
Polypeptide
A polypeptide is a string of …?
Amino acids
Why are proteins important to the living organisms?
They are involved in all processes, allowing organisms to function and reproduce
What is the purpose of RNA?
To convey genetic instructions from DNA to the ribosomes to make proteins
Name an example of a monosaccharide?
Glucose (alternatively: ribose and fructose)
Name an example of a disaccharide?
Maltose (alternatively: sucrose and lactose)
Name an example of a polysaccharide?
Starch (amylose), glycogen, cellulose, chitin
What is the name of the polysaccheride that provides strength to cell walls in plants?
Cellulose
What is the name of the polysaccharide that makes up the exoskeleton of arthropods?
Chitin
What are the 3 types of carbohydrates?
- Monosaccharides
- Disaccharides
- Polysaccharides
How are monomers linked together into polymers?
By use of glycosidic linkages
