2.1 Moleculesles To Metabolism Flashcards
What are organic compounds?
Compound that contains carbon
Why is carbon the basis of organic life?
Due to its ability to form large and complex molecules via covalent bonding
How many covalent bonds can carbon form?
4
What are the four groups of organic compounds?
Carbohydrates
Lipids
Nucleic acids
Proteins
What is the main function of carbohydrates?
Source of energy (short tem and energy storage)
What is the general formula for most carbohydrates?
(CH^2O)n
What are lipids?
Non-polar, hydrophobic molecules
What / where are lipids usually found/ used in?
Major component of cell membranes
A signalling molecule
What are nucleic acids?
Genetic material of all cells and determines the inherited feature of an organism
What are the functions of DNA and RNA?
DNA - master code for protein assembly
RNA - plays an active role in the manufactor of proteins
What are proteins composed of?
C,H,O,N (sometimes S)
What are the two functions of proteins?
Major regulatory molecules involved in catalysis (enzymes)
Structural molecules or plays roles a role in cellular signalling
What are carbohydrates, nucleic acids and proteins compromised of?
Monomers that joined togeteher to form lrger polymers
What monomers are carbohydraytes composed of?
Monosacchrides (single sugar unit)
What are two sacchrides joined called, and many sacchrides called?
Disacchrides (two sacchrides)
Polysaccharides (many sacchrides)
What structures do most monosacchrides form?
Form ring structures and can exist in different 3D configurations
What are three examnples of monosacchrides?
Ribose, alpha glucose, beta glucose
What are three examples of lipids which contain fatty acid chains?
Triglycerides, phospholipids, waxes
What are fatty acids?
Long chains of hydrocarbons that may or may not contain double bonds (saturated / unsaturated)
What are proteins composed of?
Amino acids (joined together to form polypeptide chains)
What two things does each amino acid consist of?
A central carbon coneecnig to an amine grop (HN2)
An opposing carboxyl group (COOH)
What gives amino acids different properties?
Variable group (R)
What are nucleic acids composed of?
Monomers called nucleotides
Joined together to form polynucleotide chains
What 3 things are nucleotides composed of?
Pentose sugar, a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base
What two structures of the nucleotides cause the diffrerences between DNA and RNA?
Typed pof sugars
Composition of bases
How do the structure of complex carbohydrates vary?
Through the composition of monomeric subunits
How can polysaccharides differ from each other? (2)
According to the type of monosaccharide they possess
The way the subunits bond together
What are three different polymers which glucose monomers can be combine to form?
Glycogen, cellulose and starch
What three main classes can lipids be organised into?
Simple lipids
Compound lipis
Derived lipids
What are simple lipids? (+2 examples)
Esters of fatty acids and alcohol
Eg. Triglycerides and waxes
What are compound lipids? (+2 examples)
Ester of fatty acids, alcohol and additional groups
Eg. Phospholipids and glyolipids
What are derived lipds? (+2 examples?)
Substances derived from simple or compound lipids
Eg. Steroids and carotenoids
What os the structure of proteins?
Amino acids joined together by peptide bonds which form between amine and carboxyl groups of adjacent amino acids
What does the fusion of two amino acids create
A dipeptide -> then a polypeptide with more
What does the folding/structure of amino acids depend on after the fusion of amino acids?
The subsequent folding of the chain depends on the order of amino acids sequence (based on chemical properties)
What is the structure of nucleic acid?
Nucleotide bond between the pentose sugar and phosphate group to long polypeptide chains
How to nucleic acid of DNA form? (2 steps)
Two complimentry chains will pair up via hydrogenous base to form double strands
The double-stranded molecules may twist to from a double-helical arrangement
What is the metabolism?
The totality of chemical process
What two functions do metabolic reactions have?
Provide a source of energy for cellular processes
Enable the synthesis and assimilation of new materials for use within the cell
What are anabolic reactions?
Set of metabolic reactions that build up complex molecules from simpler ones
What kind of reaction is normally occurs for the synthesis of organic molecules?
condensation reactions
What are condensation reactions?
When monomers are covalently joined and water is produced as a by-product
How are monosaccharides joined/ what bond?
Via glycosidic linkages to form disaccharides and then polysaccharides
How are amino acids joined/ what bond?
Via peptide bonds to make peptide chains
What joins glycerol and fatty acid chains / the bond?
Ester linkage to create triglycerides
What joins nucleotides/ what bond?
Phosphodiester bonds to form polynucleotide chains
What are catabolic reactions?
Set of metabolic reactions thatbreak down complex molecules down into simpler ones
How are bond usually catabolically broken?
Hydrolysis reactions
What do hydrolysis reactions require?
Water molecules to breakdown the bonds within the polymer
