Biochemistry Flashcards
What is organic chemistry?
Study of compounds containing carbon
What is biochemistry?
Study of the molecules that compose living organisms. Useful for understanding cellular structures, basic physiology, nutrition, and health
List the four categories of organic biomolecules.
- Carbohydrates
- Lipids
- Proteins
- Nucleic acids
What is the significance of carbon in organic chemistry?
Versatile atom that forms the basis of a wide variety of structures. Carbon has four valence electrons. Carbon skeleton!
What types of carbon-carbon backbones exist?
- Long chains
- Branched
- Rings
What are functional groups?
Small clusters of atoms attached to carbon backbone that determine many properties of organic molecules
Give examples of functional groups.
- Hydroxyl
- Methyl
- Carboxyl
- Amino
- Phosphate
What are isomers?
Molecules which share the same molecular formula but differ in the arrangement of those atoms.
What are the three major types of isomers?
- Structural isomers
- Geometric (cis–trans) isomers
- Enantiomers
Define macromolecules.
Very large organic molecules with high molecular weights
What are polymers?
Macromolecules made of a repetitive series of identical or similar subunits (monomers)
What is polymerization?
Joining monomers to form a polymer
What process is involved in polymerization?
Dehydration synthesis, where monomers covalently bind together to form a polymer with the removal of a water molecule
What is hydrolysis?
The splitting of a polymer by the addition of a water molecule to form monomers
What is the general formula for carbohydrates?
(CH2O)n, where n = number of carbon atoms
What is the formula for glucose?
C6H12O6
What is the ratio of hydrogen to oxygen in carbohydrates?
2:1 ratio
What is the root and suffix commonly used in carbohydrate names?
Root ‘sacchar-‘ and suffix ‘-ose’
What are monosaccharides?
Simple sugars (monomers) such as glucose, galactose, and fructose
What is a disaccharide?
Sugar made of two monosaccharides
Name three important disaccharides.
- Sucrose (Glucose + Fructose)
- Lactose (Glucose + Galactose)
- Maltose (Glucose + Glucose)
What are oligosaccharides?
Short chains of 3-20 monosaccharides
What are polysaccharides?
Long chains of monosaccharides (at least 50, MW >500,000)
What is glycogen?
Long branched-chain polymer of glucose, energy storage form of carbohydrates in animals.
What is starch?
Energy storage in plants that is digestible by humans
What is cellulose?
Structural molecule in plants, indigestible to humans, important as dietary fiber
What is the major role of carbohydrates?
Quickly mobilized source of energy
How are carbohydrates converted to energy?
All digested carbohydrates are converted to glucose, which is oxidized to make ATP
What is ATP?
The energy currency of the body
What is a conjugated carbohydrate?
Covalently bound to lipid or protein moiety
What are glycolipids?
Conjugated carbohydrates found on the external surface of cell membranes
What are glycoproteins?
Conjugated carbohydrates found on the external surface of cell membranes and in mucus of respiratory and digestive tracts
What are proteoglycans?
More carbohydrate than protein, gels that hold cells and tissues together
What is a function of proteoglycans?
Gelatinous filler in umbilical cord and eye, joint lubrication, and cartilage texture
What are lipids?
Lipids are hydrophobic organic molecules
* Usually composed only of carbon, hydrogen,
and oxygen with a high ratio of hydrogen to
oxygen
* Have more calories per gram than
carbohydrates
