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IB Biology > 2.1 Molecular Biology > Flashcards

2.1 Molecular Biology Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the main role of molecular biology as a field?

A

Molecular biology is a field of study that focuses on investigating biological activity at a molecular level

This includes elucidating the structure and function of chemical substances and determining their interactions as parts of living processes

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2
Q

What are biological processes regulated by?

A

Biological processes are tightly regulated by enzymes, whose expression is controlled by gene activation (DNA)

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3
Q

What are changes in activity usually determined by?

A

Changes in activity are typically determined by signalling molecules (either endogenous or exogenous in origin)

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4
Q

What does an organic compound contain?

A

An organic compound is a compound that contains carbon

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5
Q

Where are organic compounds found? (general)

A

found in living things

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6
Q

What are 4 exceptions of compounds that contain carbon but are not organic?

A

Exceptions include carbides (e.g. CaC2), carbonates (CO32–), oxides of carbon (CO, CO2) and cyanides (CN–)

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7
Q

Why is carbon the basis of organic life?

A

Carbon forms the basis of organic life due to its ability to form large and complex molecules via covalent bonding

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8
Q

How does electronic configuration affect carbons ability to form bonds?

A

Carbon atoms can form four covalent bonds, with bonds between carbon atoms being particularly stable (catenation)

These properties allows carbon to form a wide variety of organic compounds that are chemically stable

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9
Q

What are the 4 main categories of organic compounds?

A
  • carbohydrates
  • lipids
  • nucleic acids
  • proteins
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10
Q

What are carbohydrates composed of?

A

composed primarily of C,H and O atoms

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11
Q

What general formula do carbohydrates have?

A

(CH2O)n

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12
Q

What is the principal function of carbohydrates?

A

Principally function as a source of energy (and as a short-term energy storage option)

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13
Q

What are 2 other functions of carbohydrates?

A

Also important as a recognition molecule (e.g. glycoproteins) and as a structural component (part of DNA / RNA)

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14
Q

What are lipids?

A

Non-polar, hydrophobic molecules which may come in a variety of forms (simple, complex or derived)

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15
Q

What are lipids a major component of?

A

Lipids serve as a major component of cell membranes (phospholipids and cholesterol)

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16
Q

What 2 other functions can lipids have?

A

They may be utilised as a long-term energy storage molecule (fats and oils)

Also may function as a signalling molecule (steroids)

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17
Q

What are nucleic acids?

A

Genetic material of all cells and determines the inherited features of an organism

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18
Q

What is the role of DNA?

A

DNA functions as a master code for protein assembly

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19
Q

What is the role of RNA?

A

RNA plays an active role in the manufacturing of proteins

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20
Q

What are proteins composed of?

A

composed of C, H, O and N atoms (some may include S)

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21
Q

What 2 main functions may proteins have?

A

Major regulatory molecules involved in catalysis (all enzymes are proteins)

May also function as structural molecules or play a role in cellular signalling (transduction pathways)

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22
Q

What may complex macromolecules be made up of?

A

Complex macromolecules may commonly be comprised of smaller, recurring subunits called monomers

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23
Q

WHich organic compound is not made up of repeating monomers?

A

Lipids do not contain recurring monomers, however certain types may be composed of distinct subunits (e.g. triglycerides)

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24
Q

What are carbohydrates composed of?

A

Carbohydrates are composed of monomers called monosaccharides (‘single sugar unit’)

25
Q

What can monosaccharides join to form?

A

Monosaccharides are the building blocks of disaccharides (two sugar units) and polysaccharides (many sugar units)

26
Q

What structures can most monosaccharides take?

A

Most monosaccharides form ring structures and can exist in different 3D configurations (stereoisomers)

27
Q

What type of repeating monomer may lipids contain?

A

However several types of lipids (triglycerides, phospholipids, waxes) contain fatty acid chains as part of their overall structure

28
Q

What do fatty acids look like?

A

Fatty acids are long chains of hydrocarbons that may or may not contain double bonds (unsaturated vs saturated)

29
Q

What are proteins composed of?

A

Proteins are composed of monomers called amino acids, which join together to form polypeptide chains

30
Q

WHat is the structure of a protein? (what does the c connect to?)

A

Each amino acid consists of a central carbon connected to an amine group (NH2) and an opposing carboxyl group (COOH)

31
Q

What is different about each amino acid?

A

A variable group (denoted ‘R’) gives different amino acids different properties (e.g. may be polar or non-polar, etc.)

32
Q

What are nucleic acids composed of?

A

Nucleic acids are composed of monomers called nucleotides, which join together to form polynucleotide chains

33
Q

What does each nucleotide contain?

A

Each nucleotide consists of 3 components – a pentose sugar, a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base

34
Q

What is metabolism?

A

Metabolism describes the totality of chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life

35
Q

What are the 2 key purposes of metabolic reactions?

A

They provide a source of energy for cellular processes (growth, reproduction, etc.)

They enable the synthesis and assimilation of new materials for use within the cell

36
Q

What are anabolic reactions?

A

Anabolic reactions describe the set of metabolic reactions that build up complex molecules from simpler ones

37
Q

What reaction is usually involved in anabolism?

A

The synthesis of organic molecules via anabolism typically occurs via condensation reactions

38
Q

How do condensation reactions occur?

A

Condensation reactions occur when monomers are covalently joined and water is produced as a by-product

39
Q

What linkage joins monosaccharides?

A

Monosaccharides are joined via glycosidic linkages to form disaccharides and polysaccharides

40
Q

What linkage joins amino acids?

A

Amino acids are joined via peptide bonds to make polypeptide chains

41
Q

What linkage joins glycerol and fatty acids?

A

Glycerol and fatty acids are joined via an ester linkage to create triglycerides

42
Q

What are nucleotides joined together by?

A

Nucleotides are joined by phosphodiester bonds to form polynucleotide chains

43
Q

What is the purpose of anabolism?

A

synthesising new molecules from simpler ones

44
Q

What are the energetics of anabolism?

A

uses energy to construct new bonds

45
Q

What mechanism does anabolism use?

A

typically involves reduction reactions

46
Q

What are catabolic reactions?

A

Catabolic reactions describe the set of metabolic reactions that break complex molecules down into simpler molecules

47
Q

What reaction does catabolism contain?

A

The breakdown of organic molecules via catabolism typically occurs via hydrolysis reactions

48
Q

What does hydrolysis require?

A

Hydrolysis reactions require the consumption of water molecules to break the bonds within the polymer

49
Q

What is the purpose of catabolism?

A

breaking down complex molecules into simpler ones

50
Q

What are the energetics of catabolism?

A

releasing energy when bonds are broken

51
Q

What mechanism does catabolism involve?

A

typically involves oxidation reactions

52
Q

What is vitalism?

A

Vitalism was a doctrine that dictated that organic molecules could only be synthesised by living systems

53
Q

What was the justification for vitalism?

A

It was believed that living things possessed a certain “vital force” needed to make organic molecules

54
Q

According to vitalism how are non and organic compounds different?

A

organic compounds were thought to possess a non-physical element lacking from inorganic molecules

55
Q

How was vitalism disproved?

A

Vitalism as a theory has since been disproven with the discovery that organic molecules can be artificially synthesised

56
Q

Who disproved vitalism and how?

A

In 1828, Frederick Woehler heated an inorganic salt (ammonium cyanate) and produced urea

57
Q

What is urea?

A

Urea is a waste product of nitrogen metabolism and is eliminated by the kidneys in mammals

58
Q

How did the synthesis of urea disprove vitalism?

A

The artificial synthesis of urea demonstrates that organic molecules are not fundamentally different to inorganic molecules

IB Biology (38 decks)

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