Biochemistry and Macro-Molecules Flashcards
What are the most important INORGANIC compounds?
- Oxygen gas
- Carbon dioxide
- Water (polar)
What are some of the unique properties of water?
- Strong hydrogen bonds
- Transparency
- Cohesion (molecules are attracted to each other due to polarity)
- Universal Solvent
- Thermal property.
What are the most important ORGANIC molecules?
- Carbohydrates
- Proteins
- Lipids
- Nucleic Acids
What are Carbohydrates?
The fastest fuel. They’re made up of simple sugars called MONOSACCHARIDE (glucose, fructose, galactose).
What is a DISACCHARIDE?
The product of 2 bonded glucose molecules.
Ex. glucose + glucose = maltose
glucose + fructose = sucrose
glucose + galactose = lactose
What is a POLYSACCHARIDE, and what is it stored as in plants and animals?
When many glucose molecules. In plants, it is stored as STARCH and CELLULOSE. In animals, it is stored GLYCOGEN in the liver.
What are LIPIDS?
Long-term storage and protection. Made of a GLYCEROL back-bone and 3 FATTY ACIDS to create a TRIGLYCERIDE.
What are the 3 groups of lipids?
- Steroids: includes cholesterol and hormones
- Fats: Saturated- long single bonded carbon chains, solid at room temp and comes from animals
Unsaturated- long double and triple bonded carbon chains, liquid at room temp and comes from plants. - Phospholipids: makes up the cell membrane, have a glycerol backbone, 2 fatty acids and 1 PO4 molecule. The head of PO4 is hydrophilic, fatty acid tail is hydrophobic.
What are PROTEINS?
They are made up of smaller units called AMINO ACIDS. The body requires 20 AAs,12 are made by the body, and the other 8 are gained through diet. The general structure of AAs includes a carbon connected to hydrogen, a remainder group, a carboxyl group and an amino group.
What is a PEPTIDE BOND?
When two amino acids bond together. The product of this bond is called a DIPEPTIDE.
2-9 AAs = Peptide
10-100 AAs = Polypeptide
100+ AAs = Protein
What is DENATURATION?
When amino acids are exposed to extreme conditions causing them to unfold and become unable to function.
What are the 4 structures of Proteins?
- Primary Structure: Short chains
- Secondary Structure: Alpha helix (curly), Beta - pleated sheet (zig-zag)
- Tertiary Structure: Globular structure
- Quartenary Structure: More globular
What are ENZYMES?
They are proteins that are:
- pH and temp specific
- catalysts
- end in “ase”
- act as a lock and key
The lock is the enzyme, the key is the substrate, and the area in between is the active site. When combined it forms an Enzyme Substrate Complex and produces 2 products.
What are NUCLEIC ACIDS?
They consist of a PO4 group, a 5-carbon sugar and a nitrogen base. The nitrogen base carries creating 4 NUCLEOTIDES.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid) are Nucleic Acids.
What are the 4 bases in DNA?
- Adenine
- Thymine
- Cytosine
- Guanine
(A and T pair, C and G pair)
