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Bio 12 (1st half) > Biochemistry > Flashcards

Biochemistry Flashcards

1
Q

What are Macromolecules?

A

very large chemicals made of repeating subunits

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2
Q

What are the 4 main classes of macromolecules that make up living things?

A

Carbohydrates, Proteins, Lipids and Nucleic Acids

*they are all polymers

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3
Q

What are two characteristics that each of the macromolecules have?

A

distinct structure

distinct functions in the body

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4
Q

What are Polymers made of?

A

they are made up of similar, repeating subunits

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5
Q

What is a Monomer?

A

The simplest unit that makes up a polymer

*think 1 block is a monomer but several blocks can form any structure

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6
Q

What are Carbohydrates?

A

macromolecules used as the body’s primary source of energy

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7
Q

What do you call the monomers of carbohydrates?

A

Monosaccharides

means “single sugar”

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8
Q

What are the three monosaccharides?

A

Glucose, Fructose and Galactose

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9
Q

When theses monomers combine, they make…

A

Disaccharides

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10
Q

Name the 3 Disaccharides we talked about

A

Maltose (glucose-glucose)

Sucrose (glucose-fructose)

Lactose (glucose-galactose)

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11
Q

What are Polysaccharides?

A

Carbohydrates containing more than two sugars

also known as Complex Carbohydrates

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12
Q

What are examples of Polysaccharides / Complex Carbs

A

Starch, Cellulose and Glycogen

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13
Q

What are the three ways carbohydrates can be recognized?

A
  1. Carbon-Carbon Backbone
  2. Repeating Ring Structure
  3. End in the suffix “ose”
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14
Q

How do animal cells obtain carbohydrates?

A

They can’t produce them on their own so they must consume them from other living things

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15
Q

Describe Glucose

*where it can be used

A

the only molecule that can be used by the cristae of the mitochondria

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16
Q

Describe the conversion of food particles

A

All food particles must eventually be converted into a single monomer

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17
Q

Describe Glycogen

A

a polysaccharide containing repeating glucose subunits

excess blood glucose is stored as glycogen

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18
Q

How is Glycogen Formed?

A

By fusing two Hydroxyl (OH) groups from neighboring glucose molecules, releasing water as a byproduct

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19
Q

Define Dehydration Synthesis

A

The process of creating a polymer by losing water

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20
Q

What is Hydrolysis?

A

A process where a molecule is broken apart by reacting with water

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21
Q

Explain when Glycogen undergoes Hydrolysis

A

Glycogen is broken up into single glucose molecules when the blood is low on glucose

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22
Q

Describe molecules that have the prefix “Glyco”

A

They are molecules that contain a mixture of carbohydrates and some other macromolecule.

ex
Glycoprotein (carb + protein)
Glycolipid (carb + lipid/fat)

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23
Q

Describe Proteins

A

macromolecules used to provide structure (structural proteins)

and speed up reactions in the body (enzymes)

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24
Q

What are the Monomers of Proteins?

A

Amino Acids

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25
How do Amino Acids bond together?
through Peptide Bonds Peptide bonds are formed through Dehydration Synthesis
26
What is a Polypeptide?
a group of connected Amino Acids Peptide bonds join the Amino group of one amino acid to the Acid group of another Amino Acid
27
What do each Amino Acid differ in?
It’s Side Chain (R-group)
28
How can proteins be recognized?
by their C-N-N backbone
29
What does a proteins function depend on?
A proteins function is dependent on its shape Every protein has an ideal shape that allows it to function optimally
30
Define Denatured
when a protein shape is changed in a way that reduces its functionality not all changes are denaturation! Pepsin is made in its denatured form then made active in the stomach
31
Describe Coagulation
the process of irreversibly denaturing a protein —> example cooking
32
Proteins can be denatures in several ways, particularly through…
changes in pH or Temperature
33
Describe Enzymes
proteins responsible for performing chemical reactions in the body your body needs to perform more than 200,000 different chemical reactions to survive, enzymes make that possible
34
Define Homeostasis and give examples
the “normal” state for the body ex. normal blood pH is 7.38 normal body temp is 36.7°C
35
When do our body’s enzymes function optimally?
at homeostasis
36
What happens when our body temperatures or pH move away from homeostasis?
our proteins become denatured and experienced reduces function
37
Describe the Active Site
the location on the enzyme where a chemical reaction occurs
38
Describe Substrate
the **reactants** of an enzymatic reaction (products are still called products)
39
Name the two “helper molecules” some enzymes need for reactions
Cofactors - inorganic helper molecules ex. iron or zinc (no carbon) Coenzymes - organic helper molecules ex. vitamins (carbon based)
40
When does enzymatic activity increase?
With substrate concentration (more substrate = more product)
41
When does enzymatic activity decrease?
Through Feedback Inhibition
42
What is Feedback Inhibition?
when too much product blocks substrate from attaching to the active site
43
What is Competitive Inhibition?
a decrease in enzymatic activity by filling the active sight with molecules called inhibitors *often used in pharmaceuticals
44
What are inhibitors?
molecules that mimic the shape of a substrate
45
What are buffers?
chemical pairs that prevent large changes in pH one chemical in the buffer pair neutralizes acids while the other neutralizes bases *your body needs to keep a constant pH
46
Describe Lipids
macromolecules used for energy storage, insulation and hormone synthesis
47
What are the two defining characteristics of lipids
they are insoluble (don’t dissolve in water) they are immiscible (don’t mix in water)
48
Define Polar molecules
Polar molecules contain a **partially positive end and a partially negative end** due to the unequal sharing of electrons most chemicals in the body, especially water, are polar
49
Are lipids Polar or Non-Polar
Non-Polar, meaning they do not contain any unequal charges
50
What happens when polar molecules interact with water? (ex. protein)
the partial negatives of the protein bind to the partial positives of the water (and vice versa)
51
Do non-polar molecules react the same way as proteins?
No. no mixing or dissolving occurs. ex. fats and oils when cooking always form a distinct layer they never mix with water
52
Describe Fats
Lipids that are solid at room temperature
53
Describe Oils
Lipids that are liquid at room temperature
54
What other two monomers are lipids composed of?
Glycerol and Fatty Acids
55
Describe Triglycerides
**the simplest lipid** contains one glycerol and three fatty acids joined through dehydration synthesis **1glycerol 3 fatty acids**
56
Describe Phospholipids
a special type of lipid where **one of the fatty acids have been replaced by a phosphate group** 1 glycerol 2 fatty acids 1 phosphate group
57
Describe Phosphates and Lipids
phosphate is very negative, allowing for one end of the lipid to be Polar (soluble in water)
58
What are a primary component of the Cell Membrane?
Phospholipids they are ideal for controlling the transportation of molecules in and out of the cell
59
Describe the Phospholipid Bilayer
two sheets of Phospholipid coming together * in cell and nuclear membranes
60
Describe Phosphate heads/groups
they are Hydrophilic (water loving) since they are polar and interact with water molecules
61
Describe the Fatty Acid Tails
They are Hydrophobic (water fearing) since they are non-polar and don’t interact with water
62
Describe Passive Transport
movement across the membrane without the use of energy
63
What are the two forms of Passive Transport?
Diffusion and Osmosis
64
Describe Diffusion
the movement of a substance from high to low concentration ex food dye in water
65
List some examples of molecules that use diffusion to cross the cell membrane
Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, Urea molecules that are transported across the membrane through diffusion are not affected by the cell membrane (“open border”)
66
Describe Osmosis
the diffusion of water
67
Describe Tonicity
the concentration of dissolved molecules in water the inside of the cell is usually full of solute, meaning that the tonicity is higher inside the cell than outside
68
Describe Solute
Dissolved ions and macromolecules
69
What are Isotonic solutions?
they have the same solute concentration as inside the cell
70
Describe Hypotonic Solutions
they have a lower solute concentration than inside the cell (they have a higher water concentration) water molecules will move from the hypotonic solution into the cell, causing it to expand and/or burst
71
Describe Hypertonic Solutions
they have a higher solute concentration than inside the cell (lower water concentration) water molecules move from the cell to the hypertonic solution, making the cell shrink and shrivel
72
Describe Active Transport
the movement of particles across a membrane with the use of energy (ATP) required if molecules are being transported against the concentration gradient of if a molecule is too large to move by itself
73
Active Transport often requires:
Carrier proteins which are proteins inside the cell membrane that transport molecules across when activated
74
Why does the cell membrane have to form for very large molecules?
the cell membrane must for vacuoles for large molecules for transport
75
How are vacuoles formed?
by folding the cell membrane around the target molecules then detaching the newly formed pocket
76
Describe Exocytosis
**the release of cellular materials from the cell** by forming an external vacuole
77
Describe Endocytosis
the intake of large particle by forming a vacuole along the cell membrane
78
What is Pinocytosis?
the endocytosis of liquid particles (often lipids) endocytosis - intake of large particle by forming a vacuole along the cell membrane
79
What is Phagocytosis?
the endocytosis of solid particles endocytosis - intake of large particle by forming a vacuole along the cell membrane

Bio 12 (1st half) (5 decks)

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